Kiwavers is a user group that supports and networks users of LightWave together. However, LightWave is not one of those commonly heard of applications... So what exactly is this LightWave package about?

LightWave 3D by NewTek is a full-featured 3D modeling and animation application.

Originally starting out back in 1987 as two separate software packages for the Amiga computer, its been the workhorse for many a studio, producing everything from print artwork to feature film visual effects.

Is LightWave used commercially?

You wouldn't believe just how many times we've been asked this question!  There are plenty of people who go on third-hand information about where LightWave sits in the market, often created by people who have never actually seen or used the software.

Plain and simple - Yes - LightWave is a commercially used package, yet if we were to believe all the making-of documentaries we see on DVD's, we'd only ever think one or two 3D applications were used in the CG and VFX industries!  LightWave has a long history, and a lot of use in creating a bit of everything from print graphics to full-feature visual effects in the Movie industry.

While it may not be as visibly marketed as much as other applications, its a workhorse that's often busy behind the scenes.

Who uses it then?

To check out where, how and who's been using it - click here - for a list of productions where LightWave has been used.

Easy to learn & fun to create with...

LightWave has an intuitive user interface that makes it fast to learn.  The tools are right at your fingertips, and without an overly busy GUI, you can get work done in very short time frames.  This makes LightWave a perfect tool for those tight production deadlines (such as TV work).

Work flow speed is helped through the implementation of interactive tools such as real-time Depth-of-field and Motion-blur which make setting up the camera intuitive.  The use of video hardware features like GLSL lets the artist see quality texture and lighting on the desktop, and geometry display quality can be optimised for performance when animating.

The interface uses simple text-based buttons, meaning no need to memorise the purpose of obscure icons, and when working, you aren't visually bombarded with loads of parameters. This makes LightWave non-intimidating, and allows you to get the job done fast.

3D Modeling is a breeze

Modeling 3D objects is fast.  LightWave is a purely polygon-based modeling system.  It was one of the first commercial applications to implement and support Subdivision modeling, a feature that is now common-place in all 3D applications.  Deceptively simple tools such as the ability to quickly drag and move points in a model without the requirement to change selection modes, or even select the points are one of many reasons the workflow when modeling is so streamlined and efficient.

Fast Rendering

One of the core things that LightWave is so well known for is its ability to create outstandingly polished artwork.  It has a lightning-fast built in renderer that is easy to configure and produces great renders with little need to tweak numbers, parameters and values to get a great result.  Its also extremely flexible when it comes to render style, having been used by many Japanese studios to produce amazing cartoon-style animation, and by film and visual effects studios to create visually stunning photorealistic work.

Textures and Surfaces

Since LightWave v9 was released, the surfacing and texturing system improved immensely with the inclusion of node-based texturing.  While not new for many other CG applications, this implementation works side-by-side with LightWave's original Layer-based system, allowing for artists to mix and match various tools from both systems for great looking textures.

The node system is equipped not only with all the texturing tools necessary to create great looking objects, but opens up the capabilities to generate complex surfaces through advanced materials to simulate realistic glass, plastics, metals, carpaint, skin and more.

Lighting

LightWave offers a flexible lighting system - A huge range of light types are included, as well as 3rd party plugins to extend the types of lights available.  True soft-edged raytraced shadows are built in, as are the often-used shadowmaps that are found in most applications.  LightWave can also generate Global Illumination (backdrop, Monte Carlos and Final Gather).  Its ability to bake and interpolate radiosity solutions gives it an immense speed boost (often the issue with the computationally-expensive GI found in many applications)

As an early implenter of HDRI (High Dynamic Range Imagery) for photorealistic lighting and reflectivity, its been a valuable tool in visual effects work for creating seemless integration with live footage.

Cameras

The camera is where the filming (rendering) of our CG film or imagery takes place.  What makes LightWave's camera system so nice to work with is that it is easily animated, and works literally like you would expect to in the real world.  LightWave has a flexible camera system, featuring a range of camera types, as well as true single-pass photorealistic motion blur and depth of field functionality.  The anti-aliasing system offers an adaptive approach that analyses the render, then re-renders pixels that require it using increasing levels of sampling as many times as it needs, producing a progessively-improved quality with each pass.

The RealLens camera offers a system that uses an optically-accurate camera lens from a huge database of photographic camera's.  It can also retrieve and use EXIF data directly from loaded digital photographs to match them more accurately when rendering CG elements to be composited into the photographs themselves.

The Advanced camera is a camera capable of a lot of things often unachievable with standard CG software systems.  The field-of-view options are fully tweakable, including the ability to render a full 360 degrees for panoramic views.  It has an option called a time-sweep to distort images based on camera motion over time, and it can also filter light (using a lens filter effect).  If that wasn't enough, it has options to use any UV mapped geometry as a lens!

Animation

LightWave's animation toolset is full-featured out of the box.  It offers cloth, particles, rigid body dynamics, Hybrid IK/FK for character rigging, and most tools any animator would need to get the job done.  And better still, its simpler workflow allows for the job to be done fast and effectively.

LightWave's rigging system (offering a mix of its own reliable bone system, as well as a joint-based option similiar to other applications) are quick, not requiring the usual weighting and binding of geometry to work. (Though those options are also available).  IK Booster is another tool that gives LightWave a seriously fast and effective character animation tool with instant IK control, rag doll dynamics and re-usable posing and motions.

Endomorphs are LightWave's version of morphs/blend shapes found in other applications. The difference with LightWave's system is that these morphs are stored within the same object as specialised maps, meaning no need to duplicate and modify variants of the object to achieve facial animation.

One of the powerful work flow features of many of LightWave's tools is its ability to drive values through textures, modifiers and expressions.  Creating subtle vibrations, shaking in fear or trembling an item can be as quick as simply applying a fractal texture to a channel of an object.  Alternatively, a simple fractal texture could also be applied to simulate the effect of a rippling cloth or waves on an ocean...  That's mear seconds of work to set up and animate what could be half an hour of manually keyframing or advanced dynamic simulation!

Extendable!

LightWave is built with a robust plugin architecture, and there are literally hundreds of free plugins available for it online!  Plugins for new types of camera's, lights, surfacing effects, animation, modelling and more can be added to really expand the application out!

So, did you want to see more?

LightWave artists use the software because not only does it produce great work, but its easy and most importantly - enjoyable - to use.  If you haven't seen or used LightWave3D, then the Kiwavers LWUG is a great place to check out what the software can do, see live demos from users and hear stories about how they created their art.

Hope to see you there!