Light Plot Software?

[Charc]

Is there any light plot software out there, preferably free, in which you can create a 3D model of a theatre, or import a CAD file, and then integrate your inventory etc. into said program to develop comprehensive light plots based on space, inventory etc.?

[Footer]

It's called WYSIWYG, there is a free demo, but it cost a pretty penny to actually buy. Do a search on here for light plot programs. There are some free alternatives, but they are marginal at best. You are not the first person to ask this.

[gafftaper]

This recent thread has a fairly thorough discussion of the options... Vector works, Auto Cad, Soft Plot, WYSIWYG, Light Wright... I believe all of them are pretty expensive. If you are a student some offer discounted versions.

Lighting Programs

[FamousLastWords]

Originally Posted by gafftaper

This recent thread has a fairly thorough discussion of the options... Vector works, Auto Cad, Soft Plot, WYSIWYG, Light Wright... I believe all of them are pretty expensive. If you are a student some offer discounted versions.

Lightwright is more for plot paperwork, as opposed to creating an actual plot. But it usually talks nicely with Vectorworks and instrument numbering and creating positions and the like. Its really an essential tool to have.

[mattm]

Originally Posted by FamousLastWords

While i am in no way advocating pirated software, but: There are cracks available for WYSIWYG v10

If you do not advocate piracy, then why did you divulge this information? Thank you for at least stopping short of providing a link to the crack. The lighting industry is small, that is the reason why programs cost as much as they do.

If you are working in an educational institution you can get educational versions . They are full featured and designed to let students learn how to use the software.

Matt McCormick
www.cablepick.com

[gafftaper]

Originally Posted by FamousLastWords

While i am in no way advocating pirated software, but: There are cracks available for WYSIWYG v10, but they do tend to make the software crash occasionally. Also, gafftaper: Lightwright is more for plot paperwork, as opposed to creating an actual plot. But it usually talks nicely with Vectorworks and instrument numbering and creating positions and the like. Its really an essential tool to have.

You are right and yet you "ARR!" so wrong you scurvy dog.

Yeah I slipped up, there Lightwright is a paperwork program that takes what you've done in your drawings and generates just about ever imaginable type of report you could want. It's a very cool program that saves a lot of time... but it works with a design program, it isn't one itself.

As for your pirate ways... haven't we learned by now? The reason the software is so expensive is someone has to pay for it. If you steal WYSIWYG... and yes using crack is no different than shoplifting a $500 piece of software... then the price goes up for everyone else. If you want good software to exist someone has to pay the hard working programmers to create it.

[Radman]

Although everyone seems to be quite upset with Cast as of late for changing their subscription policy... its going to be more economical to move to ESP it seems.

[Van]

I'd like to advocate getting everyone to write the boys and girls at Sketchup to begin revamping or upgrading thier system to work like WYSIWYG. I use Sketchup all the time for developing rendering os sets and or props pieces and I would love to see it coupled with a lighting engine that can do more than just track the sun based on the locaton of where you put the item in the world what month, day and time of day it is. That being said, I'm a big fan of Sketchup fro general renderings and I advocate everyone downloading the freeware version and learning it. Specially you younger guys and girls who might not have any other exposure to using rendering software.

BTW Famouslastwords, I've stuck my foot in my mouth a few times here but Man that was a "Doozy" < how do you spell doozy?> To say you don't advocate piracy, then turn around and give a program name and version number ? That's definately worth a floggin' before the mast.

[Footer]

Originally Posted by FamousLastWords

While i am in no way advocating pirated software, but: There are cracks available for WYSIWYG v10, but they do tend to make the software crash occasionally.

Wow, thats some second post... I shall refer this thread to this... http://www.lightnetwork.com//?msg=20627.1.. there you can hear from some of the more leading people in this industry about how they feel about it... if you would like to post this information there as well and formally burn you bridge (you started the fire here) more power to you.

And as far as sketchup goes, thats a great program... I light in kinda an odd way with an assortment of programs... I draft the theatre/set/whatnot in AutoCAD, make it 3d in sketchup (its just so fricken fast), and then import that drawing into WYG to light it. If WYG had a CAD set that didn't look like it was from 1988 that would be a totally different thing....

[FamousLastWords]

I was simply letting charcoaldabs know that they can (and will) mess up your computer. Yes, i know i should not have mentioned it here, but did i ever say that i have done that? I have not, not would i ever. The industry is small, and i understand why software costs so much, but we all know that people use these cracks. I am sorry if i offended anyone if charcoaldabs is as enterprising as most people in this industry, i am sure he would have investigated this himself. I was trying to simply act as a warning, but i guess i should have worded it better.