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As part of an ongoing "Mobile Studio Series," this review copy of LightWave 6.0 was tested on a top-of-the-line 500 MHz G3 Apple PowerBook with 256 megabytes (MB) of RAM as well as on the traditional desktop.
Being that LightWave is a stock tool of most high-end to mid-level production studios world wide, it seemed appropriate to devote a second piece to more fully examine its capabilities and direction. Hence, here is Part 2 of a two-part overview of the LightWave phenomenon. As I cited last issue LightWave is used by many world-renowned studios including Digital Domain. Other studios that utilize this package are Wait Disney's Secret Lab, where it was used on the current box office hit Dinosaur. Foundation Imaging routinely uses it for most of its television projects including Star Trek: Voyager and also for its cinema work.
Readers who want a basic overview of the package should see the VIDEOGRAPHY LightWave review in last month's issue or access the August 2000 section of www.videography.com. I divided that LightWave review into three base arenas: Modeling, Animation & Texturing, and Rendering. Since I was only able to briefly touch on LightWave's very large feature sets within each category, I'll delve into them with the same overall headings and structure here, but in greater detail and hopefully more insight.
A few general points made in that article will bear some overlap in this one. One point that falls into that camp is the fact that this package has been rewritten from scratch as compared to the last software version. This was done in response to current and future production demands. I'll endeavor to focus on those changes important to production artists and their projects.
LightWave Modeling
Since I've glossed over the basic user interface (UI) of MODELER (previous issue), I'll cut to the chase and get into Modeler's power, ease-of-use issues, and feature sets.
One overall Ul trait that bears a closer look is based on an apparent NewTek philosophy to design its user interface to be as transparent as possible. This was done by allowing the artist to dictate production speed and workflow in his or her own way by giving them the freedom of adapting their own interface. For me, this design sensibility...