How Can I Learn Octane?

[lightvu]

So my employer has purchased the latest versions of LightWave & Octane for me, but to be honest every stage of learning has been like swimming through peanut butter. The documentation is poor guys, sorry to say it so bluntly but I have found basically zero support for this plugin out there (for LightWave at least).

Can anybody point me in a direction where I can learn this? It doesn't have to be free btw.

Or can somebody encourage me with a story or resource that helped them learn this amazing rendering engine?

Right now I feel like I am on the outside looking in at some amazing images but don't know how they were made.

Help!

[joseburgos]

This is a good start;
https://www.lightwave3d.com/news/articl ... htwave-3d/

[lightvu]

This is a good start;
https://www.lightwave3d.com/news/articl ... htwave-3d/

Thank you Joseburgos. I have looked at these and they did help. I am wondering if there is anything a little more comprehensive out there.

[mikefrisk]

http://www.liberty3d.com/2016/06/the-qu ... lightwave/

[3dreamstudios]

Are you familiar with Lightwave? Are there certain aspects of Octane that you don't understand?

I found Octane quite easy to work with coming from LW Native back in 11.6.3. Pretty straight forward in many ways. Depends on your needs I'm sure though.

Let us know your needs and I'm sure some of us can help steer you in the right direction. Welcome!

[gordonrobb]

Yeh, I had the same question. A lot depends on what it is you’re trying to learn, and what it is you intend using it for.

[UnCommonGrafx]

Practice is your best bet.
Setting up experimental scenes, many, in a day, changing one thing at a time until you understand the result on the scene.

All you read is best used. After copious usage, then your theoretic thought has fodder to feed on.

Practice.

[FrankPooleFloating]

^ What he said.. but I'll add that trying to replicate images* is the best way to go at this early stage friend, imho. It keeps you focused like a laser on the task of learning.. not experimenting or expressing one's self... that comes later.

* Could be image from web or a still from a movie (subject should be of great interest to you) but preferably one that basically has it all... Somewhat challenging lighting, a variety of materials.. I myself would pick a nice post-apocalyptic scene, if I needed to work on my skills -- a variety of objects in a desolate environment.