Modeling
About Archicad's design tools, element connections, modeling concepts, etc.

Upgrading to ArchiCAD V13

Anonymous
Not applicable
Well my support subscription invoice has just arrived so with the current state of the economy I had to check, Is the upgrade to version 13 worth me having.

I checked with my reseller who said the only thing he can tell me is that ArchiCAD 13 will have better team work. That would be fine if I was a large practice, but I am not. So for now ArchiCAD 12 will do just fine and I can save the money.

Unless there is a significant improvement in the tools why bother?
111 REPLIES 111
Karl Ottenstein
Moderator
I would more diplomatically call the dozen or more new features that are beyond teamwork "audience-specific".

Unlike other versions where the new features would be used by the vast majority of users - single-license or multi, these new features are ones that some users have cried for and will appreciate, but which will have no value for others.

Solo users who might do contract work for another firm - even another solo user - will find the new TeamWork a viable option for such collaboration over the internet. Small firms with just a few licenses who never tried TeamWork before because of the complication of reservations, exclusive access, etc., will find the new TeamWork so simple and flexible to use that they will find it easy to work jointly on a project to meet a deadline. So, it is not just for large firms, even though it can now easily support many users spread locally and globally.

Of course, 13 contains many bug-fixes as well, and while some here have commented that they do not feel that they should pay for bug fixes, that is life in the software world. 13 is the version that will continue to be developed and debugged.

Cheers,
Karl
One of the forum moderators
AC 27 USA and earlier   •   macOS Ventura 13.6.6, MacBook Pro M2 Max 12CPU/30GPU cores, 32GB
Laura wrote:
.......
TW2 IS the new feature -- other "new features" are pretty mediocre -- if you do not use TW, you might want to wait for AC14.

.......I remember getting a lot of flak earlier on before the release, for pointing out...... or rather, for speculating, that TW2 would be THE feature of AC13 in the same way that Curtain Wall was for AC12.

You know you're in for kind of a sorry update when the 'taglines' they are using on the product page, (and lifted from right out of these very talkback, forums, no less - sorry Owen) to promote the new release, read like:
........ wrote:
“I think this [64-bit] + TW2 would make AC13 a fantastic upgrade, regardless of any other new features.”
.......yeah, um, because there are NO other new features......of significant note anyway. I mean seriously, we can now edit the Curtain Wall in plan? Is that really a new feature, or more like a leftover completion from what should have been complete in the first place, in AC12, when they introduced the new CW tool, for the first time? But it's keeping with GS tradition anyway of half-baked new features per release to complete them in the next version (ala Complex Profiles between AC10 to AC11).

Call me a purist, but I always used to assume that new features in a new version tend to refer to features that not only never existed in the program before, but also don't really exist in competitor products as such. Now, oriented views are nice and all, until you realize that AutoCAD, yes, that Flatland 2D AUTOCAD has had this functionality for years since the early nineties in its UCS coordinate alignment system for setting up customized views. Sometimes you just get used to working in (or rather, working AROUND) the absence of a feature that should intuitively seem to be standard and you that when they eventually do release it, you're startled to find out it never existed before.

Ditto 64-Bit compatibility, which is nice and all, but when your main rival (Revit) has already had it for their last 2 versions and still handles geometry worse than you do, then I wouldn't really draw attention to the fact that it is a "new" feature. Coming in kinda late, no? In this respect, the multi-core support in version 12 was not only a great upgrade, but also a true 'new' feature in the sense that ArchiCAD was the only one of its kind in the BIM field that had (and still has) multi-core support.

ArchiCAD 13 is a great upgrade, as I mentioned (or alluded to) in that previous thread......if you're a firm that leans heavily on Teamwork, and uses a lot of Curtain Walls (read: large firms). Granted there will be those who will doubtless try to convince all the improvements like TW2 can make the lives of all of us, - not just the large firms - easier, and they are always appreciated. But it's much in the same vein the way they tried to convince us the the new CW tool in AC12, was not just an improvement that would benefit only Curtain Wall users, but one whose 'systems' technology could be used to address other more general, more common and widespread AC shortcomings like the railing systems migraine in the Stair tool (which, incidentally, I couldn't help but notice, has still "suffered" no new improvements in AC13, as far as I can tell - but which will also likely, no doubt benefit tangentially in some peripheral way or another from TW2 improvements. )

Otherwise, for small users (or small fish as someone here so eloquently and astutely put it), nothing to see here. Move on to speculating about what will not be updated or what will be left out once again in AC14 as GS chases that almighty corporate 'big fish' bling ($$$). It boggles to mind as to what was so big that they were working on that caused the 3 or 4 month delay if 'these' are indeed the new features. I feel for you small subscription users - I really do.
Anonymous
Not applicable
64-bit implementation available on Windows only ...but will also be available on Mac in a later version?!? of ArchiCAD...

I was hoping for this AC13 improvement for all users, anyhow, I understand GS's efforts...
It's quite disappointing GS does not even dare to mention 'next version'
Anonymous
Not applicable
Karl wrote:
Of course, 13 contains many bug-fixes as well, and while some here have commented that they do not feel that they should pay for bug fixes, that is life in the software world. 13 is the version that will continue to be developed and debugged.
I hardly find any feature i can use. Maybe insulations!!
But hey this is stealing. If you get the money from subscribers, you cannot do something like that. Bring a new version, that has nothing new for many of us to use but use our money to finance it!!

Ok. I want my money back. Period. If you plan only to serve a certain part of your audience, do it, but with dignity. This is STEALING and i mean every word of it.

Publish the new TW2 as an add on, and let the big guns buy it. Even make them pay to access your servers. I dont care. But what is that?

64bits?? That is for sharks too. Nothing for us. Nothing. But we paid too!!


You give me a version which has nothing new???? And i have paid one year in advance? And you do it ONE DAY AFTER the new subscription plan starts? So i have to apply for the new year (ac14 and pay) and see AFTER that the BIG FIASCO.

What does GS has to say to all us small fish? Nothing? No excuse? Nothing to say? Just thank you stupid, you should have known better?
Dennis Lee
Booster
According to GS, these are the new features:

The new features of ArchiCAD 13 among others are: Next Generation Teamwork, Oriented Views, Annotated Schedule Drawings, More Flexible Setup/Display of Interactive Schedules, Expanded Listing Options Using Calculation Rules, Direct Editing of Curtain Wall Reference line, Editable Curtain Wall Height Parameter, Objects Saved into the Project, Model View Options for Library Parts, Enhanced Automatic Dimensioning Options for Doors/Windows, Symbolic Soft Insulation, Image Fill as Cover Fill, Gradient Fill Enhancements, Slab/Roof Edge Custom Settings, Improved OpenGL Display for Smooth Edges in 3D, Ruler, Dynamic „Fit in Window” Zooming when Navigating Among Views, Improved Find & Select, Boundary Contour Options for Section/Elevation/Interior Elevation, Export Multiple Layouts into Single DWG, Filter DWG Elements by Layer when Opening as ArchiCAD File, Improved Options for Saving to Custom Layers, Keep Exploded DWG Drawings on Single Layer, Standard Steel Column/Beam Profiles, Define Load-Bearing/Non-Load-Bearing Structure for Construction Elements, 64-bit Computing on Windows

Seems like there are quite a few (items in bold) that will benefit me besides TW. I'll have to see. I haven't seen the blue items mentioned in the videos, but is still welcome!

I think the subscription model works in a way that it will always have some people pi__ed. I am glad that GS at least tried to please as many customers as possible. TW2.0 seems like such a major overhaul that it could have easily been really the ONLY upgrade. IMO, the features for AC13 is far more beneficial to ALL of us than the new features that the Revit users got for their latest release.
ArchiCAD 25 & 24 USA
Windows 10 x64
Since ArchiCAD 9
Anonymous
Not applicable
Dennis wrote:
IMO, the features for AC13 is far more beneficial to ALL of us than the new features that the Revit users got for their latest release.
I dont see a single feature that an average user can use (and not average in AC knowledge). These release is pure b@&@&it if you explude TW (which single users will never use)

As for 64bit computing, its very funny . What projects do you do. Skyscapers? If yes.. then you are big fish, and this is nice for you. If not... then you dont need it.

There features for residential customers are NON EXISTENT. those 3-4 super minor features here are to make you laugh.
Karl Ottenstein
Moderator
oreopoulos,

I think you have made your point and we hear your frustration. Repeating it every hour is approaching spam. Everyone should be considerate of the discussions and add only new points. (No, I'm not going to ban you. I'd just like everyone to be respectful of everyone's time, OK?)

Dennis wrote:
According to GS, these are the new features:
Seems like there are quite a few (items in bold) that will benefit me besides TW. I'll have to see. I haven't seen the blue items mentioned in the videos, but is still welcome!
We beta testers have not been released from our NDA yet, so can only comment on features publicized by Graphisoft at this point. I would like to tell you about at least one blue item that makes me happy, but cannot yet.

Cheers,
Karl
One of the forum moderators
AC 27 USA and earlier   •   macOS Ventura 13.6.6, MacBook Pro M2 Max 12CPU/30GPU cores, 32GB
Karl Barker
Participant
For all my fellow mac users out there, shall we band together and get our discount over our PC counterparts?

ever notice that quite often a new feature comes out in archicad that is not supported on the mac platform.
quite funny really where the 64 bit gambit is for PC only, where only a very small portion of PC users have 64 bit systems whereas all snowleopard mac users are fully 64 bit.

I wonder if the sketchup thing will work with 13 on the mac.
I suspect not. This was one of the larger marketing gambits that we saw with AC12.
Still there is no VBE for mac yet. Apparently I can get a Beta version to test, but have to agree to then buy it when it is released.

It would be interesting to see the numbers of mac users verses PC users, however again as has been mentioned earlier in this thread, the big fish are pandered to more so that the small fish, big fish tend to be on PC whereas I suspect a lot of the small fish like to be a bid more design conscious and work on Mac.

Come on GS, support the little guy, we are what made you in the first place.
Cheers,
Karl Barker.

27" iMac 3.6 Ghz Intel Core i9
32 Gig Ram
Mac OSX 10.14.6
AC 5.5 - AC22 (NZE)
Anonymous
Not applicable
IMHO I would love to see GS pushing even harder on the big firms side !!!
Big fish implement Revit and all the small fish follow.
Big fish = market share = name reputation = transfer of knowledge = large network of structural engineers, consultants, ... etc.
This is essential for the future of ArchiCAD. I don't blame GS.
Karl Ottenstein
Moderator
Karl wrote:
ever notice that quite often a new feature comes out in archicad that is not supported on the mac platform.
quite funny really where the 64 bit gambit is for PC only, where only a very small portion of PC users have 64 bit systems whereas all snowleopard mac users are fully 64 bit.
I share your frustration over the the lack of support for Mac for VBE, SketchUp add-on, Google Connectivity, etc.

The 64 bit thing is not ignored, though, and apparently did not really have to do with any preference for Windows over Mac customers but rather the effort involved in the conversion. There is a Wiki article coming out that will comment on this, although a comment here from someone from GS might be reassuring, too.

Cheers,
Karl
One of the forum moderators
AC 27 USA and earlier   •   macOS Ventura 13.6.6, MacBook Pro M2 Max 12CPU/30GPU cores, 32GB