San Antonio, Texas - NewTek Inc., manufacturer of 3D animation and video products, has released LightWave v9.6, an updated version of its award-winning 3D application, LightWave 3D.
LightWave v9.6 boasts new capabilities, such as improvements to animation, rendering, and workflow, with FiberFX cloning, Layout snapping, and automatic drag-and-drop file loading. More than 625 feature requests and reported issues have been implemented and resolved between 9.6 and previous version 9.5. LightWave v9.6 is the fifth free update in the LightWave v9 series.
Features in LightWave v9.6 include:
- FiberFX Cloning - provides the ability to place multiple instances of hair on an object
- Layout Snapping - allows the quick connection of one item to another, saving time and additional steps
- Drag and Drop allows an icon of an object or scene to be opened by dropping the icon into Modeler or Layout
- New and Improved Export - buffers enable multipass pipeline users to output more buffers (layers) in high-dynamic range
- Multithreaded Pixel Filters - provide faster rendering of projects that integrate pixel filters
- Depth Buffer Normalizing - allows 3D scene elements exported into film or video footage to automatically blend properly, even if moving relative to one another
- Ray Cutoff - enables artists to decide at what point to cease ray bounceswhen rendering a scene with numerous reflections, refractions andtransparency, significantly shortening render time
- Open to other render engines - Other rendering engines conforming to the LightWave v9.6 SDK can be used directly from within the LightWave interface
Three new nodes include:
- Car Paint: Greatly eases the creation of complex polished surfaces
- Flake: A simple procedural texture based upon the flakes often seen in car> paint
- Curve: Allows the creation of complex gradients
NewTek LightWave 3D combines a renderer with modeling and animation tools. Known for its fast workflow and ease of use, LightWave integrates with other popular production tools for 3D and compositing, with support for a wide range of formats.
A free trial edition of LightWave v9.6 is available by download from www.lightwave3d.com/lwtrial.