San Antonio, Texas — May 11, 2005 -- NewTek, Inc., manufacturer of industry-leading 3D animation and video products, today announced the release of the free 8.3 update to Emmy® award-winning LightWave 3D®, and a new breakthrough LightWave® [8] upgrade price of 195 € +VAT (electronic manual) or 250 € +VAT (printed manual contained) for registered owners of previous LightWave versions, available until 30^th June 2005. Any order of an upgrade at 195 € +VAT will include a printed manual as a free bonus until 31st May 2005.

Version 8.3 offers full support of the new generation multi-core processor systems, enhanced vector blur routines and improved integration with other production tools via updated PSD support. Also included are a new gradient option for HyperVoxels™ (LightWave’s volumetric rendering system), improved text tools for Modeler, and new features and functions in the Scene Editor and Dope Track. The release is available now to registered owners of LightWave [8] as a free download.

"We're pleased to bring the new features and enhancements of version 8.3 to our users," said Jay Roth, president of NewTek's 3D graphics division. "We're committed to regularly providing enhanced value to our LightWave customers, and are unique among professional 3D applications in doing so, as this fourth free update for LightWave [8] demonstrates. Version 8.3 is the first in a series of updates to further enhance interoperability via changes to our PSD and EPSF exporters, and also includes optimized performance on the new multi-core processor systems, to give LightWave users significant speed and processing advantages."

LightWave 3D, version 8.3 Includes:

• Multi-core processor support
• Improved Vector Blur routines and documentation detailing how to get the best result from these new capabilities
• PSD Import/Export revised to include a variety of new options, filters and controls, as well as enhanced processing of LightWave's internal buffers for better compatibility on export
• EPS Importer updated to support Import options for EPS files up to Illustrator CS and AI files up to version 8
• New "Relative Particle Age" gradient option for HyperVoxels
• New "Blending" surface-tension control for HyperVoxels allows users to keep surface HyperVoxels from connecting when in close proximity.
• HyperVoxels now work in combination with fog
• HyperVoxels refraction now works in combination with dissolve and fog
• Point limit per polygon increased from 1024 to 16383.
• New "Text Layers" tool for creating text with a variety of controls and options
• Enhanced Documentation for LightWave's Object Properties Edge Tab functions

Pricing and Availability

The LightWave® version 8.3 update is available for free download to registered LightWave [8] owners at
http://www.newtek-europe.com/uk/support/downloads/lw83_update_info.html

LightWave [8] full package including English printed documentation is available for a suggested retail price of 1295 € +VAT (UK RRP: £899 +VAT). Until June 30th 2005, registered owners of LightWave 3D [7.5] or earlier are eligible to purchase a LightWave [8] Electronic Upgrade Pack for 195 € +VAT(UK RRP:£135 +VAT) or a LightWave [8] Upgrade including the printed manual for 250 € +VAT (UK RRP:£169 +VAT). Special bonus! Any order of an upgrade at 195 € +VAT will include a printed manual as a gift until 31st May 2005. This special offer is available from any NewTek Europe Authorised Reseller or directly from NewTek Europe or call NewTek Europe Sales at + 33(0)5 57 262 262.

About NewTek and NewTek Europe.

Sited near Bordeaux in the southwest of France, NewTek Europe has been the European branch of NewTek, Inc. since 1999 for distribution, communication, and the technical support of NewTek products throughout Europe, Russia, Africa and the Middle East.

With headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, NewTek is a leading provider of full-featured video editing, live production, presentation, animation and special effects tools including LightWave 3D®, winner of the 2003 Primetime Emmy® Engineering Award, TriCaster™ and VT[4]™. NewTek launched the desktop video revolution in 1990 with the release of the legendary Video Toaster™. The company's products are used worldwide on projects ranging from home video to feature film. Recent television and film projects using NewTek production tools include Sin City, The Aviator, Flight of the Phoenix, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Aliens of the Deep, "I, Robot", Spiderman 2, The Last Samurai, Battlestar: Galactica, Firefly, Smallville, Star Trek: Enterprise, Access Hollywood and Entertainment Tonight, Recent game titles include Doom III, Unreal Tournament, Serious Sam for XBox, Age of Mythology, Civilization III, Dead to Rights, Baldur's Gate II, EverQuest and Escape From Monkey Island.

Latest game work includes: Doom III, Burnout 3, Killzone, The Moment of Silence, Unreal Tournament, Serious Sam, Age of Mythology, Civilization III, Dead to Rights, Baldur's Gate II and EverQuest.

Information about LightWave 3D^®:
http://www.newtek-europe.com/uk/products/lightwave/index.html

LightWave 3D^® artists interviews:
http://www.newtek-europe.com/uk/community/lightwave/index.html

LightWave 3D^® Projects List:
http://www.newtek-europe.com/uk/products/lightwave/projects.html

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- LightWave and LightWave 3D are registered trademarks of NewTek.
- TriCaster, iVGA, VT[4], VT[4] Live, VT[4] Post, VT[3], VT[3] Live, VT[3] Post, VT[2], VT-Edit, Aura Video Paint, LightWave Express, VT-CG, VT-Vision VT-Scope, VT-DDR, Tool Shed, Tool Chest, SX-84, SX-8, RS-8, LScript, Digital Confusion, HyperVoxels, Endomorphs, Intelligentities, Motion Mixer, Morph Mixer, HardFX, SoftFX, ClothFX, MultiMeshes, Particle FX, P.A.V.L.O.V., Skelegons, SkyTracer, and Vmaps are trademarks of NewTek, Inc.
- All other products or brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Press contact:

Audrey-Jane Belin
Marketing & Communication Department
mail to: aj@newtek-europe.com

Newtek Europe
Europarc
17 avenue Léonard de Vinci
F-33600 PESSAC
Tel:+33 (0)5 57 262 262
Fax:+33 (0)5 57 262 261
www.newtek-europe.com

FOR GENERAL INFORMATION
Call +33 (0)5 57 262 262
Or email info@newtek-europe.com