Archive notice: This article was originally published on November 15, 2011. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Version 11 of LightWave, which according to NewTek will be released as a finished release at the end of 2011, is intended to integrate seamlessly into any studio pipeline and now support Autodesk Geometry Cache and FBX; the software also now supports the Unity Game Engine and Pixologic’s GoZ ZBrush workflow. LightWave 11 is thus now intended to be better suited to smaller specialized companies and freelancers too.
LightWave is now intended to be able to show a Virtual Preview Renderer with real-time rendering. Large groups of polygons with many details are intended to be realizable in an acceptable render time, as is the duplication of very many objects with low memory overhead.
Motion Modifier
A new Motion Modifier is intended to enable realistic movements of objects in groups, such as fish, birds, insects and airplanes; collisions between the group objects are also intended to be calculable and avoidable with it.
Destruction is also intended to be easier to realize with a new Fracture Tool for modeling; the Bullet Dynamics Engine enables physically based animation. Collapsing buildings, explosions or quickly inserted objects can thus be designed with a natural look.
Controller support
In addition, LightWave is intended to offer new support for various controllers, including the Sony Playstation Move. The import and export of model and texture data from ZBrush is now intended to be possible with GoZ technology.
Additional features are intended to include new render-cache possibilities, a robust Python scripting function, FiberFX enhancements and user-interface improvements.
The final version of LightWave 11 is intended to be available at the end of the year for a price of 1495 dollars, with a pre-release upgrade for an earlier version already available now for 695 dollars.
