any suggestions for creating a large forest in Maya 4.5(100+ trees)without using the paint effects? I can't think of an efficient way to approach this...
PArticle instancer! Maybe some lod groops for them even!
it depends a lot on your type of shot, close to the forest? far? eye-level? or above? for most of it some good models or paint-effects with image planes for the trees in the back and so forth should be sufficient.. if it's from above then you mighth have to use the instancer as suggested.