Newtek Lightwave 11.5

[Nizar]

Seems a robust upgrade. Genoma could be really interesting:

http://ec2-107-21-239-148.compute-1.ama ... _features/

I'm not a LW user (only opened a trial year ago), but is nice see a company put some love in their product.

[Pancho]

I just used lightwave again (10.1) for the cover of Wired magazine (mushroom cloud). As much as I like some of its features, it's just so clumsy in everyday production. If you started to use Modo (apart from its lack of a nodal shading and deformation system), Lightwave feels like Strata 3D used nowadays.

These guys did have the chance to become a major player. Around 2005 or so they just gave it all away by not getting any further with the development. The modeler didn't any love in a decade. LW sucks nowadays, as much as I loved it.

[Nizar]

I have no particular issue with modo shader tree and its layer system, IMO is only a question of habits, but after a bit, when you will used with it all the issue disappear and logic behind is very simple, also if you using modo paint system, can look at shader tree with a fresh perspective and all has more sense.

About LW, I don't know, the Core fail was epic, but know Lino Grandi, and his trust in Newtek is adamantine, also Rob Power seems bring the project in the right direction.
In any case, I don't have time, money and will to learn another application...

[t4d]

the main Lightwave issue is the engine/system/core it all sits on,.. to compare softimage "Gigapoygon core" ( or what ever it is ) or what softimage can handle data wise to lightwave is like A tea cup to a dump truck. there are worlds apart,. add to that LW just feels like 10 year old tech if you have used Maya, Max or softimage c4D or modo.

the New LW bells and features do look good BUT there's no point when it's all sitting on top of a old slow 3D system. After lightwave 7 it was clear LW needed a major rewrite and redesign,.after the half redesign of 6.0 ( ALL the lead programmers left Newtek to do that,. and created modo)

Newtek could have listened to it's pro users and attacked the main system issues but instead that just went the road of marketing fluff by adding cheap easy to do features.. here we are with a LW 11.5 with same issues but alot of cool features YES they do look good in a marketing fluff,. but when you start working you soon see the main issues is still the core 3D system needing major work to be as productive and the rest of the 3D software in 2012..


I started in Lightwave I really wish it was a different story..

[Pancho]

Yep, it easily crashes with polygon levels below 10.000.000. Nothing changed, they just add features. The workflow is still 10 years old.

It's like with stuff like IK Booster or the HairFX. NT either doesn't care to explain properly what it is or how it is used (ik booster), or presents half-baked stuff like the hair thingy, impossible to groom or work with properly, apart from the lack of hard, precise shadows. In the end you get stuff with isn't far from being utterly useless.

I'm sick of the NT attitude of promising and not delivering. I've gone through this pain more than 10 years, but nowadays the grass on the other side CAN definitely be greener than on the NT side.

They really could be a major competitor on the 3D market, but no other company f****d it up so brillantly to avoid this like NT. Most horrible management ever of a 3d software.

Hardcore!!! Ha, ha. Not being able to program it, but keeping folks to buy it with false promises. And in the end you don't get it, but they expect you to pay the full price for 11, even if you didn't receive Hardcore at all. Biggest fail ever!!!

Except from the great nodal texturing and displacement system (no compounds, lol), there's no reason to stay with LW, apart from the free render nodes.

[Nizar]

As I said, I don't know Lightwave, but it is a middle release (a .5), and not a major release. From Lino Grandi words, seems the unified system is very close in a near feature (in release 12?)

[Pancho]

It doesn't matter if it is a .5, .2 or .3 release. You simply can't rely on them. Proven in the last decade. They say one thing, deliver another or nothing.

[t4d]

As I said, I don't know Lightwave, but it is a middle release (a .5), and not a major release. From Lino Grandi words, seems the unified system is very close in a near feature (in release 12?)

so your quoting, a marketing persons words, on a software you do not know much about ? and you seem to want to spin it in a positive way

let me just say "unified system" is still not lightwave's main issue and still not what many users asked for back in version 7 days,.. now it's at version 11
what is the point of modelling in layout IF the modelling workflow is the same as it was 10 years ago ?

Speed, larger data sets and refined workflow was the issue,... "unified system" is a different users request,. yes nice idea IF it is done right ,.but still not addressing the main issues that made user move to other packages...

[Pooby]

I will Eat my Hat if they ever come up with a unified Lightwave that actually works.

Any TD, using LW for a while in any depth will get the Jist of how its a frankenstein of parts, most of which dont intercommunicate. It feels very much like it has no Central processing. The recent feature releases and marketing strategy have been exactly what I predicted, which is highly visual immediate features that are easy to understand and sell.
Luckily for Newtek, most CG artists dont really give any thought to whats going on under the hood, so its easy to look at Lightwave and just be impressed by what appears to be leaps forward in terms of features and an effective marketing sheen.
Many of us who used Lightwave as the sole package in production for years were frustrated by the fact that it is the underlying design that is the real problem.
Genoma, for example, is using all of LW's current rigging and deformation toolset and utilising the separate modeller and Layout workflow. Genoma makes it easier to set these things up. However, what I think they need to do is really improve the rigging toolset itself first. The rig it creates is still never going to be that impressive in my opinion.
Start low level, not high.
That is the fundemental difference between CORE ( or the concept behind CORE) supporters, who wanted longer term MAJOR fixes. and the General artists who didnt' GET it, and wanted new features NOW without learning new ways of working.

[Pancho]

Be careful, Paul. Your hat isn't exactly small .... : )

Though the risk is small, very small.

[Pooby]

Are you calling me a big-head?

[Pancho]

Judging from the vimeo photo a big-hat would be more apropriate.

[Nizar]

so your quoting, a marketing persons words, on a software you do not know much about ? and you seem to want to spin it in a positive way

Touché

As I said I'm not a LW user, and in sincerity want be, IMHO are more interesting blender and modo

Pooby@ yes, is a big hat, and here we all have a good memory

[t4d]

so your quoting, a marketing persons words, on a software you do not know much about ? and you seem to want to spin it in a positive way

Touché

As I said I'm not a LW user, and in sincerity want be, IMHO are more interesting blender and modo

Pooby@ yes, is a big hat, and here we all have a good memory

so do you use softimage now ? because going from Softimage to Lightwave
both pooby and I come from the land of lightwave and we are here in softimage land for very good reasons.

I think you really need to try the LW demo for a week or 2 and don't worry we will remember your LW flag waving when you come back to softimage

[Nizar]

so do you use softimage now ? because going from Softimage to Lightwave

No, I don't want going to LW, simply I like the feeling and love (apparently) they make in LW, a nice marketing moving, all this lack in softimage/AD and every new release have a very poor marketing (sometime appear a bit "homemade")

So, I'm happy with softimage ( I would like to see this or this other feature/improvement) , and learn a new software is not so simple or fast to do.

[Pancho]

There's no feeling and love in LW. Believe me.

You are just falling for the advertisement. That's something completely different. : )