What is Happening with LW?

[Waves of light]

If you don't think this is the end of LW, think about it from a business perspective for Vizrt.

They buy NT and the video part of the business. Bundled with that is a an ageing piece of software that has struggled in recent times to keep up with the competition. It's used less and less in film and tv - it's not the giant of the industry it used to be. It has no marketing, doesn't want to do marketing and has no marketing team, it's only social media presence is from FB and current users (new and pro). I think Steve Burns is the only one I know that does Twitch - again, a user. It is a cost to Vizrt that will not be covered by the income generated from new seats and upgrades. It needs investment and it has staffing costs for the dedicated LW arm. Covid hits and that's put an even bigger strain on budgets and investment.

Then all of the LW devs are gone. Beta testers out of the picture. How do they intend to develop it on a skeleton crew. Answer, they don't.

IMO 2020 will be the last release of LW. Sad times.

[SBowie]

newtek = silence

... what's new!

I understand that sentiment, and sympathize. It's been a long old haul, and I've been through most of it too, since LW 3.1. I've been told there is a move underway to integrate Lightwave staff into the larger org, but I can't offer any real insight on what this indicates in the larger context of this discussion.

[raymondtrace]

...IMO 2020 will be the last release of LW. Sad times.

Even if this becomes a true statement in a few years when we might actually know for sure (because really...this doomsday talk is idiotic) I'm happy to have LW2020.

We might as well be discussing cabbages and kings at this point.

[gar26lw]

I understand that sentiment, and sympathize. It's been a long old haul, and I've been through most of it too, since LW 3.1. I've been told there is a move underway to integrate Lightwave staff into the larger org, but I can't offer any real insight on what this indicates in the larger context of this discussion.

sounds pretty obvious to me

[hypersuperduper]

It certainly doesn't sound promising for lightwave. I suppose there are different ways to interpret the news that the lightwave staff will be integrated into the larger org (I mean it could be a management thing) but all but the most optimistic interpretations result in Lightwave as a supported product more or less ceasing to exist.

[Marander]

10 years for Matt? Wow, time flies

... Hell of an achievement in LW UI development in 10 years...

[TheLexx]

But millions of people are generally losing their jobs (ie no more disposable income and minimum basics at risk), and the TV and film industry from production to exhibition is quite disrupted, meaning a lot of artists are not getting hired, so surely new licenses of any software is the last thing on their minds. Many companies, large or small, are now tightening belts and shedding staff in fear of survival.

In context I ask rhetorically how many customers will Modo or 4D be picking up between now and Christmas ? So isn't LW just the same as anyone else ? Maybe it will just skip to LW2022, with the current situation being more about maintenance. Okay, hardly optimistic, but still....

[dsol]

... Hell of an achievement in LW UI development in 10 years...

TBF - he could only work within the limitations of LW's ancient UI code. If the UI had been ported fully to QT (as it should have been done, years ago) then I'm sure he could have had more of an impact. As it is, he moved off the LW3DG a while ago - and works for NT's video division now AFAIK

[cresshead]

It certainly doesn't sound promising for lightwave. I suppose there are different ways to interpret the news that the lightwave staff will be integrated into the larger org (I mean it could be a management thing) but all but the most optimistic interpretations result in Lightwave as a supported product more or less ceasing to exist.

no one has said that from newtek or vizrt

speculation is just that.. could be any number of things

[gar26lw]

TBF - he could only work within the limitations of LW's ancient UI code. If the UI had been ported fully to QT (as it should have been done, years ago) then I'm sure he could have had more of an impact. As it is, he moved off the LW3DG a while ago - and works for NT's video division now AFAIK

nah, its the absolute abysmal management of LW dev over the years, ignoring the userbase, alienating 3rd party and resulting in the the current status quo. Any idiot could see the forthcoming result.

[next_n00b]

But millions of people are generally losing their jobs (ie no more disposable income and minimum basics at risk), and the TV and film industry from production to exhibition is quite disrupted, meaning a lot of artists are not getting hired, so surely new licenses of any software is the last thing on their minds. Many companies, large or small, are now tightening belts and shedding staff in fear of survival.

In context I ask rhetorically how many customers will Modo or 4D be picking up between now and Christmas ? So isn't LW just the same as anyone else ? Maybe it will just skip to LW2022, with the current situation being more about maintenance. Okay, hardly optimistic, but still....

Well businesses do understand what plandemic and controlled demolition of society actually means. They must adjust accordingly. Artists were in similar situation at the very end of the Roman empire. I can agree that LW 2020 or maybe LW 2021 (if they are so far) will be the last for extended period of time.

Funny thing is that autocorrect on mac tried to correct plandemic to pandemic.. cccc

[gar26lw]

But millions of people are generally losing their jobs (ie no more disposable income and minimum basics at risk), and the TV and film industry from production to exhibition is quite disrupted, meaning a lot of artists are not getting hired, so surely new licenses of any software is the last thing on their minds. Many companies, large or small, are now tightening belts and shedding staff in fear of survival. In context I ask rhetorically how many customers will Modo or 4D be picking up between now and Christmas ? So isn't LW just the same as anyone else ? Maybe it will just skip to LW2022, with the general situation is about survival and maintaining at the moment. Okay, hardly optimistic, but still....

Sure does play into blender's hands. Realistically, how do you compete with free? Maybe with better and more productive design, listening to and engaging end users, supporting 3rd party, hiring and retaining exceptional, motivated talent, empowering said talent, giving customers what they want; but what do us plebs know? :P

[gar26lw]

Well businesses do understand what plandemic and controlled demolition of society actually means. They must adjust accordingly. Artists were in similar situation at the very end of the Roman empire. I can agree that LW 2020 or maybe LW 2021 (if they are so far) will be the last for extended period of time.

Funny thing is that autocorrect on mac tried to correct plandemic to pandemic.. cccc

I've done my bit an tried to support them throughout the whole affair. As I have mentioned before, I feel I purchased the right to complain and maybe it keeps someone in a job? so all good.

[hypersuperduper]

no one has said that from newtek or vizrt

speculation is just that.. could be any number of things

Yes it could be any number of things, but very few of those things are good.

[Nicolas Jordan]

If you don't think this is the end of LW, think about it from a business perspective for Vizrt.

They buy NT and the video part of the business. Bundled with that is a an ageing piece of software that has struggled in recent times to keep up with the competition. It's used less and less in film and tv - it's not the giant of the industry it used to be. It has no marketing, doesn't want to do marketing and has no marketing team, it's only social media presence is from FB and current users (new and pro). I think Steve Burns is the only one I know that does Twitch - again, a user. It is a cost to Vizrt that will not be covered by the income generated from new seats and upgrades. It needs investment and it has staffing costs for the dedicated LW arm. Covid hits and that's put an even bigger strain on budgets and investment.

Then all of the LW devs are gone. Beta testers out of the picture. How do they intend to develop it on a skeleton crew. Answer, they don't.

IMO 2020 will be the last release of LW. Sad times.

Lightwave could be around for a while yet but I get the feeling that Lightwave sales are directly impacting the development budget now. If they keep making cuts to the dev team eventually there wont't be a dev team. In the past Newtek probably invested in Lightwave development with hopes it would get a return on that investment in the future but that has likely changed. If LW sales go down then the management will cut staff so they are not spending more than what is being brought in. Also the move to integrate LW staff into the larger organization may in fact be a strategic move to save Lightwave and keep it's development going even if it is with a small team of developers.