topic Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26 in Documentation

Twinmotion in Archicad 26

joelsdg — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 08:56:03 GMT

Hi Everyone,

I've only been using AC26 for a week or so, on a single project but I can't find any information on how/if Twinmotion is actually supported in Archicad 26.

I know there's some new feature for an app called Enscape (or something like that) but it requires yet ANOTHER SUBSCRIPTION purchase. I'm not interested in trying to learn another software that may or may not be supported in future versions of Archicad. I'm just starting to like Twinmotion.

I've read it mentioned in the sales brochures/postings, but I don't see any Datasmith or Direct Link updates that appear to work with AC26.

Hopefully, I'm just overlooking something, can anyone help or shed some light on this?

Joel

Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26

Lee Hankins — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 19:45:34 GMT

I don’t think the Datasmith plug-in is available for Archicad 26 yet.

Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26

joelsdg — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 20:08:21 GMT

Thanks for the info, Lee. I guess that's what I'm trying to figure out. I know Graphisoft can't say when Epic Games will release a plugin, but it would be nice to know "if" there's one coming.

Your post did make me do a quick "twinmotion" search in Archicad Help in the AC26 app, and it only mentions:

"Save the Archicad model to Twinmotion, using the Save As… Twinmotion (.tma) command from the 3D window".

The problem is, that file format isn't an option from Save As... in the 3D window. I can only assume it will be in a future release of AC26, and this will be our option for working with Twinmotion. I'm guessing, of course.

Thanks for the help,

Joel

Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26

Rex Maximilian — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 20:22:39 GMT

If you "must" use Twinmotion with Archicad 26 right now, I would suggest exporting to Sketchup format from Archicad's 3D window. Then, you could import that into TM. If you were to update your Archicad model, resave it to SKP with the same name, and in Twinmotion, refresh the import. Your material assignments previously done in Twinmotion will stick.

Unfortunately the options are limited. Not only because we need to wait on a translator from Epic, but also because Graphisoft has chosen not to develop their own FBX export plugin, like "every. other. major. 3D program" does. All lobbying in the past year to Graphisoft in this regard has fallen on deaf ears as they ignore our requests, and in some cases, challenge us as to why we need this or that, when it is obvious.

Good luck!

Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26

joelsdg — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 20:26:09 GMT

Thanks for the workaround, Rex. I couldn't agree with you more on your other points.

Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26

fabioferrini — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 22:55:52 GMT

Hi joelsdg

I read on the twinmotio website that the release is scheduled for late summer, early autumn of this year….

https://twinmotionhelp.epicgames.com/s/question/0D54z00007p4PF0CAM/hello-there-is-a-direct-link-available-for-Archicad-26-twinmotion-?language=en_US

Fabio

Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26

joelsdg — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 23:01:19 GMT

Thanks, Fabio. This is welcome news, thank you very much for finding it. I am humbled by the helpful members here today. Thanks.

Joel

Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26

Lelopes — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 23:36:00 GMT

Sorry to be THIS guy... But summer/autum... where? Why can't ppl talk in months and days? This is worse than pregnant women talking in weeks with us.

Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26

Lelopes — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 23:41:24 GMT

Grapisoft stoped hearing it's costumers about 4 versions ago.
And all points out that they are heading to "subscription only"/hostage situation with their clients.
Even LBP and Param-O requires SSA/Archiplus subscription... They want us to PAY EXTRA to fix the smallest and lamest object library in the category... for them.
I am already heading out. Stoped all subscriptions, canceled any upgrade plans, no training for any partner/trainee/etc and currently studing my choices in the field.

Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26

Rex Maximilian — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 07:42:30 GMT

I'm also really tired of the "Structural" and "MEP" features that highlight the updates also. It's ARCHI-CAD, not STRUCTURE-CAD or MECHANICAL-CAD. We need better ARCHITECTURAL tools. The last three upgrades have been s**t!

Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26

Lelopes — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 15:22:59 GMT

Morphy Tool is a joke, we can`t have floor plans by area (cropped) making quotas a mess in layers. Many tools like slabs won`t work with projection for different heights in floor plan cut... But they are focusing on this shift to subscription only instead giving us a competitive tool.

Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26

Luis M Dias — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 09:59:26 GMT

Are there yet any news about this absolute mess? Is Graphisoft really thinking they can get away with not giving us a direct link to Twinmotion after spending years selling us on this solution as the future?

I'm getting really annoyed at this. I can't tell any of my coworkers to update their Archicad to 26 if this goes on, and for what, really? An updated Layer window? Absolute joke.

Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26

Jp1138 — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 12:41:54 GMT

I read somewhere I cannot find right now that the plugin was coming in october, let´s hope it´s early in the month.

Graphisoft shoulg give us direct fbx and/or GLTF export anyway 😓

Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26

Rex Maximilian — Sat, 01 Oct 2022 09:45:44 GMT

And now Epic Games is promoting a big collaboration between Autodesk Revit and Twinmotion... it's all starting to make sense now. Probably why the moderators here won't "genuinely" respond to any inquiries about the Twinmotion export, or even the broader subject of FBX.

It's so frustrating.

Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26

Rex Maximilian — Sat, 01 Oct 2022 09:47:35 GMT

The only option is to save as SketchUp from the 3D window and import to TM as an SKP file. Even if the export option for Archicad does come out, it'll just be a repeat every time Archicad is updated.

Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26

Eduardo Rolon — Sun, 02 Oct 2022 16:42:22 GMT

This is kind of a stupid take.

Everybody here has answered that the FBX exporter was made by Epic not GS. If GS is working on that nobody here knows about it so it is kind of insulting to assign underhanded motives to the moderators et al.

If you don't want to accept the answers that:

GS didn't make the exporter
Nobody here knows if they are going to make one
Nobody here has any reason to lie or hide information for some mysterious purpose.

Then that is on you.

Though I do agree that it is necessary to have the exporter.

Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26

Lelopes — Sun, 02 Oct 2022 17:42:24 GMT

Not sure if a moderator or just someone defending it's "favorite" software. But I think I don't care for a FBX exporter anymore. BlenderBIM is becoming true... I don't need to say that your "subscription" model software is going to be as relevant in a few years as blender made the 3ds Max today... Even worse since 3ds Max was the standard for it's category.

Better modeling, better tools, infinity textures and objects library, no need for a ridiculous subscription even after you already paid for full software, GPU based render integrated. ... I literally just handed my "ssa" amount to blenderbim foundation.

Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26

Rex Maximilian — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 06:17:50 GMT

Well, I'll ignore your insult calling me stupid; and will simply say you're not grasping what I'm talking about and what's going on.

We know GS didn't develop the FBX exporter used by Twinmotion. The fact that Epic changed their process and format for importation created a situation that "does" fall on Graphisoft... and that is to fill the void of an exporter to the most common 3D assets and interchange format in use today for a multitude of purposes, which includes Twinmotion as a subset of that. As for a lack of response from the moderators here (and I speak of the ones with the GS affiliation, not you; and sorry if that wasn't clear), it is obvious they are not forthcoming with information on why GS isn't developing their own FBX exporter... there has been no direction or road map shared... at all. They are affiliated with GS and there are many GS employees on here who could answer that question. But they always deflect the general question of FBX exportation to one solely about Twinmotion and passing the buck.

I'm disappointed as you are a frequent and respected poster here that you resorted to a silly insult instead of tactfully responding... That is on you.

Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26

Rex Maximilian — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 06:27:25 GMT

That's the thing GS doesn't get... they are driving a sector of their market away. Many of us using Archicad would like to have our models exported to an AR app, which requires FBX; or an asset site where we can create revenue from the gaming community or forward thinking companies progressing towards the metaverse. It seem GS is content to limit what tools their users can have, and limit our post-Archicad conduits to specific, proprietary software.

Re: Twinmotion in Archicad 26

Eduardo Rolon — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 12:03:40 GMT

Not meant personally, just a comment on a general view that making up "conspiracy theories" about not getting information for what you consider a very important feature (which I agree on) will not force GS to answer.

GS Moderators and employees either don't know, or know but cannot share.

Also there are the other options where GS has decided not to spend work on it, is deciding how to work on it, or is working on it and decided not to share that they are.

---

My guesses on this item are that:

GS Moderators have no information on exporter or roadmap.
GS Employees that read the forum don't know either.
GS is evaluating if working on the FBX export will bring any benefits.
- The main benefit is that AC users don't need to wait for TM to update their plugin, which is the main issue affecting us right now.

---

Based on how the 26 Beta went my guess is that GS is working on a lot of fixes for 26 and recalibrating their priorities for 27/forward based on the recent backlash.

Hopefully based on the TM-RVT news that they prioritize this higher since this means that the TM Plugin or the macOS version will not be a priority for Epic.

---

I don't mind that you keep bringing this issue up on almost all topics that touch rendering since I do the same with Folders, New Attribute Manager, SAM/SAF. FWIW GS has never shared a roadmap and what Huw has shared publicly is basically Technical-Marketing-Word-Salad so if they share a more specific one it wouldn't surprise me that FBX Export is not on it.

As a final though Vectorworks can export to FBX so they just can call their sister company and negotiate some help.