That's why he makes the big bucks. ;c)

I am in full agreement with Hewsan. Why reinvent the wheel when you don't have to? If there is an excellent model out there, why, other than for masochism's sake, or if you really get into modeling, or pride (which isn't always good) would you just use the superior model as a placeholder then replace it with potentially inferior work, if you're not a great modeler. Now I can understand if the model is not what you need, that you either modify (if you can) or create your own to replace it, but come on. Some people may feel the need to excel way, and I can respect that, but I am not one of them, nor would I look down on someone who did. Sorry if I am a little rude, but I find it insulting that some people automatically assume that artists who don't make their own models are hacks and subtly snub their work. Anyway, that's my two upset cents. IMNSHO

Okay Okay.... A professional critique would be very cool. I guess my lack of interest in Boris, Soryama or Julie Bell colored my opinion. If Alan Davis, and/or David Mazzuchelli critiqued my pencil work and or gave me a workshop on how to be better I'd be blown away.

I'd prefer to see the professionals judge the contest, and agree with Rochr that their critique would be about the same as having anyone else do it, prestigeous or not. Depending on the amount of entries though, how about the finalists or however it'd work with the judging panel assembling an art book of the best work, and publishing the work of the winner somewhere or a gallery to hold a show of the artist's best work? Maybe getting Computer Arts magazine involved or some other gallery or publishing firm. Just an idea.

I, for one, comment on works that inspire me to say something. I've only once given polite, but negative, criticism because I wanted to see the piece improved. It was a great work, but had one very glaring problem that I thought needed to be addressed in it's text. The unfortunate result though was the person pulled the picture, greatly dismaying me because I did like to look at it. Usually my comments are encouragment, suggestions or questions for that artist though. I also see a LOT of images that I like but I don't comment on because I don't feel moved to say anything. At least I increase the view-count on the image even if I don't say anything. IMHO

I think we need to give a nod of appreciation to Draculaz for sticking his neck out and starting this little fray. His motives were decent, but wrongly stated at first, but in the process we've all been given a chance to grow and learn that I think none of us would have gained otherwise. Thank you also for the critique on my image as well. Both aspects of the image, the height and the odd mapping though were deliberate. The use of a basic bryce landscape and material were also deliberate. I suppose that their are some things that I could do to improve the whole thing, and I probably will just for education's sake. I must stand, though, in defense of freebie models and materials being used in images. I am not an accomplished model creator. I'm not an architect or engineer, and really have no interest in becoming either. There are also a LOT of good modelers out there that have been kind enough to donate their creations to the free use of others. Sure there are many that are totally overused. I see it with many poser creations of clothing all the time. There are some models in bryce that we've all see over and over again. Does that make the compositions or models bad? I say not. They're used a lot usually because they're good. Sometimes very good. We should beware of thinking that using a free model or material gives us leave to dismiss potentially very good work because we've seen the model used somewhere else. What if we did that to all the Star Wars and Star Trek fan art, some of which is technically and artistically very adept, as garbage? Why should an artist feel pressured to attempt to create the same model that has already been created by another and offered for free, just to be taken seriously? I think we should work to avoid such snobberies towards those who use the models of others and look instead at how they are used rather than where they came from. Just my opinion for which you can take it as such, or reject it as such. IMHO

I'll take some of that criticism of my image. How else am I gonna learn... or get a vote for something? :c) I suspect though, that it comes down to a contest of inches and taste of difference in the end.

After I got over pouting that I didn't get a single vote (sniffle sniffle) and calmed down enough to look at the stuff objectively (darn my competative nature) I have to admit these 4 were better than mine for various reasons. :c) 3 - Rochr Do you EVER lose a challenge? ;c) 2 - FWTempest I love depth in a picture. You did it well. 1 - Pmoores Very imaginative and somewhat creepy. Honorable Mention - Electroglyph Who doesn't love Marvin?

I agree that the terrain editor needs some improvement to it in regards to ease of creating terrain. Also I do agree that there needs to be a plant generator of some sort built in. Spray on grass and weeds or vines would be great. The one thing I REALLY want to see in B6 is a Tree Editor that can create realistic conifers, bushes and shrubs. Let alone the more odd trees like Weeping Willows, Sycamores, Mangroves and Sumac. I've also noticed how poor the randomization and other characteristics work on deciduous trees increase one variable one way and suddenly you have a furry popsicle or a locked up computer. Also, if Corel's intent is to make/leave Bryce a 'hobbyist software package', I'd like to see the price drop down to the hobbyist level as well.

Uh... oops... sorry about that, must have blanked on the size restrictions. :c/ apa-logies everyone. I did compress it to a 115k progressive .jpg if that's any consolation. Agentsmith, go ahead, resize that puppy, if you haven't already. I am fully aware and accepting of the size constraints and won't make the same mistake again.

Way off topic, but... the only book I understood on Quantum Mechanics, relativity and other related science was in the book "Black Holes and Time Warps" by Kip Thorne who worked with Dr. Wheeler on the Hydrogen bomb and helped Carl Sagan with his science for "Contact". It's written for laymen like me. A very good read if you have the patience.

The only mild complaint I have is that compared to other apps, the lighting in Bryce seems to be the worst of them. That's not by much mind you. But, even Terragen outperforms Bryce in lighting and sky lab feature realism. But as for ease of use, Bryce has yet to be beat in my opinion.

First started toying with Bryce 4 about 2 years now but not much, but didn't start seriously using it till after bryce 5 came out.

I lost 2 2d pictures, reposted them with their respective thumbnails and all is right with the world. no comments lost.

I take it the only solution to this is to save the item as a .br5 scene and let people use it that way?