When I first started working in 3D I tried all the 3d packages every thing from Bryce, Lightwave, 3D Studio Max, and more. I ended up with Max. I found that one way was to buy the plugins, but as I don’t have any were from $99.oo to $6,000.oo to buy them I had to figure out a way to do the effects buy hand. So even though we use 2 different medias the theory is sound that you could do it about the same way (but with a few modifications) I do electrical arcs as seen here:

http://dreamdesign3d.com/electrical_tesla_coil_tutorial.htm

To give you the just of how I do it, I use a cylinder with the following parameters: Radius: .5 Height: 65 Height segments: 100 Cap segments: 1 Sides: 4 Smooth: On. Then I convert it to editable mesh. I rotate it so it is horizontal mostly because its easer to modify. From here you will have to modify how you do your lightning (extrude your smaller polygons out for the smaller tips of your bolt) but basically I select the middle vertices and apply a soft selection to them with affect backfacing also checked. Now just adjust the falloff amount as needed. Lock the selection and add the Noise modifier to it. I also use a assign controller on omni lights. And attach them to the arc. I then add a material to it. Then use the rendering effects when I render my animation example: Glow element. I also use effects channel for different parts of the effect.

Well that about sum’s it up in a very, very short explanation.

I can do a good lightning effect:-

Fuzzy Logic reaches for the nearest socket

Kzzkkkkzzzzztttkkzzkkkk!!!

#3 by Citizen dhaval_14581 - 7/29/2003 10:37:02 AM You can also use KPT EFFECTS 7.0 (PROCREATE EFFECTS)......its a photoshop plugin.....it has bunch of plugins....one of them is KPT lightning

I must agree, KPT has some EXCELLENT Lightning effects.

lusciousbeast a while back i did some lighting effects, basic once you have the shape. Creating effects involves the channels in photoshop, gaussian blurs and lighting effect filter.

A_67 that was pretty funny

Bryce Lightning is a network render program that allows you to render an image using more then one computer over a TCP/IP network. It works extremely well.....an image that would take one hour on one computer to render can render in as little as 20 minutes when you use multple computers. If you can make it do lightning I would be very impressed

LMAO Hahahaha. GA, no wonder I coundnt figure out the damm thing. >
Thats what I get for not reading the instructions.
I just read the 'Read Me' file and I now understand what you are saying.
Wait, let me pick up my face from the floor and place it back on
Imagine If I would had been able to create lighting. Hahaha.

if you are looking for a tutorial for lightning in photoshop, I just wrote 1 tonight, special for you 'bryce' guys

you can get it in the tutorial section of:
http://www.styl-x.com

hope it comes usefull and enjoy