Hexagon is getting updated...could Bryce be next?

Hexagon is getting updated, and given away for free.  That is a fact.

It is my opinion that Daz would like to be more competitive with Blender, especially Blender's modeling and terrain features.  For modeling, it appears that Daz has decided to not add modeling features directly to DS - perhaps they feel it would confuse their core users - and instead update Hexagon to be used mostly as a DS plugin.

What about terrains?:  Could Bryce be the next "plugin" to be updated and added to DS?

I'm just speculating, but it seems to fit the Daz model going forwards.

If there is something about Bryce that makes this unlikely, please let me know.  I'm a Carrara user, and unfortunately don't see Carrara in Daz's future plans.

Comments

  • HoroHoro Posts: 10,069

    Yes, I read the confirmation by Steve that Hexagon 2.5 is being updated, maybe even enhanced by next year. Hex stayed longest unattended even though quite a few PAs use it as modeler. Bryce was last updated in August 2011 and made it from 5 to 7. Carrara fared a bit better, when I came to Daz I purchased Carrara 3, now we are at 8.5 (I stopped at 8.1). Bryce has indeed a cool terrain editor but it works (like Carraras) with height maps, though it can export them as meshes as Studio prefers. But meshes are not very efficient, are huge memory hogs or - if not - are lamentable low resolution. I don't fathom what Daz is going to do in the future, it has always been a rather secret company. I had the impression that they aimed at the game industry but were not very successful with it. Perhaps they remember what cool software they already own and think results can be get faster. I'm not a big Hex fan, purchased 2.0 and 2.5 but it's because I'm a very poor modeler, not that Hex isn't good.

  • c-ramc-ram Posts: 376
    edited November 2017

    We are a lot of users hopping for Bryce to be the next daz update.. but.. Even if I LOVE Bryce, I could only note that it's suffering a lot of lack compare to new softwares on the market.

     

    Here, I just want to talk about my talent of skill : landscapes.

     

    Take a look at Unreal engine or Unity and see how it's easy to populate a vast terrain with somptuous vegetation and render real time with cpu/gpu and you will see how bryce is slowly dying.

     

    We are using Bryce for its simple approach of 3D. But from a lot of newbies to professionals, bryce is not really attractive if we consider a vocational use.

     

    I will be very surprise to see bryce entering a new development cycle because, in my opinion, it will need to be rethought from scratch.

    Post edited by c-ram on
  • Geminii23Geminii23 Posts: 1,327

    I have never been able to use Hexagon, even though it is free in my DAZ account.  Apparently it won't work on newer MacOS.  So if they update it to work with Sierra/High Sierra that would be great!

  • FONSECAFONSECA Posts: 469

    Nah ... pipedream

  • Briray or Bryray has a nice ring to it yes

  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604
    th3Digit said:

    Briray or Bryray has a nice ring to it yes

    nah   some of us are quite happy with the existing render engines included in Bryce.  I do not like the so called Photo realistic stuff.  If I want a photo I use a camera, If I want to make a phone call I sue a telephone and if I want a decent image I fire up Bryce.

  • HoroHoro Posts: 10,069

    Briray or Bryray may have a nice ring to it. Years ago we suggested to Daz to incorporate both Bryce render engines to Studio. Meanwhile Iray is used for Studio and it doesn't convince me at all. Though there are a few items on my to-do list to upgrade Bryce, it is still one of the most versatile 3D application with its two built-in render engines capable of almost any type of artwork.

  • I want options.  Yes, I'm greedy like that.  Just because I like pasta, that doesn't mean that I don't sometimes want potatoes or rice.  Some days I want steak, while others I have a hankering for fish, chicken, or pork.

    Forcing only one rendering engine in any modernized app is like saying I have to have chicken all the time, even if I really have a craving for pork ribs today.

    I think any new version of Bryce should retain the original renderer for folks like Cho who like and depend on it, but should also include some modern options.  Yes, including photo realistic/unbiased.  If I want photo realistic, I don't just use a camera.  After all, if the image is in my mind's eye, how could a camera help me reproduce it?  And if my mind's eye sees this picture in an unbiased light (see what I did there?), then should I not use the tools that can get me there?

    DAZ Studio allows multiple renderers; some with more tweaking needed than others.  Blender does, too.  Why not Bryce?

    Power to the people!  Always let the user choose!  cheekysmiley

  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604

    I want options.  Yes, I'm greedy like that.  Just because I like pasta, that doesn't mean that I don't sometimes want potatoes or rice.  Some days I want steak, while others I have a hankering for fish, chicken, or pork.

    Forcing only one rendering engine in any modernized app is like saying I have to have chicken all the time, even if I really have a craving for pork ribs today.

    I think any new version of Bryce should retain the original renderer for folks like Cho who like and depend on it, but should also include some modern options.  Yes, including photo realistic/unbiased.  If I want photo realistic, I don't just use a camera.  After all, if the image is in my mind's eye, how could a camera help me reproduce it?  And if my mind's eye sees this picture in an unbiased light (see what I did there?), then should I not use the tools that can get me there?

    DAZ Studio allows multiple renderers; some with more tweaking needed than others.  Blender does, too.  Why not Bryce?

    Power to the people!  Always let the user choose!  cheekysmiley

    As Horo has said Bryce has always had more that one render engine.  Horo mentions 2 but I guess you could say 3 if you include the much maligned "Fine Art Anti Aliasing"  Bryce was well ahead of the field with multiple render engines.

  • mermaid010mermaid010 Posts: 4,955
    Chohole said:
    th3Digit said:

    Briray or Bryray has a nice ring to it yes

    nah   some of us are quite happy with the existing render engines included in Bryce.  I do not like the so called Photo realistic stuff.  If I want a photo I use a camera, If I want to make a phone call I sue a telephone and if I want a decent image I fire up Bryce.

    smileyyes

  • AtlantisAtlantis Posts: 133

    Bryce is still a nice software to play with..and for comic renders it is fast..but what i don'`t understand is that bryce 6 worked better then 7.1..lol

    The spot light cones worked perfect the undo button in terrain editor...

    Daz makes tons of money is it really that hard to pay a programmer 400 dollar to fix those two settings lol...

    Just imagine i would sell a car to the DAZ President/Manager or whatever he is called ..but the front left wheel doesnt spin... LMAO..

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