LightWorks 7.8 simplifies lighting effects

LightWork Design has released v7.8 of LightWorks, its 3D rendering engine for Macs. The technology is not a separate piece of software, but rather code meant to be integrated into other applications. The update makes several improvements, most notably in the realm of lighting, which has been given a simplified interface for Global Illumination, and should be easier to integrate into software. Final Gather now has a better balance between speed and quality, and incorporates diffuse and specular shaders, as well as more options for dome lights. Shadow mapping, meanwhile, has been tweaked for increased speed and lower resource use.

Real-time Plus has been revised to increase control and improve performance; part of this involves gamma correction, with a narrower accuracy gap between real-time rendering and the software alternative. A PNG driver now supports reading and output of PNG images within LightWorks, and miscellaneous new shaders include speckled, horizon background, lighting environment background and simulated glow effects. Buyers must contact LightWork for licensing arrangements.

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