lightwave to octane workflow

[scratch33]

Here is my workflow to export from lightwave to octane without plugin. I think that the .obj exporter from layout is buggy. So I export from modeler.

1) Setup of the scene in layout
2) export in fbx
3) load in modeler the fbx
4) triangulate
5) export in .obj unchecking the normal export
6) open in octane
7) texture and materials in octane
8) to animate the camera, I use octanepowertools
9) I export the camera position from layout but use the object exported from modeler
10) unfortunately no objects animation can be done with this workflow

Don't understand why otoy don't develop a plugin for lightwave too. Because lightwave can't use Vray and has no biased engine... I think a lot of people jump in octane
from the lightwave comunity if there is a good integration with lw.

[tyrot]

scratch33 THANK you for sharing your workflow i ll try it immediately ..
One question though "which version of Lightwave you are using"

About Octane Renderer for Lightwave would be an awesome thing to do.. But remember there was a post from OTOY "Lightwave is very important to us but someone must develop plugin"

question "do you have that someone? "

no answer...

that means no love for Lightwave in any level...

Plus OctanePowerTools not working 2,57 - 2,59 - is it working at your pc?

thank you again. it is good to see wavers around ...

[scratch33]

Hi Tyrot,

I'm using lw11.02.

I haven't tried octanepowertools recently with version 2.57-2.59. But it must be work. I do not see why it does not work, because octanepowertools just "push" the
buttons in octane. I must try, because if you are right... this is a real disaster for lw users...

For the plugin, month ago, I have send a pm to radiance about it. he told me he was looking for a developer to lightwave. But I'm not sure he was very actively looking for it...

This is very sad for us...

[tyrot]

scratch thanks for LW version

Unfortunately OPT simply does NOT push the button in these versions. I wrote couple of emails to Hisham -OPT developer- No reply.. which is really sad....

I am spoiled by Octane speed. there is no turning back

[marchermitte]

Lightwave is renewing itself with Rob Powers; new CEO, who worked on Avatar and is bringing lots of professional tools in the new lightwave 11.5. Would be great to finaly get a working plugin for lightwave or (I can always dream) a full integration?

[marchermitte]

BTW, the FBX export before re-importing into lightwave and re-exporting as an .obj doesn't gives great results, It messes up some of my meshes and gives strange poly artifacts, which I don't get when exporting straight from Lightwave into an .obj file.
The smoothing problem should REALLY be adressed , if the Lightwave-Octane exporter was at least working correctly (as for the poly smoothing export), I think we could all live with It as It is now.
Overwriting the obj from the Octane exporter using straight Lightwave Obj export doesn't always work properly.
PLUS It would be good in Octane to be able not just to smooth or unsmooth a surface but as well to choose a smoothing angle from 0 to 90.

[rcallicotte]

Thanks for the workflow explanation. This is very nice.

[Ryste3d]

Import your Lightwave Scene into PolyTrans and export to OBJ (you don't have to use UV maps to get it to work, PolyTrans will take care of that for you)