After installing a new 60GB HD in my computer, I copied Bryce 3 to the new partition to find that I require the CD as a copyright protection... Well, I don't HAVE the cursed CD...and the person who should have it is far away and probably doesn't have it anyways. So I'm basically stuck. I don't want to just straight out spend $1000 on some ridiculously complicated program that I won't know how to use, but I am looking into buying new graphics design software.

...So I figure I might as well update my graphics software anyways...

Does anyone have any ideas on what I might buy? I'm thinking perhaps Bryce 5... but I dunno, any input would be appreciated.

-Lequis

------------------

Let's see. Certainly Infini-D (if you can find it. Fat chance ;)), a very fine program. It's still worth the $500 is originally was...

You can get Bryce 5 for about $100 with a student discount.

Cinema 4D, I hear, can be purchased for $400 with a student discount. I believe commerical restrictions apply to this program, however.

------------------
(url="http://"http://saberstudios.evula.net")Saber Studios(/url) - Your source for original EV/O/N graphics.
GameRanger: -Sß- Captain Skyblade | Battle.net: Skyblade86
(url="http://"http://home.cfl.rr.com/aresev/")The Legion(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.gameranger.com")GameRanger(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.evula.com/")EVula's Lair(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.meowx.com/")Meowx Design(/url)

Student discount, eh?? Hmm....... I'll have to look into this. Maybe some URLs would be helpful. And this Cinema 4d you speak of... hmm.

Thanks, so far
-Lequis

------------------

Quote

Originally posted by Lequis MX:
**Student discount, eh?? Hmm....... I'll have to look into this. Maybe some URLs would be helpful. And this Cinema 4d you speak of... hmm.

Thanks, so far
-Lequis

**

Hehe, yeap. Student discounts really knock prices off software, but I usually don't use them. Why? The discounts will almost always retrict you from using the software for commerical reasons...

Cinema 4D is Lightwave's competitor, and somewhat better in my own opinion (it's all a matter of what kind of layout you prefer. They both have the same power, and Lightwave is a good one thousand dollars more expensive).

Check out the (url="http://"http://www.maxoncomputer.com")Cinema 4D website(/url). I have no idea where to apply for a student discount, but many of the members on these forums have received their own copies through this method. Be sure to check the gallery... Some sweet graphics.

As for Infini-D (which you can now probably find for between $10 to $100) is likely to show up sooner or later at (url="http://"http://www.ebay.com")ebay(/url), although your chances of actually getting it are slim. Version 4.5 is the latest and last.

Hope that gives you an idea of where I'm coming from.

------------------
(url="http://"http://saberstudios.evula.net")Saber Studios(/url) - Your source for original EV/O/N graphics.
GameRanger: -Sß- Captain Skyblade | Battle.net: Skyblade86
(url="http://"http://home.cfl.rr.com/aresev/")The Legion(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.gameranger.com")GameRanger(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.evula.com/")EVula's Lair(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.meowx.com/")Meowx Design(/url)

The program that was made after infini-d, based on infini-d, was Carrara.. i think it's still available from the source (whatever the source is)

Divals

------------------
Ever wonder if illiterate people get the full effect of alphabet soup?
What do you get if you take a cat and mix it together?
"Watson, you ass. Someone has stolen our tent."
(url="http://"mailto:micahg@microserve.net")mailto:micahg@microserve.net(/url)micahg@microserve.net

Well, I know that MetaCreations liquidated all of its old products as far as their ownership of them...and they can be found by looking on the site... But if I can't use it for commercial purposes(after a student discount) then, well, I dunno. I suppose exported renders don't have some strange code that says "this can't be sold" or something. But I think something like Bryce 5 would be a good investment, as I'm not patient enough to learn like Strata or something. Perhaps Infini-D, yes, 1.if I can find it, 2. if it isn't impossible to use.

-Lequis

------------------

Quote

Originally posted by Lequis MX:
**Well, I know that MetaCreations liquidated all of its old products as far as their ownership of them...and they can be found by looking on the site... But if I can't use it for commercial purposes(after a student discount) then, well, I dunno. I suppose exported renders don't have some strange code that says "this can't be sold" or something. But I think something like Bryce 5 would be a good investment, as I'm not patient enough to learn like Strata or something. Perhaps Infini-D, yes, 1.if I can find it, 2. if it isn't impossible to use.

-Lequis

**

Infini-D was a darn good program... Too bad MetaCreations went under. :frown: As for the program in general, Infini-D is extrememly easy to use and get the hang of, while at the same time being quite powerful. The only hard-to-use device in Infini-D is the modeller, and that's only because its spline editing capabilities are even comparable to Lightwave or Cinema4D. Very powerful indeed.

I'd highly recommend Bryce 5. Weepul purchased it for $90 and informed me that there were no commerical restrictions on the discounted version. I'd go for it... The demo alone has given me a firm opinion (good opinion, that is) on its abilities.

Strata Pro is a rather nice program, which you can get for a few hundred American dollars. However, I've never really cared for any of the applications from the Strata series... And I can't stand Cararra at all. It's just, well, weird.

Also, have you checked out MojoWorld? According to what some of the Image Gallery guys have said, it's better than Bryce... From the graphics I've seen, however, they look identical to what Bryce can do. And it costs $250.

------------------
(url="http://"http://saberstudios.evula.net")Saber Studios(/url) - Your source for original EV/O/N graphics.
GameRanger: -Sß- Captain Skyblade | Battle.net: Skyblade86
(url="http://"http://home.cfl.rr.com/aresev/")The Legion(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.gameranger.com")GameRanger(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.evula.com/")EVula's Lair(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.meowx.com/")Meowx Design(/url)

Quote

Originally posted by Captain Skyblade:
**Infini-D is extrememly easy to use and get the hang of, while at the same time being quite powerful. The only hard-to-use device in Infini-D is the modeller, and that's only because its spline editing capabilities are even comparable to Lightwave or Cinema4D. Very powerful indeed.
**

Hehe.
I have been having a lot of fun whith that modeller. A little hard to use, yes, but it's sure a lot of fun. As for ease of use, Infini-D is VERY easy to use, the only thing a little confusing and annoying is doing textures, which I probably haven't figured out right yet. Oh well.

------------------
You would have to be ignorant, derranged, demented, or dead to turn down the oppurtunity to fly an Azdara.
(url="http://"http://saberstudios.evula.net/") Saber Studios (/url)-Your source for original EV/O/N graphics.
(url="http://"http://www.evula.com/")EVula.com(/url)|(url="http://"http://www.evula.net/")EVula.net(/url)

Quote

Originally posted by Azdara Ace:
**Hehe.
I have been having a lot of fun whith that modeller. A little hard to use, yes, but it's sure a lot of fun. As for ease of use, Infini-D is VERY easy to use, the only thing a little confusing and annoying is doing textures, which I probably haven't figured out right yet. Oh well.

**

Yeah, that modeller rocks... Once you learn the ropes, it only gets better.

Texturing was somewhat tricky when I first started messing around with it. It too is very capable, and takes some getting used to. After I learned more about the methods of applying them (flat, cylindrical, spherical etc.), it solved plenty of problems. Rotation of your objects within the texturerer is also very important.

Out of curiosity, have you figured out how to create sprites / masks? That took forever to get the hang of, mostly because I had never touched animation before Infini-D...

------------------
(url="http://"http://saberstudios.evula.net")Saber Studios(/url) - Your source for original EV/O/N graphics.
GameRanger: -Sß- Captain Skyblade | Battle.net: Skyblade86
(url="http://"http://home.cfl.rr.com/aresev/")The Legion(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.gameranger.com")GameRanger(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.evula.com/")EVula's Lair(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.meowx.com/")Meowx Design(/url)

Quote

Originally posted by Captain Skyblade:
**Too bad MetaCreations went under.:frown:
And I can't stand Cararra at all. It's just, well, weird.
**

MetaCreations didn't go under, as far as I know. They sold just about everything to specialize in MetaStream, some web thing I think.
Carrara probably seems weird to you because it is mainly based on Ray Dream Studio, with a little bit of Infini-D, I think. I downloaded the demo and understood the basics, but inserting a new deform each time you wanted to do something seemed a waste of time. Also the most restrictive demo I've ever seen.

------------------
Get a life, a cyberspace life.

Quote

Originally posted by Colours:
**MetaCreations didn't go under, as far as I know. They sold just about everything to specialize in MetaStream, some web thing I think.
Carrara probably seems weird to you because it is mainly based on Ray Dream Studio, with a little bit of Infini-D, I think. I downloaded the demo and understood the basics, but inserting a new deform each time you wanted to do something seemed a waste of time. Also the most restrictive demo I've ever seen.

**

MetaCreations did go under, since they no longer exist.

Didn't care for RayDream... I too found it just too different for my taste.

------------------
(url="http://"http://saberstudios.evula.net")Saber Studios(/url) - Your source for original EV/O/N graphics.
GameRanger: -Sß- Captain Skyblade | Battle.net: Skyblade86
(url="http://"http://home.cfl.rr.com/aresev/")The Legion(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.gameranger.com")GameRanger(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.evula.com/")EVula's Lair(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.meowx.com/")Meowx Design(/url)

(Ok, so the Metacreations site leads to something called 'viewpoint', and so their stock doesn't exist anymore, but perhaps they just had a bit of a hostile takeover situation or something.)

Ehh..............

Is there any way to import Bryce 3 textures and objects into Bryce 5? Because I have some masterpieces that I would not like to say goodbye to and would rather like to keep for some complicated render.

-Lequis

------------------

Quote

Originally posted by Lequis MX:
**(Ok, so the Metacreations site leads to something called 'viewpoint', and so their stock doesn't exist anymore, but perhaps they just had a bit of a hostile takeover situation or something.)

Ehh..............

Is there any way to import Bryce 3 textures and objects into Bryce 5? Because I have some masterpieces that I would not like to say goodbye to and would rather like to keep for some complicated render.

-Lequis

**

Export the B3 the only way they go; as library objects (.obp) and .mat files. They should import to B5, however, there were changes in how textures are applied.

If you really, really need a texture....create a new scene (in B3), apply the tex to an infinate plane, use the overhead camera and render. Now save that image and use it as a pict texture in B5. There will be problems around the edges -- the render introduces perspective -- and the bump map will die, but...

As for Infini-D; it and Ray Dream got cludged together into Carrara before Metacreations decided there was no future in 3D (huh? Do they have people from Apple working for them?) After some two years Carrara was picked up by Eovia, who has now brought out Carrara Studio (much, much less buggy). And the best news; they are honoring upgrades (as well as sidegrades for Amapi).

Last I saw there was a demo for downloading as well. (url="http://"http://www.eovia.com/index.htm?carrara/index.htm&0")http://www.eovia.com...ara/index.htm(/url)

------------------
everywhere else, it's --
"Nomuse"

Quote

Originally posted by Captain Skyblade:
Hehe, yeap. Student discounts really knock prices off software, but I usually don't use them. Why? The discounts will almost always retrict you from using the software for commerical reasons...

EV plugings have never been "commercial" though. I don't know of a single plugin that hasn't been free (well actually, ATMOS was going to charge money for Nova back when it was was going to be a plugin, but then they went and made it a new game so it dosn't count ;)). For most of the people here, academic software is the way to go.

I personally recommend Bryce 5, because it can render realistic landscapes right out of the box with very little prior training. It will, however, take some time to learn to model ships. (Unless you simply want to make spheres with wings). Also, since it's modeling features aren't geared toward mechanical objects, the ships you create will never be highly realistic looking.
If your willing to spend another $100, and have a fairly stable and powerfull computer that supports high resolutions, get Martin Hash's Animation:Master. It's only $200 if you order the academic version from (url="http://"http://www.creationengine.com/")here(/url), and you get a very powerfull modeler and features usually found in more expensive 3d apps. (Particle effects, inverse kinematics, radiosity etc.) The only drawback is the rendering engine (which is build mainly for animations, and dosn't produce top quality stills) and the time it takes to learn (it's not easy!).

A comparison:
(url="http://"http://users.rcn.com/legnard/images/corrier.jpeg")A ship I modeled in Bryce(/url)
(url="http://"http://users.rcn.com/legnard/images/fang2.jpeg")A ship I modeled in Animation:Master(/url)

------------------
(/mindless babble)

Actually, Cinema 4D XL is available for $289 on an academic discount if you buy it at the Academic Superstore.

------------------
ŃCafall

Quote

Originally posted by Captian LeGrenadier:
**If your willing to spend another $100, and have a fairly stable and powerfull computer that supports high resolutions, get Martin Hash's Animation:Master. It's only $200 if you order the academic version from here, and you get a very powerfull modeler and features usually found in more expensive 3d apps. (Particle effects, inverse kinematics, radiosity etc.) The only drawback is the rendering engine (which is build mainly for animations, and dosn't produce top quality stills) and the time it takes to learn (it's not easy!).
**

Doesn't have metaballs does it?

------------------
Get a life, a cyberspace life.

I remember Ray Dream... It was one of the most confusing programs I've ever used. Even after some graphics experience, I still couldn't figure out how to make it work nicely. I've used the demo of C4D some, and I have found it to be one of the most easy and powerful pieces of graphics software out there. And, of course, if you have $7,500 laying around, you could always buy Alias|Wavefront's Maya for OSX.

------------------
You would have to be ignorant, derranged, demented, or dead to turn down the oppurtunity to fly an Azdara.
(url="http://"http://saberstudios.evula.net/") Saber Studios (/url)-Your source for original EV/O/N graphics.
(url="http://"http://www.evula.com/")EVula.com(/url)|(url="http://"http://www.evula.net/")EVula.net(/url)

Quote

Originally posted by Azdara Ace:
**I remember Ray Dream... It was one of the most confusing programs I've ever used. Even after some graphics experience, I still couldn't figure out how to make it work nicely. I've used the demo of C4D some, and I have found it to be one of the most easy and powerful pieces of graphics software out there. And, of course, if you have $7,500 laying around, you could always buy Alias|Wavefront's Maya for OSX.;)

**

I liked the look of C4D a lot when I visited their website. Does it support basic modelling helpers like bevelling and skinning?

I completely agree about Ray Nightmare. Designed carefully for maximum frustration. Carrara is an improvement, and adds a basic terrain (aka grey-scale to height) modeller...but still manages to omit basic, simple work-flow stuff.

I've been reading up on Animation Master. It just seems so different from anything I've worked with.

------------------
everywhere else, it's --
"Nomuse"

Quote

Originally posted by Commander Arashi:
**I liked the look of C4D a lot when I visited their website. Does it support basic modelling helpers like bevelling and skinning?
**

Of course. C4D has the most powerful spline modeling tools I've seen, together with the deforms for animation you're set

------------------
--sitharus
(url="http://"http://www.damnsw.net/~triplet/forums/")Carracho Help - Updated, upgraded and better!(/url)
EV Development IRC channel: #evdev on irc.ambrosia.net
Insults are the arguments employed by those who are in the wrong. Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Oh, and if you want landscapes, I suggest you try (url="http://"http://www.pandromeda.com/")Mojoworld(/url), looks far better than bryce.

Maxon's homepage is (url="http://"http://www.maxon.de/")here(/url). Oh, and bodypaint3d is cool too (ships with r7), along with dynamics (ships seperately). C4D is primerally a TV orientated animation tool, but it can do some stunning scenes, look around Maxon's website.

------------------
--sitharus
(url="http://"http://www.damnsw.net/~triplet/forums/")Carracho Help - Updated, upgraded and better!(/url)
EV Development IRC channel: #evdev on irc.ambrosia.net
Insults are the arguments employed by those who are in the wrong. Jean-Jacques Rousseau