I took the texture and applied two filters to it; "Median" and then "Emboss". And, then inside the Terrain Editor, I clicked the smooth button twice. It was just a guess/experiment that ended up working for me, for this particular project. In fact I applied those two filters with a freeware picture viewer that I use for my Windows 98. It's called "Irfan View". I use nothing else to (quickly) view pics on my PC. It can view an AMAZING amount of file formats, even movies and mp3's, it also obviously has a few filters. I also like it because it has an option to dither (view only, not save) pics to 16bit, so the banding that can exsists in some Bryce pics, are all gone. Great for people who don't have 32bit video cards. If anyone wants it, it's at http://www.irfanview.com Agent Smith

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate it. A Tutorial? Never did that, but I'm inches away from putting up my website, I can probably put something together later. But, this is still an ongoing experiment. But, to put simply; I started this project to learn how to make a very detailed (non-spiked) Symmetrical Lattice. I have yet to do that, but I did find that the Lattice (in this case) only has to suggest the final form, not define it. In this case the texture is taking the main brunt of the final render. I worked off a real low-res pic of a shield I found online and re-drew over it in Photoshop. I'm still learning Photoshop's brushes and settings, so that took 2 days. Overall, not hard just basically tracing and filling in, time consuming. The bump map was just an extension of the texture. Normally my bump maps were just the texture, grayscaled, with the brightness and contrast tweaked. This time I painted over the (grayscaled) texture pretty much making it just black and white. I then blurred the bump map here and there a little to keep the edges normal looking. I used a transperency map to eat away the square sides of the Lattice, making it round. Just clip the Lattice in the editor you say? The lattice was so dark, if I tried to clip it, the red backround bled into my shield...wouldn't work. With the Trans Map, I didn't have to try and get the shield round with the Lattice editor, less to worry about. Specularity and Diffusion Maps I won't really get into, since this is going to be a big post anyway. Below are some links that can explain them better than I can. Specularity - Makes whatever regions you specify look wet or shiny. Used in Poser models to make wet lips, eyes, tounge, etc. (I removed the specularity map for now, because I don't need specific parts to be shiny, the whole shield is reflective). Diffusion - Determines the amount of light that is reflected by the object's surface. ( A very subtle map to try and use, but can make objects seem more realistic when done right) I know how to make the final Symmetrical Lattice detailed, it's just gonna take time and practice within Photoshop, but knowing how and actually being able to do it, are two different things. Thanks again. Agent Smith *Example of Photorealistic fish model with examples of Texture, Diffusion, Transparency, Specularity, and Bump Maps. Example can be used in almost any 3D program, free maps. http://www.digitalproducer.com/pages/photorealistic_fish.htm *Great Bryce site with tutorial on Bump and Specularity, also freeware for Bryce and link to FREE tutorials on Maps by (3D Master) Bill Fleming! http://www.chesco.com/~cjcigas/tutorial/index.html

I agree on the ROI, guess that was kinda what I was trying to stab at with going with which ever program best suited me and my work. But, I might not make any desicions based uopn price. Although the difference is around $100.00 right now, if Bryce seems more what I need for my work and creativity, I will go with that...but I do have limits. What I meant by making a stand was since I believe that in the end there will most likely be equlal pro and con's between the two programs, I would as of right now choose Bryce. Even with $100.00 difference, Bryce's program sensability and interface just completely make perfect sense to me. Vue's is pretty much like every other 3D program and it impeeds upon the flow of my creativity. I feel I have to take out a big amount of time just learning to use the program, then I can be creative. With Bryce, I didn't even have to think, just create...as if I had designed where everything was in the first place. If I have to pay a $100.00 more to ensure my creative flow, then I will...but, I did mention limits. In the end...I will not be stubborn. If bottom line, Vue is the better program(and $100.00 cheaper), I will be learning a new interface, no doubt. But, no one can truly decide right now (except maybe beta-testers), just not enough info...yet. It's not what program you have, it's what you do with it. AgentSmith

I am used to Bryce 4, and will stick with Bryce 5. Hey, at some point ya gotta make a stand, unless of course going out and buying BOTH programs is no problem for you. But...even this desicion of mine might change. When Corel FINALLY comes out with detailed specs on Bryce 5, then we can all truly start to weigh the options. Also, I don't plan to make a purchase for another month, maybe two. so, if in those 2 months a demo comes out in some way for Vue and/or Bryce...that would truly be the tie splitter for me. Prediction : In the end there won't be a definitive "better" program between Bryce 5 and Vue 4. Each will have small pro's and con's so, it will probably come down to which one seems most tailored for yourself and your work. Hey Corel and E-On...15/30 day working demo's! AgentSmith

Yes, the link that I gave above is the one that 3d Commune will eventually lead you to. It doesn't work, perhaps you can contact the author through that website, I'm not sure.

Weird fact, realating to that second message; Tupperware, yes...Tupperware has for some YEARS now used a machine that would take a mesh/Cad-like file, and using a laser it would "sculpt" whatever they had created in the program into a real-life object. The laser would shoot into a small, clear tub of liquid (of some sort), burning (hardening) a surface as it went along. They use this to make absolute perfect real life, 3D renditions of what products they want to try next. Saw it on TLC (The Learning Channel) a few years back. Just think if the Renderotica guys could get a hold of that machine...

Attached Link: http://wyndwalker.50megs.com/Download.html

There was someone who called themselves "arielwyndwalker", who made a material (see thumbnail) that looks like fireflies (or little nats) I used to have this .mat but...since my hard drive crashed...I lost everything. I have been back to that page, but I am unable to download that .mat anymore, maybe you will have better luck. Here is also the old link to that (non-working) download. Also, there are two members on renderosity that have the names "WyndWalker" and another, "mwynd", try them also. AgentSmith

Wow! Great link, I hadn't checked out that site for quite a while. It answered a lot (not all) questions about Bryce 5. Improved/Higher Rendering abilities, Depth-Of-Field, Tree Lab, Meta-Balls, Improved lighting, even Network Rendering, etc. Yet...I (and many others) think what would be THE major wow-factor of the new Bryce 5 would be the ability of exporting true Boolean objects OUT of Bryce. Don't know if it has it, but it seems to be on everyone's wish list. And, I do realize about the free Amapi, and I do indeed have it, but if I could use Bryce's GUI to do Boolean work over Amapi...it's a no-brainer, Bryce would easily win me over, instantly. I hope that the upper-most link is not really "ALL" the new features, although, if you look, the page is entitled "all the new features explained". But, I tell you what, I've been wanting Onyx Tree Pro 5, for tree work, I've just been choking on the $500.00+ price tag...not any more, seems Bryce 5 will take care of what I need with its Tree lab.

WHAT!? I left my 2 cents like 14 messages ago...but now have I read SO MANY messages about Bryce's CONFUSING interface...confusing???? Huh?..am I truly from Mars here? I "Dislike" Vue because of it's interface, (It's looks like EVERY other 3D program) and I LOVE Bryce because it's (interface). Hey, I'm not angry folks, just wildly bewildered, lol. Probably the only reason I was finally brave enough to take the plunge into 3D at all was Poser's and Bryce's interface, No other program of ANY type has "flowed" so well, (for me) everything is logical and simple and leaves my brain to ONLY do creative thinking, instead of trying to figure out the original programmer's logic of where THEY might put something. The interface is hands on, not (confused) brains on, almost instant gratification, not a lot of number punching. I do admit I finally had to truly read my manual when it came to the Materials Editor, but almost everything else was second nature to me. Yet, I do admit I am known as the weird one in my family, so maybe that is why I like the Bryce interface WAY batter, so there, lol. But...In the end, it's not the tool that makes the art, it is the artist, it's not what program you have, it's what you can do with it. I have seen, well...not so great art in these galleries from say, 3D Studio Max, (a $3,500.00 program), then I have seen AMAZING art from Bryce that inspires me more than anything, and it costs $200.00. Yet, maybe there is a reason there is 902 Vue pics in the gallery, and almost 9,823 Bryce pictures. (and 14,683 Poser pics). But...I do bet one thing...I bet there will be a LOT more Vue (4) pics rolling in, in the future. Which leads me to this... My second 2 cents; "Bryce 5 had better be able to stand up to Vue 4 in at least some ways...or it may get slowly squashed". (And, I will be learning a new interface) AgentSmith

Yeah, but X-Dimension was aquired by Right Hemisphere. That program is called 3D Exploration, it imports a lot...but not .vob's. And, the models I wanted to export into another file format were created with Vue 3, so they would not be compatible with Vue 2. Thanks anyway! AgentSmith

The question is, is which will be better...Vue 4, or Bryce 5? We know basically nothing about Bryce 5...Corel's not talking, and neither are the Bryce 5 beta-testers (as they are not supposed to give out any specifics). From the Vue website, we can see Vue 4 will kick major butt, just being able to open .pz3 files directly into Vue 4 makes it worthy...I guess we will have to wait and see. Too bad Mitch isn't beta-testing both...(he isn't, is he?) AgentSmith

All it was, was the "solid when booleaning" Button that had to be clicked in the "E" edit dialogue box for the .dxf's. Thanks to Matt "DigitalArtist" from above for that. But, thanks to all of you for your help, really appreciate it. AgentSmith

Man, I was looking all over my manual (frantically), I obviously missed it, it certainly wasn't on the four whole pages devoted to Boolean-ing in there. THANK YOU!! (It works) Yeah, actually it was Elefont that I was using in the first place, sweet little freeware. Thank You, again! AgentSmith

If you have purchased Poser and/or Pro Pack...and haven't gotten it illegaly, you won't have to worry about the protection scheme Curious Labs will be implementing... And, yes...the $99.00 is an upgrade price. Play with a demo, and then decide. $219.00 for full program, $149.00 for Pro Pack Add-on.

Bottom right one. The top one has no shadow for the fire-rocks, makes them look like they are floating. I like the slight haze over the water in the left one, but it (overall)just comes off as too light. Definetly bottom right one, with maybe the moon added back in. Great pic! AgentSmith