August 1, 2005, NewTek, Inc. announced the forthcoming release of LightWave 3D version 9.0.


NewTek's development team is implementing a major rewrite and restructuring of LightWave's core with the addition of mesh editing capabilities to Layout, consolidation and enhancement of tools in Modeler, extraction of the renderer from the Layout module, rewrite of the raytracing routines to newer, much faster algorithms, and implementation of adaptive mesh subdivision based on distance-to-camera and visibility. Modeler's toolset is being updated with true edge support throughout, and subdivision surfaces have been re-engineered for improved performance and n-gon support.

LightWave 3D version 9.0 Features:

• Modeling Tool Subset in Layout
• Faster OpenGL Performance
• Enhanced OpenGL Hardware Shader Support for accurate preview in real time for textures and lighting
• Faster Raytrace Rendering ? up to 2.5X or better
• Adaptive Mesh subdivision based on visibility and distance to camera
• Faster Subdivision Surfaces
• Subdivision Surface modeling with n-gons
• True edge support in modeling, including edge weighting
• Enhanced MultiShift Modeling tool with reusable histories
• More flexibility and more user controls for the GUI
• Dynamics rewritten for improved precision, performance and capabilities
• Dynamics UI redesigned for easy and intuitive workflow
• Consolidation of tools for a streamlined workflow in Modeler
• Node-based procedural shading system
• Relativity 2 Expressions System
• Particle surface shading system
• Environment instancing on surfaces
• Camera time warper for effects such as bullet time, etc.
• Hypervoxel particle surface deformer
• Surface deformation-based texture map and color controller
• Camera lens shader system
• Much, much more

Pricing and Availability

LightWave 3D version 9.0 is expected to be available in the 4 th quarter for US$795.00 for a single user license.