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LightWave Alternatives

LightWave is described as '3D combines a state-of-the-art renderer with powerful, intuitive modeling, and animation tools. Tools that may cost extra in other professional 3D applications are part of the product package, including 999 free cross-platform render nodes, support for Windows and Mac' and is an app in the photos & graphics category. There are more than 25 alternatives to LightWave for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Online / Web-based and PortableApps.com. The best alternative is Blender, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like LightWave are SketchUp, Autodesk Maya, Wings 3D and Autodesk 3ds Max.

LightWave alternatives are mainly 3D Modelers but may also be VFX Software or 3D Animators. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of LightWave.
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LightWave iconLightWave
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  • Mac
  • Windows

LightWave 3D combines a state-of-the-art renderer with powerful, intuitive modeling, and animation tools. Tools that may...

Learn more about LightWave
  1. Blender icon

    Blender

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    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    • Steam
    149 alternatives to Blender 

    Blender is the free and open-source 3D creation suite. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline—modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing, video editing, and motion tracking.

     Suggest and vote on features
    Features
    1.  3D SculptingBlender offers tools to push, pull, smooth, grab or pinch to manipulate a 3D model.
    2.  Keyframe AnimationCompositions can be keyframed in Blender, allowing you to change the parameters over time.
    3.  Extensible by Plugins/ExtensionsBlender can be extended with add-ons, plugins and extensions.
    4.  Animation RiggingBlender supports bone structures to manipulate a 3D model like a puppet for animation.
    5.  Node BasedBlender supports node editing, a form of visual programming that gives you full control over the rendering.
    6.  Physically-Based RenderingPrecise rendering method for Blender to represent of how light interacts with material properties.
    7.  Motion CaptureYou can capture and modify/animate faces, gestures, movements or objects within the Blender.
    8.  Parametric ModelingBlender can change the shape of model geometry as soon as the dimension value is modified.
    9.  Support for scriptingBlender supports scripts and macros to automate or customize tasks.
    Cycles is Blender’s ray-trace based production render engine.
    Strong support of subdivision and displacement with Adaptive subdivision, Catmull-Clark and linear schemes, Displacement and Bump mapping.
    Blender Cycles renderer features Unidirectional path tracing with multiple importance sampling, Multi-core CPU rendering with SIMD acceleration, GPU rendering with NVidia CUDA & AMD OpenCL, Multi-GPU support and Unified rendering kernel for CPU and GPU.
    Blender vs LightWave opinions
    pros, cons and recent comments
    pythonDave

    Blender shows up as a very good alternative to Lightwave 3D, not mention they share some UI paradigm. A definitive choice for independent artists.

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  2. SketchUp icon

    SketchUp

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    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    161 alternatives to SketchUp 

    SketchUp (formerly Google Sketchup) is a 3D modeling computer program for a wide range of drawing applications such as architectural, interior design, civil and mechanical engineering, film, and video game design—and available in a freeware version, SketchUp Make, and a paid...

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    Features
    Main UI
  4. Autodesk Maya icon

    Autodesk Maya

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    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    69 alternatives to Autodesk Maya 

    Autodesk Maya software is a powerful, integrated 3D modeling, animation, visual effects, and rendering solution.

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    Features
    1.  Keyframe AnimationCompositions can be keyframed in Autodesk Maya, allowing you to change the parameters over time.
    2.  3D SculptingAutodesk Maya offers tools to push, pull, smooth, grab or pinch to manipulate a 3D model.
    Screenshot
    Created with Maya
  5. Wings 3D icon

    Wings 3D

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    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    56 alternatives to Wings 3D 

    Wings 3D is a subdivision modeler inspired by Nendo and Mirai from Izware.

    It is possible to assign materials, vertex color, UV coordinates and textures, but there will be improvements in those features before Wings goes 1.0.

    There is no support in Wings for doing animations.

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    Features
    1.  Keyframe AnimationCompositions can be keyframed in Wings 3D, allowing you to change the parameters over time.
    Modeling by Jove Chiere
    Screenshot
  6. Autodesk 3ds Max icon

    Autodesk 3ds Max

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    89 alternatives to Autodesk 3ds Max 

    3D modeling and rendering software for design visualization, games, and animations.

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    Features
    1.  Parametric ModelingAutodesk 3ds Max can change the shape of model geometry as soon as the dimension value is modified.
    2.  Keyframe AnimationCompositions can be keyframed in Autodesk 3ds Max, allowing you to change the parameters over time.
    Screenshot
    Screenshot
  8. Cinema 4D icon

    Cinema 4D

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    • Mac
    • Windows
    52 alternatives to Cinema 4D 

    CINEMA 4D is a commercial, cross-platform, high-end 3-D graphics application, produced by MAXON Computer GmbH of Friedrichsdorf, Germany. Noted for its flexible interface and ease of use, it is capable of procedural and polygonal/subd modelling, animating, lighting, texturing...

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    Features
    1.  Keyframe AnimationCompositions can be keyframed in Cinema 4D, allowing you to change the parameters over time.
    2.  Support for scriptingCinema 4D supports scripts and macros to automate or customize tasks.
    3.  Procedural ModelingCinema 4D can create or modify 3D models and textures based on a sequence of rules.
    Screenshot
    Screenshot
  9. Bforartists icon

    Bforartists

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    • Free • Open Source
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Haiku
    • AmigaOS
    • MorphOS
    78 alternatives to Bforartists 

    Bforartists is a complete 3D suite to create 3D content. It offers you the full 3D art pipeline to create game graphics, prerendered movies and stills.

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    Features
    1.  Motion CaptureYou can capture and modify/animate faces, gestures, movements or objects within the Bforartists.
    2.  Keyframe AnimationCompositions can be keyframed in Bforartists, allowing you to change the parameters over time.
    3.  LightweightBforartists consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
    4.  3D SculptingBforartists offers tools to push, pull, smooth, grab or pinch to manipulate a 3D model.
    Splash
    UV Mapping
  10. MODO icon

    MODO

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    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    105 alternatives to MODO 

    MODO is a fully featured 3D content creation application, famous primarily for it's modelling capabilities, MODO also offers a fast renderer, sculpting, painting, dynamics and animation tools.

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    Features
    1.  3D SculptingMODO offers tools to push, pull, smooth, grab or pinch to manipulate a 3D model.
    2.  Support for scriptingMODO supports scripts and macros to automate or customize tasks.
    3.  Physically-Based RenderingPrecise rendering method for MODO to represent of how light interacts with material properties.
    4.  Keyframe AnimationCompositions can be keyframed in MODO, allowing you to change the parameters over time.
    Screenshot
    Screenshot
  11. Houdini icon

    Houdini

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    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    48 alternatives to Houdini 

    Houdini covers all the major areas of 3D production, including:

    • Modeling - All standard geometry entities including Polygons, (Hierarchical) NURBs/Bezier Curves/Patches & Trims, Metaballs
    • Animation - Keyframed animation and raw channel manipulation (CHOPs), motion captur.
     Suggest and vote on features
    Features
    1.  Procedural ModelingHoudini can create or modify 3D models and textures based on a sequence of rules.
    2.  Node BasedHoudini supports node editing, a form of visual programming that gives you full control over the rendering.
    3.  Motion CaptureYou can capture and modify/animate faces, gestures, movements or objects within the Houdini.
    4.  3D SculptingHoudini offers tools to push, pull, smooth, grab or pinch to manipulate a 3D model.
    Screenshot
    Screenshot
  12. TouchDesigner icon

    TouchDesigner

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    • Free Personal • Proprietary
    • Windows
    29 alternatives to TouchDesigner 

    TouchDesigner is a complete authoring tool for building interactive 3D art, visualizations, prototypes and UIs. Derivative makes and supports TouchDesigner and offers their services to do custom production using TouchDesigner.

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    Features
    1.  Node BasedTouchDesigner supports node editing, a form of visual programming that gives you full control over the rendering.
      Sample project screen
    Showing 10 of 49 alternatives
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