Description:
Bryce, thanks mostly to its unique user interface, always elicits a powerful reaction from users--sometimes positive, sometimes negative, but rarely indifferent. What can't be denied, though, is the amazing quality and variety of images that Bryce can produce in the hands of an experienced user. The problem, then, is acquiring that experience. Real World Bryce 4 is a massive and insightful tome that manages to pierce through that obscure and uncommon interface and reveal the power of the underlying tool. Written by a pair of veteran Bryce users and seasoned writers, this book is the source of that sought-after experience--a virtual fountain of information from which to drink deeply. Bryce 4 is a rich and varied program, with options and controls over just about everything, and the 17 chapters and nearly 1,000 pages of text reflect this. Starting with a brief history of 3-D graphics, and a history of Bryce, the authors take us step by step through the program, from interface basics through modeling, texturing, and rendering. There is much more to Bryce than meets the eye (if you can believe that). Chapter 5 is dedicated to streamlining and optimizing the interface and the workflow, from display controls to batch management to setting up your default scene. Complex modeling using Booleans, multiple objects, terrains, and lattices is covered in chapters 7 and 8. The heart of Bryce is procedural materials, and chapters 9 through 11 are devoted to using materials and the materials lab. This portion of the book spans nearly 200 pages and covers everything from the water and rocks below to the skies and clouds above. These are arguably the most valuable chapters in the book. Bryce isn't often thought of as an application worthy of a book, especially a book of this size. Considered a consumer application by many professionals, it's nice to see a top-notch publisher like Peachpit give it the attention it deserves. A solid application, and a terrific book. --Mike Caputo
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