This version has important bug fixes and now writes a batch file for
semi-automatic rendering.

You can download the program here:

http://www.garagepost.tv/renderman.htm

Last night while building and testing this version my demo license of
AIR ended, so if I can't get another one soon I'll stop the support
for this renderer, sorry. Also I'll include Pixar´s RenderMan support
in the next version. For some reason I'm not capable to make
RenderDotC work on my computer, this is the main reason of why is not
part of the plug-in output.

This program is and will be free but the next beta versions will be
available to contributors only (i.e. people sending feedback).

Light-R V 0.25 (beta) September 2004

Light-R is a LightWave 7 & 8 plug-in for Windows/Intel. This program
exports LW camera, lights (with shadow maps) and polygons into a
sequence of RIB (RenderMan Interface Bytestream) files, ready to be
used by a RenderMan renderer (Photorealistic RenderMan, Aqsis,
3Delight, etc.). Light-R needs many features to be considered complete
but now is more than just a prototype. The polygons have attached a
simple matte shader with color information but not smooth normals
(using the LW SDK is not an efficient task to get the averaged
normals). I've been testing generated RIB files with Aqsis, 3Delight,
Air and Pixie, in the next version I'll try to support more renderers
like Pixar´s RenderMan and RenderDotC.

Use this program freely and please send me feedback about bugs and
features you need or want.


My intention is to make Light-R easy to use and the program will try
to use any current LightWave properties in terms to make rendering
easy and transparent, and the files (the shadow map RIBs specially)
will be saved in the default LW content directory.

Feature list:

Objects - An object with a tag "_SDS_ON" will be exported as
Subdivision Surface (this tag is created using RenderMan SDS plug-in)
- Objects with parameter "cast shadows" off will no be included in the
shadow RIB
- color for every polygon
- different shader for every LW surface

Lights

- Lighting matches LW setup (except ambient intensity and color)
- Shadow maps
- Support for cached shadow maps
- Shadow maps and raytraced shadows are now supported specific for
Aqsis, 3Delight, AIR and Pixie. (I can't make RenderDotC work right
now).

Camera
- Support for Depth of Field

TODO list:

- Export average normals (at this moment no smooth shading is
possible)
- Work textures and shaders (must)
- Support for Level of Detail and Motion Blur
- Write patches (if possible)
- Export particles and blobbies (must)
- Select geometry for area lights (desirable)
- Scene optimization with ReadArchive and level of detail (desirable)
- All the important features a standard RenderMan compliant renderer
wants
- Support for AOV
- I'm open to suggestions

Cheers, bug reports and complains are well received.

Felipe Esquivel