I love modelling in bryce. I am not very good at modelling in lightwave but i love it's animation interface. Anyway, the frustrating thing is that bryce cannot export as .obj or any other formats lightwave can read. I was just wondering is there a program that models (especially metaballs) similar to bryce? as in a similar interface and similar controls with the metaballs. thanks. (hope i made sense :))

Actually, Bryce can Export Landscapes as LWS (Lightwave Scenes). The only program whose interface ever resembled Bryce was Carrara... However, if you have Lightwave (a much more advanced program than Carrara or Bryce), may I suggest you take the time to learn it? In the end, it will only serve to benifit you and afterall, you did spend all that money on it.

interesting topic. i have been using Bryce since 1998 and have rather a few models that i would like to render in Lightwave. i just cant get the hang of lightwave's interface at all (but i am trying!) and i cant import Bryce into LW. importing the landscapes is one thing, but who realy uses Bryce to create landscapes ? Bryce is so easy to use, but the way it renders lights etc isnt as real as lightwave. is there anything out there that combines the modeling methods of Bryce and the rendering of LW ?

Yea good question baztd, and thanks for yuor advice Teyon. I think i'm going to buy a lightwave book which i saw in PC world near to where i live, can't remember the name though. thanks guys.

when you find the name of it, let me know. cheers

.....(Gag!!!!!!!!).. You have the worlds best modeling package on the face of the earth and you're looking for a better modeler like the one in Bryce? (falls on the floor.........bonk!)

it doesnt matter how good a modeler a package is, if you cant get used to the feel of its interface it may as well be a house brick. i have been using Bryce for about 4 and a half years. i know the interface well. Lightwave is totaly alien to me.

I'd take the time to learn it, you'll be way better off in the end. Suck it up and take a few months of tuts and get a good book on it, other than the manual that comes with it.

for a book of over a thousand pages, the manual isnt realy that helpful. the Bryce 4 book is only about 470 pages and that only covers the basics too. i started with Bryce 2 from a free cover CD on PC Format magazine without a manual, but i managed to pick it up quickly. Bryce is easy to use. LW isnt. rather, it isnt intuitive like bryce. i will stick with it. but i would rather that it worked like Bryce. i guess its a case of 'you like what your used to'

my 10 year old son likes playing on Bryce, and after i explained the basics (booleans etc) he is creating some realy good images. if a 10 year old can use it, they must have got something right ! :o)

Sorry to say but bryce isn't a modeling program and render times in bryce are a joke. I used bryce for a long time so I'm not bashing bryce. I went from bryce to max. Sure the change in interface and all the new fetures can be intimidating but hang in there and you'll be glad you did.just start with one thing, say splines, and just explore all the options you can use on them. You'll soon get the hang of them. Then try something else and so on. I'm sure there are tons of tuts for lightwave out there.

If you wan't to learn Lightwave then one of the greatest books is Dan Ablan's Inside Lightwave 7 book. I wasn't too comfortable with LW 7's modeler and after doing a few of the tutorials I was on my way to become a pretty good LW modeler! You can check it out at amazon.com . But if your stuck on Bryce then not much can change your mind other than the fact that uh... Lightwave's modeler kicks butt once you get the hang of it. Trust me, you don't see any Lightwave modelers out there saying they wish they could learn the bryce modeler. If you already have Lightwave then it would help you out in the long run to learn it instead of bryce.

i will get that book and give it a go.

I'd have to say... I hate Bryce's modeller. I have no clue how booleans work. I much prefer Rhino over Bryce. But then again, I'm a very analytical, almost CAD-oriented person. I just like the concept of tri-view drawings, because it gives me alot of freedom to see my work from multiple angles as I work. I have personally never seen the Lightwave modeller, but from what screenshots and renders I've seen, it looks to be even better than Bryce or Rhino, much better. Now, for that 700$ to buy it...

As a long time Bryce user and having also modeled with LightWave for a number of years, I would have to agree with some of the previous posts. The LightWave modeler is one of the best available (at any price). The manuals are an excellent place to start. They will give you the a basic understanding of how the interface works, and where the basic modeling tools are. "After" learning the basics covered in the manuals, you may want to do some web tutorials and/or look into books or instructional tapes available. The LightWave interface will become more familiar with time and experience. Their Modeler program is very powerful, with literally hundreds of tools and scripts to learn to use. To learn the interface (will) require a serious investment of time on your part. If you're willing to invest the time, you will take away a skills that will allow you to model just about anything that you can think of. Knuckle "Knuck" Martin

Bryce isnt that hard to model with! Once you get the basics, youll be doing great stuff in no time! When it comes to rendering... Sure, one could wish for more effects, but it can still create excellent renders. It mostly depends on the artist. But yes, its darn slow...:(