Video Tutorials

Take a tour through the LightWave 3D environment with the following videos and loadable sample content. This material will walk you through some basic concepts and features.

The Content Page provides additional scenes to discover even more of the powerful capabilities of LightWave 3D.

Download LightWave content files individually or all at once (59MB) and unzip to your hard drive. In each project folder, locate the scene folder and double click or load the .lws file into LightWave Layout.

The following video content requires: Ensharpen Codec for MOVs - TSCC Codec for AVIs

Modeling Tools

LightWave v9 introduces new capabilities in Modeler including:

• Catmull-Clark Subdivision Surfaces, Edge Selection, Edge Weights and N-gons (polygons greater than 4 sides) for subdivision surface modeling.
• Subdivision level can be controlled via numerical values, envelopes, expressions, motion modifiers, textures, procedurals, gradients and more.
• The GUI has been enhanced for increased user configurability; preferences can be adapted for workflow needs.

	Modeler Introduction Take a tour through key areas of the modeling interface.		Creating a Die A step-by-step tutorial to introduce you to the LightWave modeling workflow.
	Layers Overview MultiMesh objects consist of an unlimited number of layers, similar to layers in many paint programs.		Curves Create smooth edges and flowing organic objects. Also used for modeling tools as direction path.
	Edges Modeling capabilities are enhanced with this powerful addition, allowing new ways to create and refine shapes.		Edge Weighting Add geometry to an object over multiple layers with this powerful modeling tool.
	Speed Boolean Quickly modify and combine objects elements in a single layer.		Multishift Add geometry to an object over multiple layers with this powerful modeling tool.
	Connect Tool A Polygon split tool that works with Point, Edge and Polygon selection modes.		UI Configuration Customize display and selection colors of points, edges, polygons, normals and tools.

Advanced Camera Tools

LightWave now has arguably the most comprehensive toolset for matching real camera lenses, an addition that will greatly enhance the ability of visual effects artists to match 3D elements to live footage.

Camera tools allow you to recreate any camera in the world and many cameras that can't exist. New rendering technology renders scenes using arbitrary camera lenses and warps.

This allows for some fantastic effects such as:

	Layout Introduction Take a tour through the key areas of the LightWave production studio.		Camera Overview Create any type of camera you need, giving you unlimited render control.
	Perspective Camera Increased render speed & quality for larger scenes.		Creating a View Camera Use advanced camera settings to apply classic tilt & shift techniques.
	Advanced Camera Tools Custom lens example with a 360 degree camera lens. ACT_fisheye_Room.zip		Custom Lenses Model any type of camera lens you can imagine giving you full control of the image.
	Orthographic Camera Generate true orthographic image renderings.		Load from Scene Customize display and selection colors of points, edges, polygons, normals and tools.

Node Editor

The LightWave node-based materials system adds new shading models to LightWave such as Oren-Nayar, anisotropic, and sub-surface scattering.

The node-based materials editor makes shading virtually unlimited including: New Shading Models, Normal Maps from ZBrush 2 Supported, Branches can be imported and exported, Math Animation Nodes, Animated Gradient Node.

You can work how you want to work: Layers in Nodes; Nodes in Layers; Layers Only; Nodes Only. Full support of native controls and envelopes. The Node Editor is available in both Layout and Modeler and maintains context between the two. Full SDK Support for third parties to create nodes (including shading models) and for third-party renderers to interface with and query nodal shaders.

	Node Editor An introduction the the powerful shading and texturing capabilities of the node editor.		Procedural Textures See how the Node Editor applies procedurals which can now be directly applied to UV maps. Parquet.zip
	Gradients Apply and animate color gradients with the Node Editor. Planet_Anim.zip		Gradient Pre and Post Behaviors Simplifly the creation process of complex gradients with multiple keys.
	Shading Models An introduction to shading and an overview of shading models.		Anisotropic Shaders Expanded control of specularity, reflection and refraction. cd.zip
	Layer Nodes Layer Nodes allow access to the Texture Editor within the Node Editor.		Displacement & APS Combine Displacements with Adaptive Pixel Subdivision for added power and flexibility.

Adaptive Pixel Subdivision

Adaptive Pixel Subdivision adds a variety of capabilities for film-quality displacement mapping, normal mapping (including ZBrush support) and level-of-detail control at render time. Adaptive subdivision of a mesh based on distance from camera and visibility.

Choice of Adaptive Subdivision methods - Per Object, Per Polygon and Per Pixel. Highly optimized mesh, tied to render resolution when using Per Pixel. Visibly similar to micro-poly displacement.

	Per Polygon Level Speed up productivity by controlling subdivision during the render.		Pixel Per Polygon Automatically control mesh detail in relation to camera distance from selected objects.
	Subdivision Control with Weight Maps Control mesh render detail with Weight Maps. APS_WeightHead.zip		Fur & Hair Create and animate fur & hair with APS and Displacement Maps. Hair_Dis.zip

Additional Features

	Save All Motions Save data from multiple particle emitters to a single PFX file.		Animation Path for Wind Effector Create a user defined path to control wind in a scene. Wind_Loop.zip
	Build Null Edit Options Workflow enhancements for the creation of Null objects.		Render Status Panel Expanded to display more information during render. APS_CameraDistance.zip
	Displacement Maps from ZBrush Apply ZBrush displacement maps with the Node Editor. Zbrush_Head.zip		CCTV Shader Apply camera views to a surface to simulate live camera displays in a scene.
	Surface Baking Camera Render custom environmental surfaces to apply as UV maps.		List Manager Control large lists of items in a simple pop-up control for faster workflow.
	Sticky A Motion Modifier that allows an object to move on the surface of a mesh. sticky_teardrop.zip		Sketch Image filter to give an image or render a sketched look. Sketch_Blueline.zip
	Eye Surface Use Incidence Angle to create an eye that always looks at the camera.		Stress Map Shader Modify the degree of bump mapping or surface coloring based on mesh stretching.