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Another software announcement the week before SIGGRAPH, this time NewTek has announced the immediate availability of LightWave 10.1 boasting a new Viewport Preview Rendering and lots of new stereoscopic camera features.  In addition, they’ve got a big new customer to talk about in Steven Spielberg’s ‘Terra Nova”.

“We’re using LightWave 10.1 for everything – from lighting and shading, to working on material from other pieces of software, as well as just producing everything in it – from start to finish,” explained John F. K. Parenteau, managing producer at Pixomondo Los Angeles. Pixomondo is currently using LightWave in the creation of Steven Spielberg’s new TV series Terra Nova, slated to premiere this fall. “LightWave provides a very fast turnaround for us. It has become a great tool, particularly with its new capabilities,” said Parenteau.

via NewTek Releases LightWave 10.1 | Below the Line.

Graphics lightwave, newtek

The CORE technology has always been interesting, but difficult to work with.  Due to some recent changes in the architecture, it loooks like it may be coming back in the next version of LightWave to subscribers of the HardCORE programme.

“Rather than create a re-branded, new product in a separate package, which considering the constant evolution of technology, could take months or even years,” explained Powers, “we plan to implement the CORE technology advancements directly into LightWave itself, in an iterative fashion. We are aware that re-writes and updates to the underlying architecture for LightWave will be necessary to accommodate the advanced features that CORE technology represents, and we are confident that these re-writes are possible.”

via CGSociety – LightWave 10.1 CORE.

Graphics core, lightwave, newtek

Big announcement from LightWave to wrap up 2010, LightWave 10 is out!  With improved linear color space workflow support, a realtime Viewport Preview Renderer, and new virtual studio tools that work with gadgets like the InterSense VCAM and 3Dconnexion 3D Mouse, it’s a whole slew of new features available for only $895 ($495 to upgrade).

“Our goal with LightWave 10 is to deliver workflows that best serve the artist and support their creative discovery process, allowing them to interact with their 3D content like never before,” said Rob Powers, NewTek vice president of 3D development. “Technology should serve the artist, and not the other way around. This is how the Virtual Art Department (VAD) worked, which my team innovated on ‘Avatar.’ It helped transform filmmaking to serve the director.”

Get all the details and some more pics after the break!

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This afternoon at 1:00 at the NewTek Book (#337) on the SIGGRAPH2010 Exhibition floor, William Shatner and Dick van Dyke will meet up for an interview on the past, present, and future of Visual Effects.  Shatner will be doing the interviewing, while they both discuss their own longtime use of LightWave3D in their own projects (I honestly had no idea William Shatner was a VFX guy, did you?) and how they’ve changed the industry.

So, depending on your personal inclinations, either get there early or be nowhere near the Exhibition Floor at 1:00 .  Full release after the break.

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NewTek, creators of popular 3D animation and video products, has partnered up with InterSense Inc, creators of the fascinating VCam product we discussed at SIGGRAPH last year, to create the industry’s first off-the-shelf 3D Virtual production system: LightWave 10 with VCam.

“With LightWave and VCam, we can put more control and creative freedom back in the hands of directors, producers and VFX supervisors while ensuring that more of the production budget stays on the screen,” said Dean Wormell, director of applications marketing, InterSense. “Together, we hope to open up a new world of immersive virtual production for independent filmmakers and game developers worldwide.”

Full details in the release after the break.

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Graphics intersense, lightwave, newtek, vcam

Fans of LightWave rejoice, as NewTek has just announced the release of LightWave 10.  What’s new you ask?

LightWave 10 will also offer extensive, new immersive real-time virtual cinematography and game development tools. These solutions evolved as a result of the virtual cinematic production techniques that were pioneered by leading Hollywood artists and technicians for films like “Avatar,” “Tintin,” and “A Christmas Carol.” For production studios and more advanced individuals, this immersive technology includes integrated support for the InterSense VCam™, virtual camera system. The individual artist gains a similar immersive experience with LightWave 10 and its integrated support for 3Dconnexion’s complete line of 3D mice. This powerful combination provides directors and artists with the ability to interact in real time within a 3D set.

And far far more in the full press release after the break.  NewTek has been hard at work integrating the features developed for these feature customers, and now we all get to share in the results!

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NewTek, creators of LightWave, will be demonstrating the new LightWave3D at SIGGRAPH, along with several industry experts who will be demonstrating how they use NewTek products in their workflows.

• Experience an all new LightWave, with production workflow enhanced versions of Modeler and Layout as well as powerful next generation CORE technologies, including enhanced pipeline integration tools and support for Autodesk’s geoCache file format, Anaglyph Stereoscopic viewport support, interactive display and rendering tools, new UV mapping tools, bullet rigid body dynamics, and new immersive real-time and game tools.
• Meet Rob Powers, NewTek’s director of entertainment and media development, who will answer questions about the next generation of LightWave. Powers was a key member of the team behind James Cameron’s “Avatar,” and also worked on Steven Spielberg’s team for “TinTin.” On “Avatar,” he established the very first Virtual Art Department and supervised the virtual environments.

They also have some of the guys behind “RepoMen” and several Nickelodeon specials. If you haven’t registered for SIGGRAPH yet, 3D artists can simply visit the NewTek Site and apply for free exhibit-only passes.

Full details after the break.
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If you pick up the latest issue of Time of Newsweek, you’ll see a great example of the capabilities of NewTek’s LightWave 3D tool.  Focusing on the BP Oil Crisis in the Gulf and the various financial crises affecting US States, both covers take some liberties with scale and reality and create evocative and eye-catching covers.

To produce the Newsweek cover, artist Ed Gabel mapped a photograph of the presidential seal onto a 3D object and used LightWave to create the illusion of dripping oil oozing into the hollow spaces of the seal. Zeff then lighted and surfaced the oil model to achieve the desired look and feel, delivering a near-final render to the client in less than a day. Working under such unforgiving deadlines makes repurposing existing assets critical to the design process. Zeff was able to re-use the surfacing and lighting from the cover illustration to generate additional images for the interior pages of the magazine.

See the full release after the break.
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Graphics lightwave, magazine, newtek

SIGGRAPH is coming quick, and NewTek is looking for some fantastic examples of 3D Art created with LightWave3D to include in their demo reel.  Unfortunately, they are crunched for time so they can really only take stuff already ‘in the can’.

SIGGRAPH is coming. We want your LightWave 3D artwork, so that we may showcase the BEST as part of our DEMONSTRATION REEL. You guys have been doing great sending me your best artwork for the LightWave gallery, but now it’s time to step it up.

SEND ME EVERYTHING YOU HAVE.

MODELS, IMAGES, ANIMATIONS- anything you want (and have the permission to) show AT SIGGRAPH, arguably the biggest event of the year for people like us.

This is your chance to shine- for your peers to recognize your BEST work.

Full instructions for submission are at the link below.

via NewTek Wants Your Help. – NewTek Discussions.

Graphics lightwave, newtek, reel, siggraph

LightWave users can rejoice as a new renderer is on the scene boasting extremely fast GI and reflection/refractions blur passes in both a standalong and LightWave plugin version: Kray.

Kray is a state of the art Global Illumination renderer that allows very fast and accurate rendering of scenes where indirect light plays important role. It includes most advanced modern algorithms and optimizations that allow it to render full global illumination, reflections, refractions and caustics very fast on standard computers.

The complete feature list is pretty impressive, with irradiance, GI, light portals, photon mapping, and more. Works on Mac and Windows, LightWave 7.5 and above, and costs $480 (319 € ) for a full license.

via What is Kray.

Graphics kray, lightwave, renderer, software