NewTek Inc., demonstrated the forthcoming 64-bit implementation of Emmy-winning LightWave 3D at an exclusive event in Los Angeles on Tuesday. LightWave 64-bit was shown on an AMD Opteron system running Windows XP Professional x64 Edition beta OS. Currently in beta at a limited number of sites, LightWave's 64-bit port was demonstrated before an audience of film and television visual effects producers, game developers and artists and press at The Highlands Hollywood in Los Angeles.
"We recognize the needs of our customers to always deliver leading edge 3D graphics and visual effects. That's why we've worked hard to make LightWave 3D the first professional 3D application to take advantage of the powerful capabilities of the 64-bit computing platform," said Jim Plant, president/ceo of NewTek. "With 64-bit LightWave 3D, NewTek is once again leading the way with technology that enables digital artists and producers to meet the ever higher expectations of their clients and make the best use of powerful new technologies, such as AMD's Opteron and Microsoft's Windows XP Professional x64 Edition."
"By working closely with partners such as AMD and its 64-bit hardware technologies, NewTek has yet again been able to maximize its core competency as an innovator and leader in digital content creation tools by being the first to unveil a 64-bit professional 3D animation application to the public," added Michael Kornet, vp of business development for NewTek. "Upon its release, our large user base will reap the benefits of this technological innovation."
"For the last four years, NewTek has been working on the development of a 64-bit version of our award-winning LightWave 3D software application, including our plug-ins," said Andrew Cross, PhD, svp of engineering for NewTek. "Literally millions of lines of code have been ported to and optimized to take full advantage of 64-bit technologies. The 64-bit LightWave version has now been fully running and tested internally for over a year, and recently was released to external beta testers. As we had expected, the feedback that we have gotten in this process has been astonishing and as such we feel that it is time to demonstrate this technology publicly for the first time."
LightWave's 64-bit version will leverage the increased memory available with 64-bit systems plus the power of the new processors and faster RAM access to provide digital artists with a streamlined workflow that allows them greater flexibility and creative freedom. Content creators will be able to complete their work in less time, or to do more complex work than could previously have been done within a given time and budget. The ability to utilize much more RAM allows the artist to create more complex and realistic scenes as well as to produce images at higher resolutions for film, high-definition television and print.
"AMD64 technology running LightWave 3D on the Windows XP Pro x64 Edition helps remove traditional technology bottlenecks that typically force professional content creators into making artistic compromises, explained Charlie Boswell, director of Digital Media and Entertainment, AMD.
"We are excited by NewTeks commitment to deliver a 64-bit native application that will take advantage of the Windows XP Professional x64 Edition platform," said Will Poole, svp of Microsofts Windows Client Division. "Windows XP Professional x64 Edition in combination with the 64-bit edition of LightWave 3D will enable new levels of performance and creativity for digital artists and producers and provide the ability to bring more complex and realistic animation and video to market faster."
In addition to the technology demonstration, the event included a number of special presentations by award-winning visual effects professionals: Emile Smith, visual effects supervisor for Zoic Studios; Steve Pugh, visual effects producer for Eden FX; Aristomenis Tsirbas, director/artist for MeniThings; and David Ebner, senior visual FX supervisor for CafeFX.
The 64-bit version of LightWave 3D is not currently available for commercial sale. It is available only to a limited number of pre-determined beta site locations. LightWave [8] for Windows and Macintosh platforms is available through NewTek resellers worldwide for a suggested retail price of $1,595. Current LightWave users may upgrade to LightWave [8] for a suggested retail price of $495.
With headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, NewTek (www.newtek.com) is a leading provider of full-featured video editing, animation and special effects tools, including VT[4] and LightWave 3D, winner of the 2003 Primetime Emmy Engineering Award. Recent television and film projects using NewTek software include SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW, I, Robot and SPIDER-MAN 2. Recent game titles include DOOM III, UNREAL TOURNAMENT, SERIOUS SAM for Xbox, AGE OF MYTHOLOGY, CIVILIZATION III, DEAD TO RIGHTS, BALDUR'S GATE II, EVERQUEST and ESCAPE FROM MONKEY ISLAND.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
