Digital Art Zone

The IBL option in the skylab and the TA render options plus the increased range of different lights available immediately spring to mind.
Even the TA render options between Bryce 7.X’s last two versions are significantly improved, but yeah I would imagine ‘bloat’ has disadvantages too.
I guess a lot depends on if you would be using Bryce to it’s limits (setting up vast scenes with loads of complex materials, high poly counts and high res HRDI backdrops etc).
I still run Bryce 6 on my old eMac (on the rare occasions it get’s switched on)... I may have to try Bryce 7 on there too.

Since I used to help train Naval aviators with Bryce, I end up doing video “fly-throughs”, even when it’s just my own stuff.

I still use Bryce 5 a lot, even though I have 6 and 7.

BTW if you do have problem finding your old Bryce 5 disc, another thing to look at is whether you did actually take advantage of the DAZ 3D option to upgrade it to Br5.5.  If you did and bought it through the store, then you will be able to reset the download, and CS will supply you with a working serial number for it, if you ask them nicely.

tenorlord - 23 November 2012 12:18 AM

Due to the usual tendency towards “software bloat”, Bryce 5 might run a bit faster.
Is there some compelling reason to use B7? Some new trick or ability?

The advancements made in lighting are the most compelling reasons. There are some other additions but they’re kind of buggy like instancing and the bugginess makes it not so important. Beyond that I’m not sure.

“Is there some compelling reason to use B7? Some new trick or ability?”

One thing I use all the time - the 10x in available illumination from the sun - used to go to 100 but now goes to 999. Bryce has great atmospherics but they often left the scene too dark but not anymore. Same with sunset/sunrise colored suns.

tenorlord - 23 November 2012 12:18 AM

Due to the usual tendency towards “software bloat”, Bryce 5 might run a bit faster.
Is there some compelling reason to use B7? Some new trick or ability?

If you seek “realistic” results then Bryce 7 is a better tool insofar as lighting is the most important part, and B7 has incredible lighting abilities. The good thing about B7 is that it still looks and behaves like B5. I find the Instancing in B7, while odd at first, has been a game changer allowing for the first time truly complex natural looking landscapes. Skies are more advanced in B7 allowing better sunlight, seperated cloud layers cumulus and stratus so different procedurals can be applied to each. Lights have both diffuse and specular intensity controls. The list goes on and on.

For me, there is no real need to go back to Bryce5. Bryce is generally far enough behind in features that even with the new stuff added since B5 its safe to say that B7 is far from bloated.
Welcome back!