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LightWave
3D® 8… it’s
everywhere
LightWave 3D 8 is crammed with hundreds
of new features and improvements, both big and small, and it will
have the speed, power, and stability users need for getting work
done quickly and easily. This major upgrade includes enhancements
in dynamics, character animation, modeling workflow, animation workflow,
texturing tools, and more.
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FEATURE
HIGHLIGHTS
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Caustics
Caustics in LightWave 3D provide fast and accurate light reflection
and refraction. Generally, a caustic appears in the real world
when light reflects off a curved surface or refracts through
a transparent surface so that it is focused on a small area.
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Digital
Confusion™
Digital Confusion is a new Depth of Field filter included in
LightWave [7] which offers traditional depth of field control
but also includes several additional features, including rendering
of hidden geometry for accurate background blurring, and optional
iris shapes for matching various camera styles, and also the
aspect ratio and rotation angle of the camera lens. The user
also has the option of selecting a reference object from the
Autofocus menu to automatically compute the proper focal distance. |
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HDRI
High Dynamic Range Images (HDRIs) are used to create a single
image containing more color information than traditional photographic
equipment. HDR Images are used in conjunction with Radiosity
to help produce true-to-life environmental lighting. LightWave
3D is one of the first animation packages with built-in HDRI
support. When using LightWave's Radiosity feature, HDR Images
will photorealistically 'cast light.' For example, when using
an HDRI as an environment map, you can simulate the lighting
effects of the original photograph. Using the photograph to
illuminate the 3D models guarantees a perfect composite every
time.
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Hypervoxels
Hypervoxels are NewTek's breakthrough rendering technology
for greatly simplifying the creation of extremely detailed 3D
surfaces. A Hypervoxel is a 3D pixel used to create volumetric
effects such as liquids, fire, smoke, dust, ash, gelatin, rusted
materials, clouds and many, many more. With surface, volume
and sprite modes, nearly any effect and level of detail can
be achieved. |
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Modeling
LightWave 3D is a true, real-time subdivision surface modeler.
With complete interactivity with tools such as bevel, smooth
shift, and more, modeling becomes like sculpting with digital
clay. Plus, with the ability to model in any viewport including
the perspective view, defining and altering objects is instinctive. |
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Motion
Mixer
Motion Mixer was designed to bring the same concepts found
in non-linear video editing to computer animation. With Motion
Mixer, now included in LightWave 3D, you can store, re-use,
and adjust motions for entire hierarchies. You can even use
transitions to mix and blend different motions together. By
defining "actors" within a LightWave scene, it is
possible to use a timeline to extend, trim, move and scale motions.
Incredibly complex animations can now be created in LightWave
using a library of relatively simple moves.
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Radiosity
Radiosity is the scattering (reflection) of light off of
diffuse surfaces, which causes surfaces to become indirect light
sources. LightWave 3D has a radiosity solution built in, which
can produce some spectacular results, by essentially calculating
bounced lighting for global illumination.
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Rendering
LightWave 3D's renderer has long been considered the best
in the industry. The world's fastest, most beautiful renderer
computes massive amounts of internal data, computed at floating-point
accuracy to ensure the color depth that results in ultra high-quality
imagery. Including radiosity, caustics, HyperVoxels, hair and
fur rendering, soft reflections and refractions, Voxel Baking,
Digital Confusion depth-of-field filter, the LightWave renderer
is powerful, beautiful, and flexible.
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Sasquatch
Lite
LightWave [7] includes technology to render hair and fur
effects, built into the package. With Sasquatch Lite, users
are able to create grass, fur and hair on their objects. With
controls over the hair or fur, the user is able to fine tune
the courseness, frizziness, length, color, glossiness, and much
more, including "combing" the strands to fall or lean
in a certain direction. Sasquatch Lite even has the ability
to receive and cast shadows. Additionally, there is the ability
to create long hair built in, using chains of two-point polygons.
These can be as simple or as complex as needed, including creating
knots, bows, or even braids.
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ShockWave
3D Exporter
The 3D web content creation market is currently exploding,
and we are excited to have support for the major formats. The
combination of Shockwave3D and LightWave 3D gives nearly limitless
options to interactive content creators. If you can imagine
it, you can build it in LightWave 3D, with our professional
modeling and animation tools and take it into Shockwave3D to
show the wired world!
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SkyTracer™
2
SkyTracer 2 was created to offer real-world parameters for
setting up sophisticated atmospheric effects. Atmospheric, sun
and cloud settings can be set up within the interface. Light
scattering and light absorption in the atmosphere are simulated.
Time and location settings can even be adjusted to accurately
simulate the sun rising or setting, in this world or another.
Additionally, SkyTracer 2 has a full range of controls for creating
any type of cloud effects. |
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Spreadsheet
Editor
Within LightWave [7] the spreadsheet scene manager organizes
and allows the user to access and edit the properties of objects,
in any number from one to 100. With expandable and collapsible
sections, the user is able to quickly view sections of the scene,
and edit pieces as needed. The spreadsheet also includes filtering
options for precise searching through the list for the items
needed, and "favorites" lists can be created as well.
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