For those of you fortunate to have already received your copy of Vue 5 Infinite, I'm wondering what parameters are available with it and / or how much more robust is it than Vue 4 Pro (which I currently own). Specifically, I'm wondering how it will compare to the Lightwave Mat editor - color, luminosity, diffusion, specularity, glossiness, transparency, translucency. Any information would be greatly appreciated as it will be awhile before I receive my copy. Thanks in advance.

You will be very satisfied. V5I's material editor is one of the best there is, especially when dealing with procedural materials. The function editor is a graphic interface that lets you connect virtually any parameter to any other (unless the connection doesn't make sense, of course). The list of avialble parameters is huge. Obviously, it includes everything you mentioned, plus hundreds more. Nodes fall into various categories, like different noises and procedurals (all editable), different filters, mixers and combiners, mathematical functions and so forth. If you are into materials and shader creation, you'll have plenty to explore :)

Have they done anything with regards to displacement mapping yet? That would be a real bonus

There is no displacement mapping in Vue Infinite.

• agiel - www.linfa.net

Yup. No displacement yet. But if you need displacement on a flat surface (like stone walls or pavement), then standard terrains do the job very well. I wonder why this option is not used more often.

Thanks Erka. From what you have described, it sounds like the material editor is completely modular, so it will be powerful yet daunting at first glance ;) I am new to texture creation but have recently found insightful instruction to creating photorealistic textures. Plus V5I just shipped today!