Hi, I created an object in Lightwave, using simple textures, then I saved it as Lightwave 5.5 format. When I import the object I loose all the texture information: I still have many "sub-objects", and each of them have its own surface in the material summary window, BUT they are always the same, dark-gray material. If I export as obj file, all what I have is a single object (no "sub-objects"), with the default white material (same in material summary window: only 2 defaults materials). Any idea to fix the problem? Thanks. ***Luca "cinacchi"

Hi again, Luca. That sounds like something with Lightwave, and not Vue. it seems as though I've seen that before though, with the program 3D Exploartion. I've found free Lightwave objects in versions less than V6, and I don't think that a LW texture will import along with the object (like a 3DS will), when in .lwo format. When you export as .OBj, does Lightwave create a .MTL file in the same folder as the .OBJ? If so, then place the textures in that same folder, and they should load automatically with the .OBJ. If not, see if there's a setting in LW that you have to choose to export a .MTL file along with the .OBJ. Or, you can still manually apply the textures to your .LWO model in the material editor, part by part. If they don't look right, use a scale of -1.000 for thye Y value when applying textures. But, I think this is a LW export problem, and not a Vue problem, and you might want to ask in the Lightwave forum what to do...I don't know, since I don't have LW. Maybe bloodsong will have some suggestions...

Again thanks Mike, from Lightwave 7 I can save only in 2 format: 5.5 or 7. But I madea test even with a Lightwave 6 or 6.5 object that I found on the net and the result was the same (with version 7 files I have an unsopported format error). This puzzle me because e-on insist in the manual in the ability of Vue 4 (last patch installed) to import fully textured ghtwave object. And unfortunalty - I checked the manuals - seems that Lig. when export in obj format don't create any MTL file. I know the long way to remap all the material, but it is a long way and the honestly i don know how to recreate all the surface effects I had obtained there. Anyway, thanks again. ***Luca "cinacchi"

Luca, I don't have Lightwave and I very rarely use LWO objects, so I don't have a clue. I would think if v.7 is very new, maybe that's why, but I'd expect it to work better with the 5.5 option. Since it doesn't... Maybe write E-on about the problem, and see if they have any suggestions?

Hi Luca, I export objects to LW6.5b fine, it saves the terrain, a texture for the color channel and one for the bump channel and when I load the LWO in LW it works fine. The only thing that doesn't work properly is DEM exports, most of them gets artifacts once written in LWO. Finally, the resolution of the texture map is really low quality so it's best to composite the Vue scenes in LW a bit like we do with Terragen and LW2TG. Cheers!

Yeah, but Vue won't import LW objects in any format above version 5.6. I guess LW is doing the Aotocad thing, where each new version has new file format changes as well? There are what, like 16 different DXF versions? Does LW not allow for the export of different versions of the .LWO format?

There was the LW 5.x then the 6.x and now the 7.x series in the last years, all of them got substantial improvements which made them incompatible...you can export to 5.x from both 6.x and 7.x. I really don't see the point of not supporting the 6.x format at least since it's the most popular format, I don't know much of my friends and studios that still uses version 5. Cheers!

I was actually surprised to see that Vue 4 wouldn't import LW 6 objects. They made no improvement on that at all, since Vue 3.1. The only way I ever get to see LW 6 objects is through 3D Exploration, and they do look better than LW 5.x objects. I can convert the .lwo 6 objects into .lwo 5.6 with 3D Exploration, so they can be used in Vue, but the textures don't load. shrug I really think E-on should be considering the higher-end apps in future releases. Alot of people might say, well, if Vue can't do it, get Lightwave! That's not an option for alot of people though, particularly hobbyists. But, I for one love the LW format for it's tiny file sizes, and would buy LWO objects before any other format (except for 3DS), if I could count on them working right.

LWO2 or LW6.x has a much better UVmap info and offers a lot more features than the LW5.x format...and one thing that most softwae makers forget is that LW supports quad polygons which in most cases makes files a lot smaller than in triangles. Cheers!

Ok, it seems that everybody agree that Vue have problem importing Lightwave objects: from Ligh. 6 or highter because Vue don't support the format, and form Lig, 5 because it does'nt import textures, BUT, read what write E-on at page 92 of the Vue Manual: "[Vue import] Lightwave 5 files (raw geometry with groups, textures conversion" and again: "Both the 3D Studio and Lightwave import filters go incredibly far in the conversion of existing materials, converting such complex effects as color, bump, transparency and reflections maps, and even some procedural settings!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where? In the deams of e-on programmers, I guess!... this seems to be a bad promise, and I would like to know why they wrote that!

hehe don't worry, I have seen "full support for LW" in many software but it turns out to be the opposite. :) Cheers!

Yeah, you're right, that's exactly what the manual says... hmmmmm.... But if it's any consolation, the 3DS import is nearly flawless...