https://www.newtek.com/lightwave/2019/features/
Quite amazing to see a new release so fast. It’s heading in the right direction, although the Modeler<->Layout split is really holding it back.
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One of the best updates in years, it feels like. Finally they start to tackle some long lasting ui/undo & workflow annoyance. I like the openVDB modeling feature. A start in the right direction but it still has the split app workflow that really sucks.
Good for NT. I really mean that. I doubt anyone on this forum is going to pick up a copy… but good for them nonetheless. Unfortunately for NT, they lost me a couple months ago. I’ll still use my Octane LW2015.3 until I am completely migrated to Octane Blender. As a LW user of almost 20 years, I will say this, LW is damn stable… almost never crashes. And it can be quite speedy for setting up scenes and banging out renders… But then it doesn’t do 1/10th of what Blender 2.8 does. But I really do hope they are able to compete and flourish for many years to come.
I’m so used to the unified work environment now so I can’t go back to LW, but I must say that the startup time for VPR is superior to cycles and edit mode in Blender must be the slowest of all 3D apps out there, besides that Blender is fantastic.
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Crikey, I cant believe thats still going strong, i first tried it out about 20 years ago, and thought it was pretty neat. Shame its out done by blender, and the other big guns. I think i first used it when it was called Imagine 3d on the Amiga which evolved into Lightwave… video toasters anyone??
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Does any one know if their file format has been updated? I think 2018 jumped from lwo2 to lwo3 is there any increments on that for 2019?
It looks like Newtek has kicked the development rate up a notch, but they are still far enough behind they will really need to produce some outstanding releases to start winning back many of their old users and gain many new ones.
They do get UDIM now though, Blender can have it in the next release too by simply committing a patch already on the developer website.
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It’s seems that everyone try to release before the blender 2.8
They will be a big fight
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I’m happy to see Lightwave still kicking, but I’m not going back – I’m solidly into Blender with both feet and 2.8 is still quite a bit ahead of LW. I had many good years with LW but NewTek blew it for me when they cancelled CORE.
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Videoscape.
I only saw Lightwave and never able to use. But this is e very good news loosing an other historical app it would be very sad.
Actually, with the situation with Apple using Metal and the deprecation of OpenGL (on Macs)…it’s possible that Lightwave might have a shot at sticking around on that platform. Before I got my head around Blender (by 2.42), I was a Lightwave user. Had just enough money left over from my income taxes to buy v. 2019 (owned 8 and 10), and–with the aforementioned Apple situation–am glad I did.
Something told me that–with the discounted upgrade option (and the fact that they were taking ANY previous version to upgrade to v. 2019)–this might be a good fit; also, might be the last edition of Lightwave that could be run on my Macs (Pro 3,1 w/El Capitan and MBP 2012 w/High Sierra), so took the plunge. Since Blender 2.80 is running slow on my Macs now…figure I’ll run Blender on my Z600 and Z220 on CentOS Linux and run Lightwave (and Blender v. 2.79b) on my Macs (in case I need 3D support and my Linux boxes aren’t available).
I still do not understand why they cancel CORE, a fresh start was what they needed. Lightwave needs to be a single program or else I won’t take it seriously.
Psssssst… come closer… are you listening?.. LightWave is completely, hopelessly, utterly dead…
~ Dude who used LW for 15+ years, and has never looked back
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I don’t know why they canceled CORE, but the speculation was that NewTek was afraid it would alienate their users since it was a whole new program and wouldn’t be entirely compatible with current projects that those users depended on. Look at the sad state LW is in now. If they had stuck with CORE and continued to improve upon it, I think it would be a great tool today. I agree about the unified program… it’s one of the reasons why I switched to Blender. NewTek wasn’t willing to take that next step and LW stagnated as a result. I don’t miss it.
My view is that users could have used older versions of LW until they migrated to the new program. Sometimes its more beneficial to abandon the old system in order to make way for the new one. The Blender developers have done this TWICE now. They aren’t afraid make drastic changes in order to make a better tool.
I was very sad at the cancellation of CORE too, and that was probably what drove me to Blender from LW.
An alternate guess as to why they cancelled it: it just looked like it would take too much time to finish, to their management. As a person who writes software, I think this is quite likely.
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More than just likely. That is what they said basically. Of course they did not put it in those terms.
But it is all the same reason up to today. On the public front they started out as not perfectly candid. Became cagey about real reasons and then silent. Then cagey about the silence then just silent all together.
The budget for LightWave however is easy to determine. Now it is being “managed” by the tricaster guys. And just maybe two developers tops.
That should give you the answer right there.