Archive notice: This article was originally published on February 6, 2009. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
NewTek has announced initial details of its LightWave Core 3D suite. As trade magazine Digital Arts reports, Core is a completely new environment for modeling, animation and rendering that can replace the current version of LightWave, as well as a complete development environment.
LightWave Core is intended to feature a flexible user-interface design that provides access via CSS to most components, including fonts and the placement of controls and widgets. Snapping palettes allow users to arrange their workspace to their liking, while also allowing them to use their preferred layouts contextually: settings for modeling, surface editing, rigging, animation, rendering and so on can be saved separately.
The Core SDK is based on C++ and is the same for internal and external development. The architecture provides full access to the SDK and scripting languages, primarily Python, but also remains open to others via SWIG (Simplified Wrapper and Interface Generator).
According to NewTek, Core is multithreaded, can use GPUs to accelerate computing operations and runs on both 32-bit and 64-bit systems. The 3D suite is to be offered for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. According to Digital Arts, shipping is scheduled to begin at the end of the year.
The new software is then expected to cost US$1,495, while NewTek is asking US$695 for the upgrade. Members of NewTek’s HardCORE program receive special terms.
