Rating: 
Summary: Intermediate/Expert Only
Review: Absolutely not for beginners. I've mastered several lower-tech 3D software packages, but I'm truly stumped with this book and with Lightwave. Dan's really speaking to the community rather than to beginners. Workflow conventions as well as modeling concepts are briefly stated, and he relies on techniques to illustrate functionality. That's fine, if you already understand the architecture of the software. If you're already knee-deep into Lighwave, this will enable you to do some really great work. If you're just starting...well, the learning curve is like a brick wall.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book in all aspects
Review: Can't understand why some people is criticizing this book, it's the very first 3d book (and the only one so far) I bought wich tought me something usefull. It is not a manual as most 3d books are in the way that it doesn't say "this button does this thing...", it says how to use that button, where to use it and why. Don't expect a step by step guide to lightwave, you don't need it anyway. You are just going to learn what you need to make the projects on this book. When you need some more knowledge I'm sure you'll find out where to ask but this book will help you to know what to ask. It's not a manual but it's much better than the manuals that came with lw. If it's not easy to understand that's because lw is not an easy program to learn (at start), follow the instructions on a chapter a couple of times and you'll get the hang of it. Another advantage is that you can always contact Dan (www.danablan.com) to know of any news or erratas on the book. Just one more thing, if you're planning to buy this book I think there'll be a new version for lw6.5 soon. It'll have the same chapters and a couple more so you may want to wait. But, anyway if you buy it now you'll be able to download the extra chapters from Dan's page.
Rating:
Summary: Simple y Completo
Review: Ciertamene es un libro facil de comprender, posee informacion importante para aquellos que deseen profundizar y aclarar dudas hacerca del Lightwave 6, una vez leido podran realizar proyectos en los cuales no se sentian comodos para hacerlos, te lleva a un nivel mucho mas profesional, una herramienta que no dejaras de usar
Rating:
Summary: If you use Lightwave 6 (or 6.5), you MUST buy this book!
Review: Dan Ablan has assembled a well rounded and excellent book of tutorials for Lightwave 6 owners. In addition, he has set up an internet site to immediately provide corrections and other errata that always manage to sneak past. The tutorial for the female head is worth the price of the book alone! Plus, Dan quickly answered any questions I had by email and is always ready to offer assistance to his readers. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Dan Ablan does it again!
Review: Dan Ablan is an extraordinary teacher, and 'Inside Lightwave6' an astonishing achievement. Well laid out, well-organized, intelligent, insightful, and interesting. Dan presents and addresses a range of problems in a matter-of-fact manner with thoughtful, detailed guidance, and there is a good dynamic among degrees of difficulty. One of Dan's much appreciated qualities is his global outlook - he gives a specific answer to a problem but also explains how this method/solution can be applied toward other situations. He consistently explains the 'why' along with the 'how to'. His books seem to read my mind and anticipate questions, responding with clear and logical answers. I am self-taught, having started with Dan's 'Inside Lightwave 3D' (5.6). For anybody just starting out, the 6.0 manuals stink, don't bother with them. Pick up Dan's Inside Lightwave 3D (5.6) for starters, then continue with his 6.0 book. That tangled darkness of confusion and I can't be this dumb, can I? feeling evaporates with Chapter One of either book. Dan is 100% there all the way, and hardworking (VERY hardworking, it's a huge in-depth book), and will teach you the joy of LW knowledge.
Rating: 
Summary: Inside LightWave [6]
Review: Dan Ablan's "Inside LightWave [6]" is certainly the "War and Peace" of LightWave books. This refers not only to its length but also to the fact that a user of it will certainly know both war and peace! Believe me, there's blood on my walls. There's also the tranquil satisfaction of seeing oneself learn. While the book starts out simple, it is not entirely for beginners. Still, no serious beginning student of LightWave can afford not to own it. Doing all the lessons absolutely correctly the first time is less important than working with with the concepts presented. It is a compendium of lessons whose techniques you need to encounter, whether now or later. (LightWave is an extremely rich program.) Dan Ablan has a significant presence on the Web and he is incredibly helpful and accommodating to those who come to him with questions.
Rating:
Summary: Dan is the Man. Buy this and feel the benifit.
Review: Dan Ablan's book is astounding in its simplicity. He has the knack of breaking the most complex of tasks down into easily digestable fragments. You are led through a series of insightful tutorials, by the end of which (and with a bit of practice) you should be up to the industry standard.The writing style is jargon free and welcoming. The illustrations (So often lacking in 3d books) are crisply reproduced and very clear. In three weeks of concentrated effort i went from being a lightwave novice to a competent character animator , all thanks to this book. The accompanying CD contains helpful files and images. I also found that the format of the book allowed for picking and choosing which bits you wish to use (ie. more competent Lightwave users can cut to the chase without being completely lost.) I could go on for days but wont bore you. Just be rest assured, this IS A BOOK WORTH BUYING. YOUR 3d WORK WILL UNDOUBTEDLY GET BETTER AS A RESULT. Can't recommend it enough really.
Rating:
Summary: Thank you for this book
Review: Dear Dan, I wanted to thank YOU for the great book you have written. I own already both of your other books, but INSIDE Lw6 is by far the best of these three. It' a great pleasure and experience to have somebody like you, sharing your skills and knowledge. It seems to be a specific lightwave case, because i never meet so many famous and helpful people before, like in the lightwave world. I know your wife, your children and probably you too will kill me for this question, but is there a chance for Inside lightwave 6.1 ;))))) (just kiddin' ... you see we are all getting greedy) Great BOOK, more than worth the price! ANTE
Rating:
Summary: Primo-Experience
Review: Enjoy the ride! So yeah,...Learn Lightwave through some very cool tutorials. Not your typical generic ...looking tutorial examples, but some pretty bad-... looking stuff that can actually influence you to the potential of this software as well as teach. Not only is this a fun book to learn from, but the very book design is sweet as well! It's a joy just to leaf through. Buy it today and be one of the enlightened ones!
Rating:
Summary: Like a recipe book with some ingredients missing
Review: First off I must be honest and tell you all I am not a seasoned user of Lightwave. I am struggling through the process of learning it now. But I feel I must warn begginers to Lightwave 6 that this is probably not the book for them. It starts off quite nicely with all the basics of Modeler and Layout then starts getting into the nitty gritty of making some models. This seems to be where the book falls short. It is like a recipe book with some of the ingredients left out. Most of the time very frustrating. If you are familar with Lightwave to begin with this would probably be a wonderful book. But for a beginer like myself it has been nothing short of total frustration.
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