CAST Beta Testers Get First Peek at WYSIWYG R30

CAST Group of Toronto, Canada announces the beta version release of its lighting design and previsualization suite, WYSIWYG R30 in underway for testing by the carefully selected beta test team.

CAST's beta testing program aims to uphold the highest level of dependability and robustness for WYSIWYG by enlisting typical members to test drive it in the field under real conditions. CAST carefully monitors the testers and ensures a reasonable cross-section of uses in order to optimize the usefulness of the feedback.

R29, released earlier this year, still continues to receive praise with its improvements that, according to the company, helped demonstrate WYSIWYG is a valuable tool. The backbone of WYSIWYG is to see the designs come to life exactly as planned, and being able to show those designs with as much accuracy as possible.

WYSIWYG enables lighting designers to create previsualizations and renders of a planned event without having to spend time and money making it happen at the venue in advance. The company says the software is so named because it delivers what you see and gives you exactly what you get. The suite encourages creativity because previsualization means it is quick and easy to try out concepts and tweak ideas.

A few of the new features in R30 for beta testers:

• FASTfan: this tool allows the user to create stunning fanned focuses for conventionals and moving lights, simply and succinctly. FastFan will save the user time in creating their looks in design mode.
• FASTfocus: The user is able to assign a selection of fixtures to a linear focus position. When moving to a new venue, the electric position might be moved four feet upstage. The user can move the FastFocus line, and all of the fixtures assigned to that FastFocus line will retain their focus, spread evenly along that line. Extend the FastFocus line, and the fixtures refocus. This is a time saver for WYSIWYG users.
• Improved layer manager and library browser: new in R30 and beyond, WYSIWYG will give the user a better way of organizing their layers, providing the user a way to merge layers, which allows the user to combine one or more layers into one. The revisions to the library browser gives the user a favorites folder, and a last used objects folder that will improve the user's workflow.

While not a new R30 feature, CAST continues to remind current and potential users about the ongoing refinement of PC emulation software such as Parallels, Bootcamp, and VMWare Fusion, which allow Mac users to easily work with WYSIWYG on their existing computer. The company says a common misconception is that only PC users can use WYSIWYG, but a large percentage of the user base works full time on a Mac with WYSIWYG.

The release of R30 is scheduled for early 2013.

There are still a few spots available for additional R30 beta testers. To apply or check qualifications, contact CAST at info@cast-soft.com with the Subject line "Beta Testing" or call +1.416.597.2278.

See CAST at PLASA Focus: Orlando, May 15-16.