Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/57248
KeyShot 3 from Luxion Hits Mark L NewTek Shines with LightWave 11 N ewTek has upgraded its LightWave modeling, animation, and rendering soft- ware to Version 11. The software fits into any studio pipeline seamlessly, offer- ing support for Autodesk Geometry Cache and FBX, including pixel-perfect camera matching with Autodesk Maya cameras. It also supports the Unity game engine and Pixologic GoZ ZBrush workflow—a fit for both large and small environments. Some of the new features include instancing, flocking, and fracturing tools, physics-based Bullet Dynamics options, as well as virtual studio and interchange tools that support new controllers, such as the PlayStation Move. The software also contains new render buffer capabilities, robust Python scripting functionality, FiberFX enhancements, user interface improvements, and more. These complement the software's VPR, stereo tools, import/export abilities. LightWave 11 costs $1495. Simulation Goes Mobile A utodesk has unveiled ForceEffect, a free mobile simulation app for the iPad (available from the App Store on iPad or iTunes) that allows engineers to quickly and easily simulate design options during the conceptual phase. Force- Effect provides an intuitive environment for drawing, constraining, and simulating concepts using free body diagrams by simply tapping objects to select, move, rotate, and scale. Real-time solving capabilities provide immediate feedback on the performance of a design, enabling users to bring engineering to the point of the problem, no matter where they are located. With the scaled static image, users can create joints, supports, and loads, and compute reaction forces. They can then easily manipulate the geometry to iterate on the design and calculate new reaction forces to optimize the design. Unlike the traditional approach of using paper, pencil, and a calcula- tor to develop equations for design options, Autodesk ForceEffect does all simulation and engineering calculations on the iPad. The results can be printed, e-mailed, or viewed from a Web browser. 4 February/March 2012 uxion is offering KeyShot 3, the next generation of the compa- ny's real-time raytracing and global illumination rendering solution. The product contains a new patent- pending animation system that is based on offset transforms, rather than keyframes, which can be combined to create complex part and camera animations. The offset transforms can be moved interactively in the timeline, copied, pasted, linked with, and moved to other parts. The animations then can be output to standard multi-media formats, such as AVI, QuickTime, or Flash. In addition, KeyShot 3 offers an improved user interface with better model interaction, a redesigned library containing new content, simplified material edit- ing, enhanced texture mapping, and much more. Also, KeyShot's import pipeline has been expand- ed to now support Parasolid- based file formats, such as NX, Solid Edge, and SolidWorks on both PC and Macintosh platforms. It now includes more than 400 new materials and 40-plus new lighting environments. Pricing for Luxion's KeyShot 3 starts at $995; the animation capabilities can be added for $500.