Video :: How would Star Trek Voyager look like using modern CGI

[RaijinOh]

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I am so grateful to get a chance to talk to Mr. Kevin "Q" Quattro who worked in Star Trek Voyager's CGI department.

According to Mr. Kevin, Star Trek Voyager was created by a beta build of Lightwave (Build 283) never released to the public, technically it was version 5.7, then later Lightwave 6.0.
( Knowing small things like this makes me smile :-D )

I had wanted to create a video like this but never got real data from the show's production from an actual person...until now.

A small tribute to Vintage Lightwave, an observation of where Blender is now and the video ends with even more technical information on the difficulties faced by the masters back then as they pull off the CG miracle that is Star Trek Voyager consistently.

 

[RaijinOh]

 

[RaijinOh]

 

[RaijinOh]

 

[RaijinOh]

 

[RaijinOh]

 

[RaijinOh]

 

[RaijinOh]

 

[blssdwlf]

@RaijinOh - thank you for that look back at Voyager's CGI production. Today's 1080p/4k rendering is yesterday's 480i (or was it p back then). I can imagine how much time they had to race against to get those renders out the door with the software and equipment they had.

 

[RaijinOh]

Yeah, not to mention the quality, the consistent quality that they are able to produce, I can't believe they even manage to pull off Species 8472, they were LITERALLY at the edge of what Lightwave realism could do right there, walking on the cliff edge.

The Star Trek Voyager CGI production team is a once in a lifetime miracle.

I just looked into your WIPs and saw that you are a veteran Lightwave user My respect to you.
I hope to learn Lightwave someday, simply for nostalgia reasons :-)

 

[blssdwlf]

Thanks @RaijinOh I agree with the software and hardware they used it is amazing stuff and it wasn't all just space scenes.

Lightwave is one of my favorite general purpose 3D app... which is sad that it doesn't look like it has a future anymore

 

[RaijinOh]

Well, I'll teach you Blender and you'll teach me Lightwave then ;p

 

[RaijinOh]

Oh by the way, what version of Lightwave are you using ?

 

[blssdwlf]

Oh by the way, what version of Lightwave are you using ?

I'm currently on LW 2019.1.5. I started on 3D Studio and moved to LW 8 and ended up on 2019. I opted not to upgrade to 2020.

Well, I'll teach you Blender and you'll teach me Lightwave then ;p

Thanks for the offer If I get stuck on Blender I'll give you a shout

 

[RaijinOh]

As you are using blssdwlf, would this be useful for you ?

"Octane Render - now free for lightwave users"
https://forums.newtek.com/threads/octane-render-eol-lightwave-install.167239/

 

[RaijinOh]

As you are using Lightwave blssdwlf, would this be useful for you ?

"Octane Render - now free for lightwave users"
https://forums.newtek.com/threads/octane-render-eol-lightwave-install.167239/

 

[blssdwlf]

As you are using blssdwlf, would this be useful for you ?

"Octane Render - now free for lightwave users"
https://forums.newtek.com/threads/octane-render-eol-lightwave-install.167239/

Thanks, yeah I'm aware of the EOL LW Octane plugin. It was super generous for them to make that available and do a final release. The LW plugin was hitting the limits of what could be done in Lightwave's architecture.