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DECEMBER 12, 2001 NewTek LightWave [7] for the Mac
Motion Designer. Clothing, billowing sails, flags, and other soft body dynamics can be created through LightWave's Motion Designer. [an error occurred while processing this directive]Clip 3: LightWave's soft body dynamics engine detects collisions between models and applies realistic physics to soft objects like the cloth here. Also, there are three major new features in LightWave [7] I'd like to mention, without which I frankly don't think it would be worth the upgrade. Stephen Schleicher also mentioned these three features in his review, so if you need any further validation as to their importance, there you go. The three features are the new Motion Mixer, the inclusion of Sasquatch Light for fiber simulation and a new version of SkyTracer. The Motion Mixer (Figure 9) is probably the most impressive, if not daunting, new feature. Basically, it introduces some elements of non-linear editing into the animation process. By divorcing motions from Layout's main timeline, motions become objects you can morph or blend together. So, for example, you could save a character's walk cycle as an independent motion, apply the motion to any other object or set of objects, and mix that motion with other saved motions. It takes a while to get into, but the results can be staggering. 
Fig. 9: The Motion Mixer in action. As for the other important new features, Sasquatch Light is a great addition to LightWave [7]. It's so much better to show you what it does than to tell you, so check out Figure 10. And while SkyTracer (Figure 11) isn't a new feature, it has been greatly improved in version 7 with the addition of SkyBaker, which allows skies that don't change over time to be rendered in real-time under OpenGL. Anyone who has suffered through an interminable SkyTracer render knows that the Baker feature added to SkyTracer is a most welcome addition. You can now also animate clouds and the sun over time, though it's not quick when it comes time to render. 
Fig. 10: I'm a doctor, dammit! With Sasquatch Light, you can make Tribbles, polar bear fur, landscape elements and even a chick with a beard. 
Fig. 11: Purty skies with Skytracer! Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next Related sites: • Animation Artist • AV Video • Creative Mac • Digital Animators • Digital Game Developer • Digital Media Designer • Digital Post Production • Digital Producer • Hollywood Industry Related forums: [an error occurred while processing this directive] 
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