NewTek ships LightWave 11

Improvements include the ability to create massive duplication, model realistic forms in flight, increased support for Bullet Dynamics, and new support for Zbrush.

NewTek is now shipping LightWave 11, the latest version of its award-winning, professional 3D modeling, animation, and rendering software. LightWave 11 new features include instancing, flocking and fracturing tools, flexible Bullet Dynamics, Pixologic Zbrush support, and more. LightWave is used in a wide variety of 3D content creation genres, from film and broadcast visual effects production, to architectural visualization, and game design.

LightWave 11 includes support for Pixologic Zbrush models. (Source: NewTek).


Details:

Instancing

  • Allows the duplication of a vast number of objects in a scene without experiencing memory overhead
  • Scale, position, rotate and surface randomly cloned objects for realistic detail
Instancing in LightWave 11 now takes place without experiencing memory overhead issues. (Source: NewTek)

Flocking

  • Animate realistic motion of grouped objects such as such as birds, fish, insects, animals, aircraft, spaceships, and more using a new motion modifier
  •  Calculate crowd avoidance of neighboring objects, target alignment and cohesive attractions with the motion modifier
Flocking technology in LightWave 11 allows realistic motion of grouped objects, including crowd avoidance, collision detection, and cohesive attraction. (Source: NewTek)

Fracture

  • Pre-fracture objects that are ready for destruction with a new Modeler tool that is designed to complement Bullet Dynamics in Layout
  • Animate explosions without using dynamics and control the density of fractures by applying weight maps to objects

Bullet Dynamics

  • Deliver physics-based animation with the Bullet Dynamics engine in Layout and  the new Fracture tool in Modeler
  • Collapse buildings, create explosions or quickly place objects in a natural-looking random pattern
New technology for fracturing objects, using Bullet Dynamics, makes it easier to animate destruction in LightWave 11. (Source: NewTek)

Virtual Studio and Interchange Tools

  • Support for new controller types, including the Sony PlayStation Move, allow users to easily control and record the item results with a LightWave channel
  • Import and export model and texture data to Pixologic Zbrush software with GoZ technology

Additional LightWave 11 features include new render buffer capabilities, robust Python scripting functionality, FiberFX enhancements, user interface improvements, and other tweaks.

For more information, visit www.newtek.com.

LightWave 11 includes a new Virtual Preview Renderer for onscreen real-time rendering. (Source: NewTek)