Real World Bryce 2 [Paperback]

Susan A. Kitchens (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0201694190 | ISBN-13: 978-0201694192 | Publication Date: August 1997

A complete refernece guide to MetaTool's 3-D landscape-generating software, this book provides in-depth information about all of Bryce's abilities, explains all the undocumented features and shows effects that can be created. The accompanying CD-ROM has 600 MB of scene filters, tutorials, royalty-free images, sample software and animations.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Bryce 2, the landscape-generation package from MetaTools, lets you create enticing, beautiful scenes, and this updated version of the package has so many new features for doing so that it's hard to track them all. For help in learning about how Bryce works, check out Real World Bryce 2, which covers both the Macintosh and Windows versions of the product. The writer starts off with a discussion of hardware requirements, camera and view controls, and objects and selection tools. Then she delves into customizing the Bryce interface; editing your work; creating complex objects and using Boolean operations; working with the Terrain Editor and Symmetrical Lattices; creating textures; creating atmospheric effects such as fog, sunlight, and clouds; and working with lighting. Finally, you learn about rendering your scenes, working with external applications, applying what you see in the natural world to what you produce in Bryce, and outputting your work

Throughout the book, the author explains Bryce's features in great detail, so much so that the book will become an indispensable part of your work. Several full-color inserts show you some of the artwork discussed in the book. The included CD-ROM has sample files, software, extra tips, and more.

Product Details

• Paperback: 652 pages
• Publisher: Peachpit Pr (August 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201694190
• ISBN-13: 978-0201694192
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,418,834 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Indespensible to learning Bryce, but could be improved upon., July 10, 1999

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Real World Bryce 2 (Paperback)

We purchased this book out of desperation, as we had a project demanding instant "alien" backgrounds. As the program's documentation was so incomplete and erroneous as to be virtually worthless, we eagerly ordered Ms. Kitchens' book after reading rave reviews. And, it is almost everything expected. While Bryce can be "played" with to achieve spectacular results with no documentation at all, this book has allowed us to use the program in depth, which is required by our commercial graphics demands. Unfortunately, it is not perfect, and these flaws make me wish Ms. Kitchens would find a better publisher for her work. First of all, the promised CD for the Windows platform is not included, but must be ordered by means of an included postcard, with a promised "3-4 week delivery time". We feel this is deceptive, and only refrained from returning the book due to our pressing needs. Secondly, after getting through a somewhat fuzzy-headed and arrogant foreward, we found that the (numerous) excellent illustrations were poorly placed in reference to the text, resulting in constant page turning. For a technical manual, it is incumbent on the publisher to better coordinate the placement of text and illustrations. I'd say this publisher needs to show the same concern and dedication in their efforts as Susan Kitchens has shown in hers.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy it to take your Bryce work to the next level and beyond, September 20, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Alexandria , MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Real World Bryce 2 (Paperback)

This book is the 'definitive manual' of Bryce. Susan Kitchens is absolutely fanatical in her assault on the hidden and deep features of Bryce 2. She will show you things that may have taken you years (if not forever) to figure out on your own. If you wanna go deep, and I mean DEEP into Bryce 2, this is for you. Bryce artists are making a living producing 3D images right now. This book can help you to reach the professional level of 'Bryce Master' in a shorter time than you thought possible. So, if you're tired of doing the same old scenes, now you have a mentor to guide you. After all, experimentation is fine, but life is too short to keep reinventing the wheel.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential book for anyone starting with Bryce, March 14, 1999

By 

Jack Gerber <[e-mail]> (Philadelphia, PA.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Real World Bryce 2 (Paperback)

Although this is about Bryce 2, the book is essential for Bryce 3D also. It is one of the best books on any computer software I have ever seen. It is particularly good for beginners since it covers the basics you need to know before you can accomplish much with the program. It explains the underlying concepts in a way that turns you quickly into an expert.