Newtek LIGHTWAVE 3D 7.5 user Manual
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NewTek Inc.
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Manual version: 1.0
LLiigghhttWWaavvee 33DD
7.5 Update
Viewport Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
The PathTool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Bone X-Ray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Motion Path Frame Markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
OpenGL Specular Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
About OpenGL dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Item Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Motion Blur/DOF Preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Rotation Handles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Object Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
SubPatches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Panel Organization Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Matte Object Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Unseen by Alpha Channel Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Object Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Sliders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Display Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Add Slider Bank Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Depth of Field Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Bone Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Faster Bones Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Use Morphed Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Light Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Shadow Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Spotlight View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Light Properties Objects Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Caustics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Radiosity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Motion Modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Simple Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Adding Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Baking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Deleting Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Simple Constraints vs. Parenter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Simple Affectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Parenter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Image Filters and Shaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Photoshop PSD Export . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Flare2Alpha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
SpriteEdger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Virtual Darkroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
BRDF Surface Shader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Other Layout Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Statistics Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Render Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Image Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Extreme Antialiasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Depth Buffer Antialiasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
AutoDirectoryUpdate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Print Assistant Plug-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Lightgen2lw Plug-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
CameraSelector Plug-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
64-bit SGI Image Saver/Loader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Expression Builder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Powergons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
What are Powergons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Executing the Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
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Luxigons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Keyframer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
What is Affected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Affected Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Affected Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Standard Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Transfer Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Other Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
BioVision Motion Capture Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Motion Preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Spreadsheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Motion Mixer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Weight Curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Curve Translation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Motion Instancing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
TimeWarp Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Relative XZ Custom Offset Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Character Custom Offset Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Motion Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Using Motion Designer with SubPatch Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Modeler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Bandglue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
BandSaw Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
UV Spider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Magic Bevel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
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ightWave 3D 7.5 Update
NOTE
You may need to assign some new commands to your menu or keyboard shortcuts
before you can use them.
VIEWPORT CHANGES
The PathTool
The PathTool will allow you to directly edit the current item's motion path, right in a
Layout viewport! To use, simply activate the PathTool and drag any of the current item's
keys. The perfect tool for tweaking an item's motion path. Note that the key will only
move along the vertical and horizontal axes of the view, even in perspective. The
PathTool command is in the Tools group.
Figure 1: Adjust keys interactively with your mouse using the Path Tool
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Bone X-Ray
There is an option to make bones visible inside opaque objects. To use, activate the
Bone X-Ray option on the titlebar (see Figure 2). Note that bones may still be invisible if
the object surface is similarly colored/shaded. Change the bone colors using the Scene
Editor, if this becomes a problem.
Figure 2: The Bone X-Ray display mode allows bones to be seen inside opaque objects
Motion Path Frame Markers
Motion paths in Layout viewports have dots along the curve to indicate frames (see
Figure 3).
Figure 3: Motion paths in Layout viewports have dots along the curve to indicate frames
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OpenGL Specular Highlights
OpenGL specular highlights are now added after texturing, providing much more
realistic shading on shiny surfaces with dark textures. This feature requires either
OpenGL 1.2 or the proper extension under 1.1 (See "About OpenGL dialog" on page 3.).
Figure 4: Specular highlights over color texture
About OpenGL dialog
The About OpenGL dialog includes information about the limits of the OpenGL driver
and hardware-which may be different than LightWave's own limits (see Figure 5). (Note
that if the Renderer entry on a Windows system with hardware 3D acceleration reads
"GDI Generic", the system has reverted to software OpenGL and should probably be
rebooted.) To see this dialog, you may need to assign the About OpenGL command
(Display group) to a menu or keyboard shortcut.
Figure 5: The About OpenGL dialog
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Item Selection
You can select items in a viewport by clicking on any polygon edge rather than just on a
pivot point.
A selection bounding box – like in the Graph Editor – can now be created by dragging
your middle mouse button in any viewport (see Figure 6).
Items whose points appear within the box will be selected, and if the Shift key is held
down, the items will be added to the existing selected items, if they are the same type. If
items of more than one type are within the box, preference is given to those items
matching the current edit mode.
Figure 6: Drag your middle mouse button to select Layout items using a bounding box
HINT
If you have a scroll wheel, it may also function as a middle mouse button if you press
down on it.This obviously depends on the make and model of your mouse.
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Motion Blur/DOF Preview
Pressing SHIFT+F9 will render an OpenGL motion blur and/or depth of field preview using
the current camera, for the viewport under the mouse (see Figure 7). While the effect is
being computed your mouse pointer will turn into a busy pointer. The viewport will
return to normal when any subsequent change causes it to be redrawn. Motion blur can
be used in any viewport type, but depth-of-field effects only appear in a camera viewport.
Figure 7: OpenGL preview of motion blur and depth of field
Rotation Handles
When Parent Coordinate rotation handles are visible and rotation limits are enabled
(Motion Options panel), areas outside the rotation limits are now shaded on the
viewport rotation discs.
Figure 8: Areas outside rotation limits are now shaded
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OBJECT P
ROPERTIES
SubPatches
When the SubPatch Level (Geometry tab) is set to 0, the cage is now converted directly
into polygons. This usually results in half the number of points compared to the
previous Level 0, improving interactivity if used for Display SubPatch Level. (Note: The
previous Level 0 was just Level 1 with Subdivision Order set to First.)
The Object Properties panel now shows the number of SubPatches and metaballs in the
current object.
Panel Organization Changes
The Deformations tab is now called "Deform" and the Rendering tab is "Render".
The Polygon Size and Particle/Line Thickness settings have been moved from the
Rendering tab to the Edges tab.
Figure 9: The Polygon Size and Particle/Line Thickness settings have been moved from the Rendering tab to the Edges tab
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The Light Exclusion list is larger and on its own tab called "Lights".
Figure 10: The new Lights tab on the Object Properties panel. The Light Exclusion list is larger.
Matte Object Option
A Matte Object option has been added to the Render tab. It causes an object to be
rendered in a single user-specified color (usually black or white) with no shading,
overriding all of the object's surfaces.
Figure 11: The tricycle is turned bright green using the Matte Object option
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Unseen by Alpha Channel Option
An Unseen by Alpha Channel option check box has been added to the Render tab and
causes the object not to affect the alpha channel.
Figure 12: (left) Tricycle has Unseen by Alpha Channel option enabled. (right) The tricycle is missing in the resulting alpha image, but also note the effect on the
pogo stick where it overlapped the tricycle.
Object Comments
If you add a comment to a scene item using the Comments plug-in (Scene > Utilities:
Generics > Comments), you can add the Item Comment Display custom object plug-in
and see the comment in your viewports. The Item setting determines with scene item
gets its comment displayed. It does not have to be the item you add the custom object
plug-in to. You also have control over the text Color, density (Alpha), and Justification.
Figure 13: Comment is displayed on null object parented to the ball
The text is placed at the object's pivot, so it can be obscured by the object's surface.
You may want to display the comment on a null that can be placed anywhere or even
parented.
Sliders
Sliders are slider gadgets that are displayed over viewports. An individual slider is tied
to a specific animation channel. A slider will indicate the current value of a channel and
also let you interactively adjust that channel value.
To use sliders in a scene:
Add the Sliders custom object (Object Properties panel) to any object. To display and
interact with the sliders, choose Items > Sliders.
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The sliders for the last current object (with the Sliders custom object) will be editable
when the Sliders tool is active. Keep this in mind if you have more than one object with
the Sliders custom object.
Figure 14: Sliders added to ball object
NOTE
Remember, as with all Layout tools, you'll need to select another tool (Move, Rotate,
etc.) to deactivate the Slider Tool.
To configure your sliders:
Open the Sliders custom object settings dialog from the Object Properties panel. The
left window will list all of the channels in the scene. To attach a slider to a channel,
simply select the channel in the left window and click Add Channel. Selected channels
in the right window can be removed with the Remove Channel button.
The Range Min and Range Max settings define the interactive range of the slider. The
underlying channel can go beyond these values, but the slider's range of control and
feedback will be limited to this range. If the underlying channel goes outside the range,
the slider value will turn red. Clicking on the slider handle will immediately change the
channel to the slider's corresponding value.
The description Label will default to the channel name, but you may edit that if you
desire. You can also set the color used for the slider with the Color preset pop-up menu
or specific RGB values.
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