Originally Posted by
de-co1
Anything that takes on a natural quality is difficult to work with in order to get a fantastic result. In order to keep rendering times down, I do still use images for my grass, however, I mix two together, and add a noise opacity map to the one material as well... This way you will have one map, tiled, mixed with another map at a different scale (also tiled), and then mixed with the opacity map, you can create openings from one map to the other giving a more natural feel to your ground... Unfortunately I do not have VIZ or MAX loaded up (I'm in a new company now), so I can't give you good directions, but it's all under the materials editor.
You could also try softening the ground off a bit - by this I mean reducing all sharp edges... if time allows, create a ground with undulations, which will fool the eye, and you won't see the tiling so much unless your view is from too high an angle.
As for the balcony view, the side retaining wall to your parking has the same map as your finish to the parking (stone). In reality this would most likely be block, brick, concrete or plaster. I would suggest that you apply your wall material to this side face.
Otherwise, good work - keep it up!