The WaveGuide© manual can now be downloaded free by clicking on the following link. My thanks to Ryu for organising this on his Bambi-Amiga website and for converting my archaic Lotus files to PDF.
That's the full title of my magnum opus. I produced it after struggling for months without any instructions and then finally managed to buy a second hand NewTek manual. Though this was helpful, parts of it were not very well written. It also contained blatent errors and didn't describe all the functions of LightWave in a way I could master them. Also, I was sure there would be others around like me, Amigans who desparately wanted to understand LightWave 3D, but had no help whatever. So, using my acquired experience and a lot of effort, I created the WaveGuide manual.
That Stuff We Expect
'So who needs it?' you might ask, 'Why bother?' The answer's simple. It's for anyone needing a guide to the operation of LightWave 3D that's easy to read, easy to understand and gets results. I know people have abandoned LightWave 3D because it's almost impossible to learn without a proper guide. Well you can now get it out of the cupboard - the cavalry's arrived! WaveGuide is right here. In many ways it's easier to use than NewTek's official manual. OK, it's written with the Amiga in mind and uses LightWave 3.5 as its datum, but the most important thing is WaveGuide is written in 'Plain English'. You know, that stuff we expect with professional software. It's what we need so we can understand the instructions. But often we can't properly understand 'cos the writer was a software programmer, not a scholar of the written word!
Now I know you know what I mean, because many manuals I've read caused more confusion than clarity! Without the financial resources of the ubiquitous Microsoft, many Amiga manuals are, well - disappointing. NewTek produces awesome software, but in my humble opinion offered an unsatisfactory description of many functions of LightWave 3.5, 4 and 5. One example is the explanation of of Bones and Skeletons, which are used to manipulate an object through an animation. If you want to know about Bones, NewTek's v3.5, 4 or 5 User Guides won't help very much!
Before going any further, I think I should tell you what WaveGuide consists of. You have several options.
Hard Copy Format
In hard copy format, WaveGuide is an A4 size manual containing over 110,000 words on 200 pages, many illustrated with colour graphics. I print this using a good quality Epson and it's printed single-sided. This provides the best page clarity using standard printer paper. The pages are accurately punched to fit a standard A4 two-ring binder, which most people supply themselves. However, if required I will also bind it for you.
So What do You Get?
To accompany the manual, you also get some software on a floppy (LightWave Objects) which helps with the Tutorials. There are currently sixteen Tutorials covering both theoretical and practical aspects of the program.
A second floppy contains an ASCII text file which provides details of all the extra functions in LightWave 5. Version 4 users will find some of these in their package and will have to cherry pick.
CD-ROM
I'm pleased to announce that WaveGuide is now available on mini CD-ROM. So, if you don't really need a 200 page tome, you can get the same stuff in PDF format, along with with the Tutorials software. Additionally, the v5 Reference Guide is integrated as an Addendum. Now you can learn LightWave without turning a single page! Of course you can print your own hard copy as required from the CD.
Download
Perhaps the simplest way to get your mits on WaveGuide is to download it from this website. You'll need a broadband connection or a lot of time, 'cos there's almost 50Megabytes.
However you get it, you'll be glad you did!
'OK, what's it cost?' you're wondering. Clearly, I can't just give it away. The value of six months' committment has to be taken into account. And if you want the hard copy, there's the printing materials and postage to consider. The pages alone weigh over a Kilogramme. But if you're interested in learning LightWave and don't know where to start, or you've lost the manual, or you never even had a manual, howya gonna do it? You get WaveGuide that's how!
What, you want more? OK, I know LightWave software for the Amiga is difficult to find and no longer available in the shops. In fact, many of today's Amigans have actually never heard of LightWave 3D! A travesty, but true! So, wannabes are gonna have to buy it second hand.... but where do you go? Well, you might try AmiBench or the eBay auction site. I've occasionally seen LightWave packages offered on there.
You could even contact me on the off chance that my own kit is available. I've gone about as far as I can with the Amiga versions and a migration to the PeeCee/Windows is inevitable.
But is it any Good?
Yes. And that's not just my opinion. People who've bought it have told me so. You will also find references to the WaveGuide manual on other peoples' websites. Good news travels. So, if you'd like to see a little of what you get, there are some example pages here. WaveGuide has a comprehensive Contents section, itself covering eleven pages of hard copy. These will direct you to every nook and cranny in the program.
Howya Gonna Do It?
Anything More?
Then you must click the link at the top of this page.
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