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Bryce
5
at a Glance
Maker:
Corel
Price: $299 for the full version, $149 upgrade
Trial version available? Yes
Platforms: Macintosh, Mac OS X and Windows
URL: http://www.corel.com
Overall
Impression: For new users looking for software specifically
designed for landscape/terrain modeling, Bryce is an
excellent choice. There will be a workflow learning
curve, as with virtually all 3D software, but once you
learn where things are in the program, the creation
of terrestrial features becomes a snap. For users of
earlier versions of Bryce, the upgrade is definitely
worth it for the wealth of new features you get.
Key
Benefits: The benefits of using a dedicated system
for the creation of 3D worlds is pretty self-evident.
Bryce 5 takes the concept to the next level with valuable
new and refined tools for getting the job done. The
Light Lab and Tree Lab are brilliant additions to the
program's features. And other enhancement's to the program's
other workspaces, such as volume lighting and volume
blending for both distance and altitude, bring Bryce
squarely into the realm of professional 3D tools. The
Sky Lab is highly customizable and allows for the creation
of sophisticated atmospheric and astronomical features.
And the Terrain Editor allows for easy modification
of terrain features, such as erosion, spires, height,
etc. Finally, network rendering is a critical and much
appreciated addition to this program.
Disappointments:
There are three negatives to Bryce 5, all related to
workflow. First, the interface, while attractive, can
easily get in the way. In many cases, you'll find that
functions can be accessed only through little dots or
icons not really related to the function they represent.
I would like to see a customizable interface in the
next update, including the ability to add nested functions
to the main interface and the ability to add text labels
to icons. Second, when you mouse over an icon in the
main interface, explanatory text appears in the lower
left corner of the screen; however, in subsections,
such as the Motion Lab and Sky Lab, you get no indication
whatsoever as to the function of a given button. Third,
I would like some standard interface elements added
in, such as the ability to move and resize windows,
more functions accessible via menus, etc.
Recommendation:
Strong Buy as both an upgrade and a straight purchase.
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review
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AUGUST 23, 2001
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Corel
Bryce 5
[Page 3 of 5]
Tree Lab
Version 5.0 also adds a new Tree Lab, which allows you not only
to place procedural trees into your scene, but also to add a high
degree of customization to them. You can also multi-replicate your
trees to populate a forest or jungle.
The negative
of trees in Bryce is that they can't be exported into other
formats. So, basically, if you want to use Bryce's trees,
you're going to have to do your final render in Bryce as well.
I happen to think that Bryce's rendering is better than at
least one popular, "high-end" package out there,
but you may think differently. (I'll let you guess which one.
Hint: It's not available for the Mac.)
At any
rate, if you do plan to render from Bryce, the Tree Lab is
a great tool for creating custom trees rather than going to
the trouble of downloading polygonal trees, importing them
and then customizing each one to prevent them from looking
like duplicates of one another.
Light
Lab
The Light Lab is another new workspace introduced in version
5.0. It allows for the creation of custom lights. This, again,
is another great addition to Bryce's toolset because it pulls
together everything you could possibly want to control about
a light into a single interface.
This includes
intensity, softness, shadow ambiance and softness, volume,
falloff, color and gel type. (Gels can include textures and
images.) It also provides a space for animating a light's
properties outside the main timeline and away from the clutter
of the Advanced Motion Lab. (Actually, the Motion Lab isn't
cluttered, but, since the window can't be resized, it's just
easier to work in the Light Lab for animating light properties.)
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