Thanks guys! I appreciate the help..I'm going to play around with what you guys have shown me, I will post my progress, now to go export my model...Thanks a lot.. That Dosch stuff looks very cool, I just can shell out the $$ right now, but it looks worthy of the price.. kaom

Now you need to start working on a Sphere for us to download.. Do you think you could model one by tonight? lol.. I personally thought the Cube download was hilarious, but then I like that kind of humor..

How did you make that? I've been trying to make a cube for years?

Nope, same as in an Enzo or Mclaren, very close to the feet, cab forward design.. It is totally possible, in fact y@ is having one of his cars actually built, the Garra, check it out. You can search for it in the Rhino forum if it sounds interesting.

Attached Link: http://www.ict.usc.edu/graphics/HDRShop/

pogmahone: I think you may be confusing Flamingo renders for Rhino Flatshade renders. Rhino renders look very flat, and can be rendered with full nurbs wireframes, or not.. Flamingo renders, well, to say the least, are beautiful. Flamingo is intended for product/advertising/architectural/CAD/Engineering renders. Flamingo is almost as slow as Bryce, but has an incredible Raytacing & texture system.. Also, Flamingo is actually Accustudio, just packaged a little different, but the main program is Accustudio..

You can export polys from Rhino.. But you have to go through the task of learning proper NURBS to Mesh conversion. It's a little bit of a trick, but it's not a problem... You can tell Rhino exactly how many polys to make something. And no, Rhino is definately Subdidvion modeler, NURBS are shiznet...

I've entered into the contest, I have a car I've been working on for over 5 months that I'm submitting. I'm sure I have no chance, but what the hey? And I'd have no problem with a Ferrari SUV, that could be very cool...

PS - y@ does some great work. There's a bunch of us car heads in the Rhino forum, come on over and visit... And Rhino plays very nicely with Bryce, it's a KILLER 3D file converter in it's own right..

I could of told you that years ago.. I know that I'm repeating words here, but Rhino is THE preiere modeling app at any price.. I primarily model cars in Rhino. and it's a joy.. Yes it is CAD based, but all 3D programs have CAD roots.. It's also a very capable organic modeler too, look at Teyons work, (Rhino Mod), there is some sick work out of Rhino.. I personally will never look anywhere else for modeling.. I can create any surface or shape I need.. And having CAD precision and snapping powers makes very difficult tasks in other apps seem like cakework.. Not to mention, there are many, many, many, many jobs out there that are Rhino based. It's used in everything from Medical, to Automotive, to motion pictures, knowing Rhino well can make you money. In short, if you can afford it, get Rhino, period.

Flat out, hands down, the best modeler for the money is Rhino. I've ben using since 2001, and havn't looked back. It will do anything you need, architectural, automotive, charcter design. It's basically a really friendly 3D Cad program, and is as accurate as you need. You can model real world objects in Rhino, it's used in everything from automotive design, deisgning buildings, industrial design, many, many products are deisgned using Rhino.. And nomuse is right, there really is no "best", it all depends on what you need and expect form a program. For many people, Rhino is way overkill, for some it's not enough. Cinema has very good modeling tools, not quite as intricate as Rhino's, since it's not a Cad based app, but still very good. I have very mixed feelings on Amapi. Not worth the money, it's almost as much as Rhino.

This is not going to be good for Bryce...

NURBS! And a feature found in Rhino, when you click in the top left of the viewport it maximaizes it. Double clicking it again will put you back to 4 view mode.. And you can resize the individual viewports and create new ones for custom views. I know many will (strongly) disagree with this suggestion.. Move away from the candy KPT interface.. I know it's beautiful and really cool looking, but it subtracts form functionality for being so candy..Make it more like a standard interface, so you can have more tools at your fingertips, without so much clicking to get there. I know some hate it, but Rhino's interface is the perfect 3D workspace. Once you get used to it, it's much faster and productive.. And it applies to other major packages as well..Just my opinions...

I think you need to use HDRShop, I shoot pictures of gazing balls and convert them in HDRShop to longintude/latitiude maps... I don't know if you can use a regular tileable image and have it work right.. HDRI images are a whole other ball game than regulat tilaeable stuff... 2 different worlds..