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If I had only one word to describe Newtek's Lightwave 6.5 it would be "powerful" - but "quirky" would be a close runner-up. Lightwave 6.5 is the latest release of the venerable 3D modeling and animation program that offers powerful tools to create pretty much any 3D asset your game could need.
The interface is, to be generous, unique. Lightwave is actually two separate programs, Layout and Modeler. Layout is where everything from animation to lighting and rendering is accomplished, while Modeler is dedicated to, and this should be obvious, modeling and texturing. While this may seem odd if you're used to all-- inclusive programs like Maya or 3DS Max, I found switching between them no different from switching between menu sets or panels in other programs, and it actually offered an advantage I will discuss later.
Modeler is an extremely robust and versatile tool for creating polygonal models. Both organic and mechanical forms can be created with equal ease, which is quite a bit easier than in...