It looks like they're selling Truespace for $20:
http://www.caligari.com/store/special/20th_OpenHouse.html

Also, Bryce 6 is being sold for $6 + $30 membership:
http://www.daz3d.com/shop.php?op=itemdetails&item=4595&trid=192272211

details on the membership:
http://www.daz3d.com/support/faq/index.php?cat=9

-J

Bryce is nice, not really a modeller in the strict sense but it has its uses. It's not really a great terrain tool as they claim, but it does do good renders. You can import your own terrains so that is in its favor. I wish it would import full L3DT terrains though (mesh + maps), that would be very nice.

Bryce is simply a level editor(to snap together scenes for rendering). Except for basic primitives as most level editors do, all the models used for Bryce or ones you get off the Internet were made in a real modelling program. For the hardcore Bryce enthusiast one would use Hexagon 2 which is the modelling program by Daz. And for those that get serious about animation in Bryce, they often turn to Poser and then import their finished works into Bryce.

I haven't tried Bryce 6 yet, but as far as 5 and 5.5, the terrains are so-so ok. The problem is that you are forced to texture your terrain with a single texture. I can stack terrain meshes to mix in different textures but that is certainly something to be viewed at range. There aren't a lot of low budget choices for terrain applications though, I prefer T.Ed http://www.d-grafix.com/ and I also like L3DT http://www.bundysoft.com/L3DT/ though I have a tuff time getting L3DT terrains into the format I really need them for.

But as far as the quality of Bryce, it's fine, I use it a lot and may eventually upgrade to 6 if I ever feel the need to do so. Strong points is that it renders with raytracing (if you turn it on) which makes lighting softer yet more vibrant. I rendered a model of mine yesterday with Bryce and after 2.5 hours of processing(quick render), the render came out great! For a rendering program, you are definitely getting bang for your buck.

A good alternative if you did want a modeller+renderer package some day, than maybe looking at Lightwave would be a good choice. I mean by the time you buy Bryce and then go on a Daz model shopping spree you start to spend as much as it would have cost to buy a good sub $1000 modeller such as Lightwave, XSI or even tS7. And for tS4, that sounds like a great deal, I didn't know they even sold it any longer. Not a bad deal to have both, it would be an improvement over most free applications... though I still think Wings3D shreds when it comes to cranking out subdivision models for prefabs and stuff.

Here, I'll upload a terrain render from L3DT, as you can see it handles terrain texture generation a bit differently. http://www.s92544685.onlinehome.us/stuff/l3snow1.jpg
...though, I prefer making terrains by hand with a pallet of different textures, but in scenes like this the snow is all in the right place

[This message has been edited by Faith_Warrior (edited October 26, 2006).]

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I like Blender alot, I have learned how to do basic modelling and texturing (haven't tried to export the textures though), and I would learn more how to use it. But when I export into any format readable by DarkBasic or BlitzBasic it comes out defaced, like some faces are missing or something. But it has alot of stuff that can greatly help me.

Strata3D is the best renderer I have seen, I haven't made some of the best renderings from it, but I have seen other people's renderings, and they are more real than the best of other program's renders, in my opinion. And it's one of the easiest program I have used. It lacks in modelling, but alot of people use Wings with it (thats how I found Wings).

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[This message has been edited by LAVA (edited October 26, 2006).]

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As you wish.

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