Bryce is a 3D application useful for creating a 3D still scene or an animated one. As it is not designed for creating interactive games, it is less complicated that many other applications for 3D modeling. As of December, 2010, Bryce 7 is a free download from Download CNET. The serial number is provided on the download page. If this link has become outdated, search for Bryce at download.com and find the latest free version. Version 5.5 of Bryce is available as well.
To speed up computer processing, a 3D scene and its objects can be displayed in what is called wireframe view. The skin or texture is added last in what is known as rendering. Rendering is saved for last because it can take a long time. The wireframe image below contains a box whose outline is in red. The horizontal green line is the edge between the ground and sky. The looping gray line is the path the object will follow during its animation. During this animation the size changes once and the skin changes multiple times.
CAD Tutor has a fine introduction to the way Bryce does keyframe animation. Animation, like film, video and television is a slide show of images with such subtle changes between the images that our eye is fooled into believing it is the same as the fluid motion which we witness in the real world. Keyframe animation means defining the special points of change for an object along a path of movement and letting the software calculate the changes needed for all the frames in between in between. Start up Bryce and then follow along with the tutorial for some good beginner level instruction: http://www.cadtutor.net/dd/bryce/anim/anim.html
This is a bit limited but still helpful in watching an animation get built. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjhcqRplr7k&playnext=1&list=PLB1CE12542241F013&index=48
The video below is the rendered version of the wireframe composition above. Bryce created a Quicktime video format which was then converted to FLV format.
After these tutorials have provided some concrete experiences, the manual for Bryce 7 Artist's Guide may be useful, a lengthy and detailed tutorial and reference guide in PDF format (bryce_7_artist_guide_wip0913.pdf). The section focused on animation begins on page 1164.