Amazon.com: Corel Bryce 4: Software

Amazon.com Review

If, as a graphic artist creating off-planet scenes, you find that your needs run toward rendering fly-bys, Bryce 4's interactive movie previewer is for you. With the newest version of this popular software, you can render a thumbnail preview or a storyboard-style interface, making the process of keyframing animation much easier.

The bad news about Bryce 4 is that it still sports that quirky interface that users either love, hate, or both. Dialog boxes are hidden, options are nested, and the interface looks nothing like anything else on either the Macintosh or Windows platforms. The good news, however, is that once you learn to navigate the somewhat mystical interface, Bryce 4 reveals itself to be a powerful tool with tremendous flexibility and depth. The new features make Bryce a more serious contender in the world of 3-D graphics--in spite of the learning curve presented by the interface.

The new Sky Lab feature consolidates access to the tools needed to build skies, putting Cloud, Atmosphere, Sun, and Moon controls in one place. Also new is the ability to import U.S. Geological Survey maps, making it easier to model and render real areas or sections of our planet.

Old issues have yet to be addressed, like the sometimes glacial render times, made worse by the lack of a network render engine. And while Bryce creates beautiful water scenes, there is no particle system for creating splashes, waterfalls, or rain. Still, Bryce 4 is a powerful package, capable of rendering stunning vistas, if the user takes the time to learn Bryce's ins and outs. --Mike Caputo

Amazon.com Product Description

Bryce 4 is dedicated to designing, rendering, and animating breathtaking natural 3-D worlds and abstract 3-D sculptures. Bryce is a perfect application for both beginners and advanced users because it is extremely easy to use and it comes loaded with libraries of presets to use in your own work. As you become more proficient, Bryce allows you to easily create your own surface materials, skies, and more, while making the creative process every bit as entertaining as the final output. Start by building your scene, using basic objects such as mountains, seas, rocks, balls, and blocks, then assign different textures to the objects, adjust the sky, place lights within the scene, and render. You can even use the animation controls to create breathtaking movies. Simply edit these shapes to create exactly what you want. Bryce 4 now includes multiple import and export formats, a new sky lab, and instantly turns free USGS data into 3-D models. Also shipping with Bryce 4 is an extra disc full of tutorials and presets for you to use and learn from and will quickly get you started in creating wonderful 3-D worlds. Import Index (3D): 3D Studio (.PRJ)/(.3DS), AutoCAD (.DXF), Heightfield (.HF), LightWave (.LWO)/(.LWS), Portable Greyscale Map (.PGM), TrueSpace (.COB)/(.SCN), USGS DEM (.DEM), USGS SDTS (.DDF), VideoScape (.VSA), VistaPro DEM (.DEM), VRML1 (.WRL), Wavefront (.OBJ), World Construction Set (!ELEV) Import Index (2D): BMP, JPEG, PICT, Photoshop, Targa, TIFF Animation Export: Sequential PICT, QuickTime (.MOV), RealMovie (.RM), AVI (.AVI) Export (Textured Terrain Objects): 3D Studio (.3DS), AutoCad (.DXF), Heightfield (.HF), Infini-D 4.0 (.ID4), LightWave (.LWO)/(.LWS), MetaStream, Portable Greyscale Map (.PGM), RayDream Studio (.RDS), RayShade Height Field Export, trueSpace (.COB), USGS DEM (.DEM), VideoScape (.VSA), VRML1 (.WRL), Wavefront (.OBJ) Export (2D): BMP, HTML, Photoshop, PICT, TIFF

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