"One thing that constantly goes around in this cg community with how people go about stuff and how complicated and excessive they make things for themselves just to get a 'coooool' reaction from the onlookers".

Hope that's not directed at me Jay. Ctbram's bump map wasn't doing what he wanted it too and he didn't want to model it. A displacement map is about the only other option. "cooool" reactions, whatever they may be, had nothing to do with it.