Now through March 21, you can buy NewTek Inc.’s LightWave 3D [7.5] and receive a free copy of REALVIZ’s Interactive Studio bundle, thanks to a special promotion that was announced by both companies on Tuesday. You’ll also receive a free copy of LightWave 3D Eight when it ships.
LightWave 3D combines powerful modeling and animation tools with a photo-realistic renderer. It’s used worldwide to create graphics and visual effects for film and television, games, print, and the Web. Its controls allow you to create everything needed for a 3D scene, from the general environment to the characters’ hair.
The Interactive Studio bundle, which is a US$1,500 value, consists of Stitcher 3.5, ImageModeler 3.5, and SceneWe@ver. Stitcher allows you to combine overlapping images into wide-angle panoramas suitable for use in any medium. It was used in the creation of key effects scenes in such films as Captain Corelli’s Mandolin and 28 Days Later.
ImageModeler takes 2D photos and turns them into realistic 3D models, complete with automatic texturing. You can export models created with it in LightWave’s model format.
SceneWe@ver also turns 2D images into 3D models, but it creates 3D environments that you can manipulate. You can import and position 3D objects and create object hierarchies for export into Macromedia’s Director and Shockwave, as well as other interactive Web formats.
All four applications run on Mac OS X v.10.1 or higher; SceneWe@ver also runs on OS 9.1. LightWave 3D [7.5] is available now for $1,595. You can upgrade from LightWave 3D [6.5] or earlier for $495 and also take advantage of this promotion. You can also pre-upgrade to LightWave 3D Eight for $495.