About PGL

  • PGL is the plugin that applies the bone deformation different from the standard bone deformation that LightWave 3D applies. PGL consists of two plugins - PGL Editor and PGL Play, and performs deformation via the PGL file created in a pair with the object file of LightWave 3D.

  • What is PGL file?
    PGL file defines where every vertex belongs. The relevance between this vertex and bones can be edited interactively with using PGL Editor. PGL file has the extension of (.PGL) and is created in the same directory with the corresponding LWOB as the file with the same name.

  • Features
    PGL has the following features:

    • Capable to specify separate falloff for each bone.

    • Capable to limit the bones that affect the transformation of vertex for the class of diverging bones.
      (This is effective when you want to specify the divergence of the bones that affects the vertex of a finger for the joint of a finger.)

    • Capable to make transformation independently on only the bones which specified the vertex where they completely belong.
      (This is effective when you want to animate the partial polygons of an object independently as you see with human eyes or tongue.)

    • Capable to refer to the bones set to other object and its animation.
      (In case with the object making the same movement such that the scene of a large group of people, if you set bones only to one object, you can have the other objects make the same movement with it.)

    • Since Limited Range is not required in order to set the range that bones affect, you can perform modeling as you like with no need to think about setting the bones afterwards.

    • Capable to set vertex and bones interactively in the OpenGL display screen like the preview screen of modeler.

    • Capable to implement the preview animation on the plugin display screen.

    • Capable to create HMD files that have common polygon information using one skin object with the use of Animation Saver for PlayStation.

The Operating Environment

  • Versions of LightWave 3DTM:
    This plugin is available with the following versions of LightWave 3DTM.

    • INTEL ver.5.6
    • DEC Alpha ver.5.6
    • MacOS ver.5.6 (the version compatible with OpenGL)

      Note: The resolution above 800x600 is required.

Installation

  1. Copy plugin files PGLEDIT.P and PGLPLAY.P to the hard disk of the computer where LightWave 3D has been installed. The plugin directory will exist as "C:NewTekPluginsLayout" under the directory of NewTek in which LightWave 3D has been installed.

  2. Enter PGLEDIT.P and PGLPLAY.P to layout

    Start up LightWave 3D layout to select "Add Plugin" from "Options/Generic Options" menu, and call out the selector in which you enter the plugin. Select "PGLEDIT.P" and "PGLPLAY.P" from the NewTekPluginsLayout directory.

    When you succeed to enter the file, "PGL_Editor" should be displayed on "Plugins" menu. The feature of the plugin is available even when you restarted the layout after finishing this layout.


  3. Additionally, if you want to check how the plugin is entered, open "LW.CFG" in NewTekProgram with some text editor. There you may find in the file the description of definition on "Plugin" entered. In case with MacOS version, "LightWave Layout Prefs" in the Preferences folder in the system folder would be the default file.

  4. Input of CD Key

    When PGL_Editor is started up for the first time, the following input field will appear. Type in 9-figure CD Key stuck on the CD-ROM case of PGL, and press OK button.


Gratitude

  • Thanks to Mr. Shinichiro Akiyama who presented us Creature and Dolphin in the sample folder. We also would like to say thanks to Mr. Toshiyuki Aoyama, Mr. Shinichiro Akiyama, Mr. Seji Iseda, Mr. Yuji Umoto, Mr. Hiroshi Takahashi and Mr. John Teska for a lot of advices and ideas they have given us to develop this plugin.


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All rights reserved.

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