Newer user, Should I upgrade or not and why. I have Bryce 4.1

Pros : Metaballs, more render features, more sky options, and OF COURSE, the Tree Lab! Cons : STILL doesn't support morphing, and STILL won't let you export other than terrains. I could be wrong, but those two things alone make me hesitant. I can break off pretty good trees anyway, and I've already got Amorphium (Biospheres). I say go for it, Bryce is cheap compared to the so-called Big Dawgs. But don't expect it to change the world!

I have Bryce 4.1 also, and am trying out the Bryce 5 demo. Pro's - Tree Lab, Metaballs, higher rendering settings, customizable object and material library, network animation rendering(retail version), larger maps usable for terrains. Con's - Higher render settings come at a price, much longer render's. I also hear that the 30-day demo renders somewhat longer overall than the retail version. My opinion - If you haven't learned most of Bryce 4 yet...don't bog yourself down with version 5, but then again, I do really like version 5 a lot, it is worth the upgrade for the Pro's listed above. Also, you are about to get MANY responses saying Bryce 5 is crap, and to not get it because it is the slowest thing in the universe. Take it all with a grain of salt. Get the free 30 day demo, and check it out. Any scene if rendered in both (retail) versions and with the SAME settings will render near the same with version 5 being 5%-8% slower, not really a big deal, unless you are a pc babysitter. Most nay sayers make a scene in v5, jack up the new render settings (there are many) to max, and complain it takes forever. Well, do that, and it will. Bottom line - Get your hands on the demo, render the hell out of it and find out for yourself. Agent Smith

I'm happy with the upgrade. The render engine seems to be different. Even with the same old B4 render options, I like the look of the images from B5 better.

Attached Link: http://www.phase2.net/claygraphics

Im still with bryce 4.1 and I think i stay ! For trees i use xfrog and for the things i do, the renders are good enough

Phewww! Boy did I ask a popular question. Thanks all for t h e input. I get the demo.