Planet Earth

Planet Earth This tutorial can be completed using Bryce 3 or 4.
	This tutorial shows how to apply an image map to a sphere in order to represent the Earth in space as shown to the left.The image map (earthmap.jpg) can be downloaded here. The image map will have to be converted from .jpg to .tif or .bmp format for use in Bryce 3. Bryce 4 users can use the .jpg file directly in the Picture Editor.
	First set the Sky & Fog to the following settings. Reduce haze to zero. Select Custom Sky and set Sky Colour to Black. Check starfield and delete the ground plane. You will now have a black background with stars.
	Now create a sphere, this one is 60 Bryce Units in size.
	Click on [M] to enter the Materials Lab. Insert place markers in column A alongside Diffuse and Ambient. A random texture panel will appear. Click on the P button and then click on the pinkish button above it to enter the Picture Editor. Click on the first blank square after Leonardo and load the texture map. The screen should look like this. Click on the checkmark to return to the Material Editor.
	The mapping mode will be set to Parametric. Change the mapping mode to Spherical. Click on the checkmark to return to the Scene Editor.
	If you now render your image it should look like this image to the left.
	With the texture map applied, the sphere can be rotated to display your continent of choice as here..
	Next duplicate (Ctrl - D) the sphere to create Sphere 2. Increase the size of this second sphere slightly. I increased it from 60 to 60.4 Bryce Units. In the Material Presets select and apply Complex fx and Weather Map to the second sphere. It is far right on the top row of Complex fx.
	The second sphere can also be rotated to place the weather pattern where you like. Have fun.