How is Graphisoft Forward different from Archiplus?

[Richard Morrison]

I see references to the new Graphisoft "Forward" program in the upgrade notes. Reading about this, it seems pretty close to the Archiplus program that I am already on. Are there differences? (Features/Cost, etc.) Is this just a replacement name for Archiplus?

[Aaron Bourgoin]

I asked my rep about this. He said, Forward hasn't launched in North America yet and had no details.

[Jp1138]

I don´t like what this looks like. Everytime I see some kind of movement in prices, I think they are taking us one step closer to a subscription model 😢 , which they are efectively doing by tieing some functionaltity to having an active payment 😡

[Laszlo Nagy]

I think having an optional Service Agreement (called SSA, Forward or anything else) that involves an annual payment is very different from a Subscription where you have no choice but to pay, otherwise you immediately lose access to your files (your intellectual property) and you can not even start the program (a lá Autodesk).

Graphisoft continues to offer Perpetual Licenses so you own your software forever, and then you have the choice of paying for SSA/Forward if you find the added features/services valuable.

[Jp1138]

Requiring an active subscription to use one functionality is a step in the wrong direction and it seems to me like a test for worse things to come. If you don´t pay you loose it, or so it reads:

Maybe I´me reading it wrong and it´s the update the exclusive part 🤔

[Jody S Keppers]

Graphisoft's approach to Forward is confusing. Is it just a rebranding of the SSA? It would be nice to have that clarified.

[Djordje]

Happy with the SSA, not clear what the Forward is all about, why does it even exist, and why the Redshift - or any other functionality - is linked to it. OK, I know why, there has to be a carrot, but where is the stick?

Clarifications welcome...

[David Bearss]

Am considering an overdue upgrade from v18 but am still struggling validating the cost. Sole operator and have always been hesitant to pay for unused collaboration features. Never even opened teamwork in 20 years. So reseller quoted about$4k for upgrade plus $800 mandatory ArchiPLUS Service agreement. Say whaaaaat?? I know its a holiday but got time to be thinking. Any links to more information somewhere?

[Karl Ottenstein]

You might ask your reseller about the Solo edition, which I believe is half the price of a full license (?).  Solo doesn't include Teamwork, Cineware rendering, IFC export ...but also doesn't include hotlinking / XRefs (dwgs).  The lack of hotlink/xref would be the one to ponder (that would be a deal breaker for me)... Solo can still merge external content though.

I believe (?) I read somewhere here in the past that if you do upgrade from Solo, that you get credit for solo. Ask your reseller.  And, hey, maybe he/she has some Black Friday / Cyber Monday deals 🙂

[Karl Ottenstein]

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@Aaron Bourgoin wrote:

I asked my rep about this. He said, Forward hasn't launched in North America yet and had no details.

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That's funny, since the GSNA/US web site has a page on  Graphisoft Forward here:

https://graphisoft.com/us/solutions/forward

It sounds identical to ArchiPlus / SSA to me.