What is Kiwavers?
Kiwavers is a user group for people with a passion, interest or commercial investment in LightWave 3D, from Newtek, Inc. It's purpose is to create a social space where people can meet, talk about 3D animation, trade tips and tricks, share their work, get help with problems or just hang out!

What is this LightWave?
LightWave is a fantastic 3D modelling and animation system! If you've ever watched an episode of Star Trek Voyager, Babylon 5, Max Steel, or RoughNecks then you've seen LightWave at work producing outstanding 3D animation!

Not just on Television, but also major movies like the X-Men and Titanic have made use of LightWave to produce some of their special effects! LightWave is not only an industrial strength 3D animation package, its also one of the most affordable of the available packages, competing with other more expensive applications such as 3D Studio Max and Maya.

It has a very easy to learn user interface that has made it extremely popular in many New Media colleges and universities as a teaching tool, and it offers features out-of-the-box (ie. included as part of the basic package) such as a hair system, cloth simulation, particle system, realistic clouds and smoke effects and more that other applications only offer with more expensive upgrades or additional plugin software.

When and Where does it happen?
Kiwavers meetings are held at least once a month if possible. Usually the meetings are held in Auckland, up at the Auckland University of Technology Communication Art's graphics lab (Room 1307).


They start around 5:30-6:00pm and run until about 8:00-8:30pm.

How do I join?
Currently Kiwavers is an open group, free to anyone who is interested in coming along. You are welcome to just come along, check out our monthly free tutorials, see some animation and 3D artwork. If you know of friends that are interested in LightWave and 3D animation, let them know about us as well!

This may change in the far future. To help improve the group and allow door prizes, T-shirts, special guests, etc. then its possible that a membership system may be put in place, but that is currently much further down the track!

How can I be kept up-to-date on Kiwavers?
It is recommended that you join the Kiwavers mailing list to keep up to date with meeting announcements, news and the odd local 3D animation job! (You can also send a blank email to [email protected] to join)

This web site is updated whenever necessary (though not as frequently as I'd like!), however the mailing list is a live source of information and should be used as the way to keep up to date with the user group happenings...