EnigmA Amiga Run 1997 July/EnigmA AMIGA RUN 20 (1997)(G.R. Edizioni)(IT)[!][issue 1997-07 & 08][EAR-CD IV].iso/lightwave/cgplwlist/cgplw05001-05250.txt/[e-mail]_Sat Apr 22 12:09:15 PDT 1995.msg

Text File | 1995-04-29 | 7KB | 171 lines

Article: 5080 of comp.graphics.packages.lightwave
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From: [e-mail] (Matthew Sorrels)
Subject: Lightwave PC 4.0 first look
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 08:49:17 GMT
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After calling around I discovered that a local toaster dealer actually had
a copy of Lightwave 4.0 Intel.  Yes he wanted a fortune for it ($946) but
even mail order wasn't great(Devware Video wanted $849 but didn't have
any in stock yet(they said Friday)).  Since I want to still be able to
run LW on my Amiga, so I decided to just buy the PC one outright.

Here's what I got(And I'm not sure its really all there):

Nifty box/manual with some cool pictures.  Has claims on
the back the software doesn't backup(It claims to write a
bunch of file formats that it doesn't--more on this later)

A parallel port doggle with pass-through

Three floppy disks
    1 disk = All the software(its small)
    1 disk = All the W32S stuff(didn't need it since I already have it)
    1 disk = NT device drivers for doggle(only needed for NT)

1 CD ROM
    Sample objects, textures, etc.
    No software/plug-ins/whats on the floppy.
    Total size of CD = ~90 megs.  What a waste.

1 Layout Manual
    Looks like the 3.5 SA manual re-typeset with a few
    minor additions.  Not enough info for new users.

1 Pre-Release Notes
    Not a whole lot of stuff here.  No packing list.  I
    Suspect my box is missing the modeler manual as there is
    no documentation on the modeler in my box(I'm calling
    tommorow unless someone says its supposed to be that
    way.  Packing lists are cool.  Newtek should add one.)

1 Registration card.

There are no on-line docs(major minus)
There are no read-me files(major minus)
There is no copy of the plug-in SDK on the CDROM(major minus)
The outside of the box doesn't list functional requirement.
Box has cryptic comment, "Give me that hand."



Installing it was simple.  I installed in on my P90 48meg
machine running NT 3.5 (release 807).  It copies all the
objects/etc from the CD onto your hard disk(lame) if you
don't turn it off.  I let it since I like to fiddle with things.
Takes about 48 megs.  Box/manual says it should take 80 meg for
a full install, 2 megs for just the software.  Since I already had
win32s, to get it to work on WfW3.11 all I had to do was make a
program group, didn't even need the second disk.  Under normal
windows you also don't need the NT device driver for the doggle.
If you don't have the doggle, you get an error message when starting
lightwave or the modeler.  It should tell you that you don't have
the doggle, but I guess for $1000 you can't get decent text errors.


Ok so I have it installed.  Wow, big screen 1024x768.  It seems
zippy.  Of course this isn't a slow machine.  Big improvement
over the A4000/040.  Here are some times/benchmarks(your mileage
may very):

Amiga = A4000/040, 22 megs ram.  No toaster.  SA 3.5
PC    = P90(new fpu version) 48 megs ram, Herc PCI Dynamite Video, ...

Blade runner scene on CD. Rendered first frame in Low Res all
other options as is.
PC(NT) = 217 Seconds        Amiga=1452 Sec        Speed=6.69x

Texture sample, first frame only, stock settings, 9 megs segment ram
PC(NT) = 23 Sec        PC(WfW)=34 Sec        Amiga=200 Sec

So it looks like Win 3.11 is a bit slower than NT(10-11 seconds on
a simple file).  This is 5-8 times faster than the amiga.

I've noticed a few things that are new/different from 3.5.  There is
a preview for your surfaces(renders on a sphere) in the surfaces menu.
Some other minor things here and there.  It still very much like 3.5
though.  If you know one the PC version will feel very comfortable.

But all is not so great.  Here are some of things I think are problems
NewTek should work on fixing:

    If you resize the window durring a preview playback it crashes.
    Loading scenes and objects from the built in collection is
        painful because all the paths are wrong.  Ugh!
    You can only save IFF, Targa, TIFF file formats.
    You cannot make any ANIM file formats(says thats only for the
        amiga when you select it).
    Windows don't repaint when palette games causes it to change
        colors.
    No way to go between modler and layout despite the fact that
        Microsoft has spent millions on DDE, OLE, and RPC.
    Since it uses no windows controls and/or standards some
        things you expect from a windows app aren't there:
    Enter/return doesn't dismiss dialogs (no default buttons/tab support)
        Colors in the multi-selection pop-ups are impossible to read.
    Needs to use the windows color database.
    No windows on-line help.
    Doesn't bring up the little command summary when you hit F1(
    Windows version of a help key, new MS keyboard even says
    help on it)
    No intro video tape like 3.5 SA(I know Lee and Newtek aren't
    friends any more.  So what.  Its busines, just do the deal)
    Not enough support for PC standards(JPEG, AVI files)
    No way to view your animations(all it does is make single frames)
    No single frame viewer for IFF files.
    No tools to help move files from previous versions.
    Very un-windows 95 like(I'm not sure I care, but the marketplace will)
    No Rexx(despite the fact that its mentioned all over Modler I suspect
    they want to bundle IBM Rexx with it, or at least support it)
    A bunch of stuff that tells me I can't do that, or its only for the
    amiga.  If I can't do it, get rid of it.


This isn't to say its all bad.  There are clearly things that need to
be addressed(crashes in preview, repaint bugs, etc) and there are
things that smart companies do to stay ahead.  The first company with a
solid product can go a long way.  Lightwave PC can be it.  The
interface is more than sweet, it just needs a bit more polish in the
edges.  Even just support for AVI files would make me happy.  I'm not
looking to dump stuff to a PAR, I'm fairly happy with my miro DC1's
output.  I just want to stop sending files back and forth between the
amiga and the PC.  And a little speed.  But don't kid yourself.  For
$1000 you buying one floppy and a doggle.  And its not quite there as
far as ready for prime time goes.  But if you make your living doing
this.  And you have a PC already, it might be worth it.  If you do it
as an upgrade to 3.5 SA it should only cost you $650-$700 which isn't
bad.  But if your just playing, you might want to wait till the real
release.  The picture might not be so fuzzy.  Of course right now I do
think its the best render/3d system under $1000 on the PC, even with
the problems.  Now to start writing plug-ins.  Need to pay back the
cost of this some how.

Mathew Sorrels      |  And thats when I decided to microwave the Diet Coke
[e-mail]   |  Std. Disclaimers Apply.  YMMV. Member FDIC.