Introduction to Octane Render for LightWave

Last modified: 17 December 2024

Octane for LightWave support all Octane shading using a set of custom LightWave nodes that cover all Octane shading features.

Octane is an unbiased GPU render engine. All shaders, textures and tools nodes must use CUDA GPU code. This makes all LightWave surface, texture layers, nodes and tools not valid to be used inside Octane. It's not possible to convert or use LightWave shading system with Octane, user always must use the Octane shading nodes that Octane for LightWave plugin add to the node editor.

This plugin supports only some basic LightWave surface parameters: color, diffuse, specular or transparency. These basic parameters are only supported to allow a basic display of the scene objects, but user must use the nodal shading with Octane nodes to set-up objects surfaces.

Smooth surfaces

To make possible surface smoothing user must enable the smooth parameter in the main LightWave surface panel. The Plugin also supports the smooth angle available in this panel.

Enable and disable the smoothing parameter checkbox in the surface editor changes the normals of the objects. This information can't be updated in real time, so while working with the IPR, user must always reload a scene after a change top the smoothing parameter.

All Octane shaders (diffuse, glossy and specular) have a smooth parameter. This parameter can enable or disable smoothing in the surface even whilst the main LightWave smooth parameter is enabled, but to always get a smooth surface the LightWave smoothing parameter must be enabled.