It sounds like there's been some confusion about how to create lightning in 6.5.

While there is no provision to create lightning bolts, you can create a very nice lightning effect as seen below. This is because in 6.5 you can now have lights affect the cloud layers. So you can create a lightning object, then match it up with a light or two in the atmosphere and get a very realistic lightning scene. These can also be animated as well.

So, to be clear, in the past, lights did not affect the atmosphere, now in 6.5 they do. So you can create thunderstorms and other neato effects!

Here's how I created this pic:

I created a lightning image using this tutorial in Photoshop. Make it white on black, then invert it and use it as a Transparency mask on a single Alpha plane. I made the color of the lightning eggshell white, and punched up the Luminosity to 100. I then created some low clouds and put a couple point lights at the top of the lightning bolt and rendered.

No confusion from me.  Its what I read that was confusing and now thats been taken care of. So all is well now.

I have been doing it that way for a long time. Even back in Vue 4 and 5 days.
  Was no confusing with me on what I first read and how it now reads on download page. There was mention of lightning and not lighting. 
 I think thefixer can verify this as well.
 I haae lots of alpha plane lightning bolts I can use and also lot saved vob lightning bolts from various places.
  Thats how I been doing it since back using 4.5. :)

That looks really good, William.

OMG these clouds are freakin' awesome.  With this sort of thing at my commend....Welcome to the apocalpyse :)

I think it was prolly the wording that got confused originally, no worries, we have some nice new toys to play with again!
Nice pic Chipp!!
And yours Iloco!!