paulw wrote:
I am on the verge of jumping ship from 2d AutoCad...
May I ask why you are jumping ship from 2d AutoCAD and not considering 3D AutoCAD? If you aren't using AutoCAD LT, you do know that you have 3D tools already, right? Many of the features that ArchiCAD users tout are available with AutoCAD, if you know how. For example, if you build your AutoCAD model in 3D, you can view and edit the elevations in paperspace.
You might look at my past posts. I'm very critical of ArchiCAD, but I still use it. And I'm not completely ignorant of ArchiCAD either. I am a 3 time tip of the month winner. If I may say so, I feel I contribute to this board pretty well, in bringing bugs to light, asking for new features, and for posting tips. Frankly, if I opened my own Architectural firm, I would have a very very very difficult decision between ArchiCAD and AutoCAD. There is a lot that I like about ArchiCAD and a lot I love about AutoCAD (particularily customizability and, well, lack of buginess). The bottom line though is, if ArchiCAD wasn't so buggy, inconsistent, non-standard, and they let you create your own custom routines and menus and icons, I would recommend it in a heartbeat. But it is buggy, inconsistent, and non-standard, and they don't let you customize it. It's the buggiest program I have ever used in my entire life. And I have used a lot of buggy programs. I personally have found over a hundred new bugs in ArchiCAD. I have only even experienced maybe a half dozen AutoCAD bugs, all of them known and long since reported. So I find it difficult to recommend it with feeling. Nevertheless, even though you can do many of the most useful ArchiCAD features with vanilla AutoCAD, ArchiCAD makes it easier to do these things. Of course, don't forget, there are some things you can do with AutoCAD that are difficult with ArchiCAD, like design/model furniture, which is pretty freaking important for a 3D program, especially one that is so often used as a springboard for computer renderings.
You can indeed put all of the things you described exactly (well within Architectural standards) where they need to go. And as for getting to bed by 3AM. I've worked for 3 Architects now, and I have to say that the office I work for now is the most laid back professional atmosphere I have ever worked in. We have little difficulty getting our jobs out on time. And I attribute much of that to ArchiCAD, and well designed office standards. Eric Batte, whom I work with, IS Mr. Standardized. If you choose ArchiCAD visit his website.
That leads me to learning curve. I learned most of what I know now in 2 days of ArchiCAD training, which I did out of a couple of books, and Eric's guidance. It took me months to really learn AutoCAD (though I taught myself) and it took years for me to become a real expert. Now, I attribute much of ArchiCAD's short learning curve to its simplicity. Frankly, there is much that you cannot do with ArchiCAD. For example, you cannot rotate elements about their x or y axis. Most proponents would say, "so what? Do you really need to rotate that door?" But I'm sure there have been several occasions where many of them wish they could rotate something. Graphisoft only just this past release added boolean modeling, and a badly implimented polyline. Keep in mind, ArchiCAD IS older than AutoCAD. If there isn't a lot to it... if the program doesn't have depth, then of course it's easy to learn. AutoCAD is an extremely powerful program. There is very little that you can't do with it. ArchiCAD is good for orthogonal and standard buildings. If you do deconstructivism, it's definately not the program for you. Also, if you remodel some unusual buildings, you might have difficulty. And if you do not embrace the 3D aspect, then definately do not go with ArchiCAD. Its 2D tools bite. Granted, it's difficult to ignore the 3D part. It is a 3D program after all.
For details, you
will
be working in 2D, so you will have a black eye and a busted rib on occasion. The new version has a "detail tool" but it's not very good. Really it just takes a cutout of one 2D view of the 3D model and creates a new static 2D view for you to modify. It's not 2 way communication. If you edit something in the detail window, it doesn't affect the 3D model. This is the sort of thing I have grown to expect from Graphisoft. They have an excellent idea, then partially implement it. The elevation tool is much better. It IS 2 way communication, until you unlink it. You can draw a wall in the plan window, place a window, then switch to an elevation view and move the window in that plane, and THAT affects the 3D model. Unlinking it turns all of the elements into 2D lines, arcs, fills (hatches), etc. You might unlink the elevation window after you finalize the placement of windows, doors, beams, etc. because the linked elevation can be pretty slow.
One good difference between AutoDesk and Graphisoft is that Graphisoft at least "feels" closer to the end user than AutoDesk. That might be because the AutoCAD community is so large and AutoDesk's voice gets drowned out. It might be because of the interactivity on this discussion board. It might personal... because of Eric Batte's relationship with Graphisoft. Or it might in fact be because Graphisoft listens to its users more than AutoDesk does. I don't know. But I do know two things. 1) Graphisoft has granted a couple of my personal wishes. I know they wouldn't have been included in version 8 if I didn't ask for them. 2) If Graphisoft does listen to its users, then why on Earth is it still so buggy? Most of us would like for version 9 to be simply version 8 but bug free and well designed. No additional features at all. Just provide us with an excellently designed program. It needs to be completely redesigned. That will lay a foundation for version 10 to be excellently designed and so on. Right now, the ArchiCAD foundation is crumbling. Without rebuilding, adding new rooms, remodeling, and refurnishing is just a waste of time.
Anyway, all I say comes from the perspective of a fairly computer savvy user. I know quite a few windows tricks that are generally available with other programs, but aren't with ArchiCAD. I speak of Window's standards. I feel like I am driving blind with ArchiCAD sometimes, simply because I am so used to tools that are unavailable. But if you aren't dependent on those tools, you will probably not ever miss them. Most people don't.
I am a bit of an enigma in the ArchiCAD community. Most users love it to death. When I tell my AutoCAD using friends what I think of ArchiCAD, they are shocked. All they have ever heard are rave reviews so when someone shines the light on the weaker areas they don't quite believe what they are hearing. So take what I say with a grain of salt. But don't expect a well designed program, because ArchiCAD isn't. In fact, it's pretty bad. But I use it and sometimes I can't imagine how I used to do many of the things I do in ArchiCAD with AutoCAD.
That's my opinion. I don't envy you. If it were me, I would probably have a more difficult of a time deciding. Of the 3 choices you mentioned, I can't imagine the other two competing with ArchiCAD. Revit is too new for me to trust it. ArchiCAD has been around for a very long time. But if you include AutoCAD, then the decision becomes tough, for me anyway.
Good luck.
