Hello Everyone - My First Post, Certainly not my last

[CommandStation]

Hello everyone. I just wanted to say hi, and let everyone know that I am really impressed with lightwave.

I have seen it before, but I thought the interface looked stupid (yes i feel bad) and i didn't even touch it.

But after I sat down with it... and tried 3Dbuzz.com tutorials, I must say, that this is a really awesome application. I don't know about it's true powers yet. But it just seems so fun and easy to learn. I hope Newtek decides to support 3dbuzz even more so I can learn more.

After attempting to use gmax and Maya 4.5 ple... they were both hard, even though I attempted to put so much effort into learning them.

I went to a local book store and saw "Inside LightWave 7" for about 50 bucks... I skimmed a few pages, and then I saw that it had a demo version. So I bought it... (actually expecting to return it :p ) but after that... I just got hooked. And here I am now.

Can anyone direct me on where to buy this application for students, if there is a student version?

Anyways, thanks you guys... I am sure I will be sticking around and asking tons of questions (hope you guys can handle it) :D

Thanks,
James Mowery

[CardMSG]

Welcome!

The student version can be Purchased Here (http://www2.journeyed.com/cgi-bin/sgsh0101.exe?SKW=ntspecial&FNM=21&UID=2003072618093316&GEN8=NEWTEK&GEN9=routey20.pro)

[Dodgy]

Welcome aboard matey! You've made a great choice!

http://www2.journeyed.com/cgi-bin/sgsh0101.exe?SKW=ntspecial&FNM=21&UID=2003072618103369&GEN8=NEWTEK&GEN9=routey20.pro

Have a look here for student discounts.
You'll find lots of helpful people knocking about on this site, what they don't know they'll be able to point you to.

First check out

www.flay.com A

database of all things LW related and an enormous list of plugins (both free and commercial, and searchable on those properties for a student!) with which you can increase the power of LW no end!

[hrgiger]

Welcome. I think that you've come aboard at a good time in Lightwave's development. Some troubling issues that seemed to have plagued Lightwave's development seem to be all but behind us now. I think that good things are ahead, just speaking even about the great things I see in LW8 so far.

[milkman]

If your going for student prices... www.creationengine.com

JourneyED was a HUGE hassle for me(took about a week to get the papers and everything sorted out ), while CreationEngine look about 1 hour.

[CommandStation]

Thanks for the replies.

I have a quick question for you guys.

I am trying the Car Modeling tutorial. And I need the lines of the polygons (surface) to actually cross through a point.

When I move the points... it changes shape, but I need it to be right on with the points.

If any of you have used Maya, I am thinking that it is the EP Curve Tool (where it passes through the points)

I know it isn't in the tutorial to do that, but I just like setting up stuff this way.... and I am sure there is a way.

One more question: has anyone actually finished the car modeling tutorial on this site? If so, could you send me some renders of it, I just wanted to see what you all did with yours :)

Anyways... Thanks. I love this place already :D

[Dodgy]

Read up on splines and spline patching in the manual....

available here:

http://www.newtek.com/products/lightwave/downloads/index.html

And go grab some spline plugins on flay, there are loads of useful freebie ones...