Freeform Modelling (and Revit 8.1)

[stefan]

The wrote:
Main Improvements in Revit Building 8.1:
Considering that it is just a point release, Revit Building 8.1 packs a surprising number of new features. To start with, it enhances the Building Maker functionality for conceptual design mentioned in the previous section by enabling the import of NURBS surfaces from other applications in the form of DWG or SAT files. These can be turned into mass objects in Building Maker, after which you can create roofs, walls, floors, and curtain systems from selected faces (see Figure 5-a). A separate but related ability is the creation of non-vertical walls from massing components, created within Revit Building or imported from other applications (see Figure 5-b). These non-vertical walls behave like the regular walls: you can place doors and windows in them; they can be joined to other walls; they appear properly cut in plan views; they are correctly listed in schedules; and they can be exported along with their information to ODBC and other formats. Considering that Revit Building lacks a good set of freeform modeling tools, these new capabilities make it easier to bring conceptual massing models created in other applications into Revit Building and convert them into building models rather than having to start from scratch.
http://www.aecbytes.com/review/RevitBuilding8.htm

This would interest many people in the discussion around MaxonForm.

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately Revit is developing much faster than Archicad.
And we had that "unfortunate" AC 9 which brought us zero new tools.

Very dissapointing

[Rob]

hmmm, it makes me wonder if Revit team ain't reading AC forum by mistake.

[Anonymous]

I told you so ......
I should have known better......
It will cost me .......

[TomWaltz]

oreopoulos wrote:
Unfortunately Revit is developing much faster than Archicad.
And we had that "unfortunate" AC 9 which brought us zero new tools.

Very dissapointing

Wasn't "Wall End" new in AC 9? 😉 Or was that 8.1?

[Anonymous]

it was 8.1

Even if it was in 9 it is still dissapointing.
V10 has to provide new tools for 2 editions (for the missing v9)

[stefan]

oreopoulos wrote:
it was 8.1

Even if it was in 9 it is still dissapointing.
V10 has to provide new tools for 2 editions (for the missing v9)

Are you placing all your bets on a release that might not be the one you are waiting for? Frankly, new tools come with new bugs, limits and workarounds/hacks. We allready have some of this "not quite fully there"-tools at the moment. Will you switch if r10 disappoints you?

ArchiCAD has it's strong points and it's weak points. But as long as you can get your work done in a timely fashion, it is still a tool you can use. If it's not, then you might try the Revit demo. Not all is better on the other side, though... The article doesn't forget the weaknesses. And if you use a Mac, you have to switch platforms too, which is not obvious.

[Anonymous]

If AC10 dissapoint me (in terms of quantity and quality of new tools) i will have to swich to a new software. Revit? allplan i dont know but i am really mad with v9 (i was from day 1 and still am).
I cannot wait 2 more years for obvious tools that should have been here from V1.

Look at the layer management. If you add a new layer you have to update every combination one by one (and not select all those that the layer is locked ie and lock at once)
Look at how we build walls. We cannot define hatch in sections and we cannot show a wall in all selected floors and and ... And all these are BASIC functions. To ask for smthg advanced i must have all basic tools provided.

[Anonymous]

So what is a new "tool"?.. If varied height wall veneers is a "tool", then new tools must be on the buffett.. try inserting a 28/52 twin window properly labeled... some of these horses have been dead so long their dust has blown away.. I am relatively new to AC so a wierd irony is a move will pain me less.

Something about big companies always causes me to buy from the smaller outfits, but I am slowly migrating to the "never got fired for buying IBM" crowd.... heck, even XP Pro is eerily stable these days.. Huge resources and even the slightest of wills to improve can go a looong way. Microsoft! care to get into the hyper-growth BIM sector??.. I won't whish too hard though<g>

[Rob]

Are you placing all your bets on a release that might not be the one you are waiting for?

well, at least it will force me to think about my future skills knowing that there is a better CAD with better efficiency/potential and I will eventually have to try and learn it...users either potential or current will move on, simple as that

Frankly, new tools come with new bugs, limits and workarounds/hacks. We allready have some of this "not quite fully there"-tools at the moment. Will you switch if r10 disappoints you?

It's sad that we are already 'prepared' for a buggy outcome with new AC versions. Just a question for myself - is this normal thinking with any software? There should not be any bloody bugs - that's what we are paying for, I suppose...

ArchiCAD has it's strong points and it's weak points. But as long as you can get your work done in a timely fashion, it is still a tool you can use. If it's not, then you might try the Revit demo. Not all is better on the other side, though... The article doesn't forget the weaknesses. And if you use a Mac, you have to switch platforms too, which is not obvious

that's all right but Revit's progress is really full on while we are still debating over 10 years old wishes (in some cases). Would you have given darn about Revit, let's say 4-5 years ago as a serious competition to any AEC CAD? AC has been here for over 20 years and in my opinion it's getting beaten up at the moment. Relying on Mac platform as the only serious AEC solution there and using that as an argument is honestly weak as piss.