LightAct 4.3.0 brings a lot of improvements and upgrades to existing features, all while introducing some new and highly requested functionalities. You can take a closer below:
General improvements
The toolbar design has been updated with a fresh look and the ability to scroll through its content. It also allows you to collapse specific sections, so you can maintain a neat and clutter-free Viewport window.
The node appearance has been revamped for quicker identification of node functions through an efficient color code system.
Bulk actions are extremely valuable and time-saving in projects with a lot of assets, objects, and advanced mapping subareas. Not only can you easily multi-select these elements in their respective windows but you can also apply the same actions on all selected elements at once!
Asset window
The Assets window now has its own dedicated menu that makes it way easier to work with a lot of assets. In it, amongst other things, you can also choose to select all unused assets to help you pinpoint which aspects of your project might still require your attention.
Objects window
We are finally introducing an object management system that allows you to group objects together in a single Collection! This feature enables you to conveniently hide, lock, or delete the entire group of objects as a single unit. To create a Collection, you can also simply press Ctrl+G.
Objects which need a different kind of management, such as unified location and rotation manipulation, can effortlessly be put under a Null parent. All you need to do is select the desired objects and press Ctrl+Shift+G.
Advanced mapping
We are always working on improvements that would make the workflow in LightAct faster and more intuitive. Instead of creating two separate sub-areas with the same properties, you can now just Copy&Paste or Duplicate them to reduce the number of clicks. As mentioned, you can also multi-select several subareas and adjust their properties together.
Timeline and Sequence windows
Working with a lot of Timelines and Sequences is getting more and more convenient. These two windows have been updated with new features to make working with content containers feel like a breeze.
For example, you can move all the content from a single lane to its neighboring lanes with one single click.
You can effortlessly modify the duration of your Sequence to align with its layers. Likewise, you can adjust the duration of your Timeline to correspond with the placement of your Sequences.
Once finished, you can enjoy the show without having to scroll through it manually as the playhead is moving along. In other words, the show sequence can scroll automatically while your project is playing.
Nodes
Enable Video Output
We always thrive to create new nodes that offer you unlimited flexibility. This time, we have created the Enable Video Output node, which allows you to enable and disable video outputs without having to go through the trouble of opening yet another window in the program.
Run .bat File
Run .bat File node gives you the option to design your show in a way, where running a desired .bat file wouldn’t require your attendance.
Texture Mesh Warp
The Texture Mesh Warp node got a huge upgrade. You can warp even the most challenging of environments with immense precision by using its new offsetting and scaling features.
Texture Softedge
We are introducing a different way of applying soft edges to your content. The Texture Softedge node now has a more advanced and flexible new Mode, called the Free Mode.
LightNet improvements
We know that an easily accessible status overview for each server in your cluster can provide a sense of reassurance during stressful and rapidly changing live events. That is why you can now get even more insightful tooltips upon hovering over the servers in your multi-server cluster.
On top of that, multi-server setups often host complicated projects which have long programming periods. This makes it difficult for programmers to remember which server was responsible for which part of the project right off the bat. Because of this, we have added server Notes meant to store useful and quickly accessible information about the server setup.
Early Access features
We have introduced a lot of new features with the release of LightAct 4.3.0, and yet there is still much more to be explored aside from the abovementioned upgrades.
Measurement Tool
You can measure distances between different Viewport Objects.
Tracking Follower
Observe Viewport objects as they follow a tracking beacon.
Computer Vision
Dive into different Computer Vision nodes.
ZED2 Camera Integration
Play around with different ZED camera setups.
To explore LightAct’s Early Access features, simply run the program with the “-earlyaccess” launch argument.
