AUS users only: ArchiCAD Licencing and Price Increase 2017??

[Pato99]

So our company is coming up to its licencing agreement and I had a few questions regarding the fees.

First of all I want to point out that I have been using ArchiCAD since Version 10. I am the sole drafty in our company producing about 150 homes per year. There were two of us but one drafty moved on and I have managed the work myself for over a year. During this time we have paid for the second licence expecting someone else would come on to work with us. This has not yet happened so it's a waste of money if I manage the next 12 months by myself as well.

Basically we are on the select agreement for 2 licences, I don't use any of the select features, I don't use the Australian Library (Because the objects are so outdated they are useless), I don't use the window object (Again not suited to AUS residential), I don't use support (except to rant and then I don't get replies). The only thing I really wants the yearly upgrades.

My questions:
Should I be paying for the select agreement or is there a better way?
Can I suspend an account without any penalties?
What are your thoughts on the price increase?

You may notice quite a significant increase in the cost of your Agreement since your last renewal date. Please let us
explain.
Recently, we implemented an updated finance system to support the new Central Innovation business structure. In doing
so, this identified that our former system has been incorrectly calculating the yearly contract value of each of our customers'
Select Subscription Agreement.
Whilst this error has ultimately been benefiting our customers - in other words, the total cost of our customer's Select
Agreement each year has been significantly lower than the Recommended Retail Price, unfortunately we are no longer in a
position to continue this practice. In order to meet our Supplier's continued increase of annual costs for Select and to
provide the additional services that Central Innovation have built and continue to build into the Agreement we must
standardise our prices.
Of course, we will respect your decision if you choose not to renew your contract with us as a result of this price increase.
Please bear in mind however, that unfortunately we will no longer be able to provide you with three of our most popular
Select Agreement benefits - the latest version of ARCHICAD (version 21 offering exciting new features), key plug
insurance, or access to our Technical Support team. Currently a 1 step upgrade* to come back on to Select to get access
to these is $3,157 + GST.
We do hope that you will continue to see the benefits of remaining part of the ARCHICAD community and a valued
customer of Central Innovation. If you have any questions, we encourage you to contact your Account Manager.

[Anonymous]

Gareth wrote:
I have had my grizzle about this too (directly with Central Innovation).

I quite like the Aus WinDoor Builder (but it is released later and later each year to the point where you might be lucky to get 7 months benefit from it), and the Joinery add on is pretty useless and so too are most of the Aus Library parts.

The Tech support is excellent and I have used it on a few occasions and the response times are quite fast. it is worth noting that I use the Tech support less and less each year.

However, and I have tried explaining this to them, it is difficult to justify maintaining the Select Agreement when costs keep increasing.

In a nutshell, it's only the new version of ArchiCad that has actually kept me in the Select Agreement, and let's face it, many of the new versions haven't exactly been that brilliant.

I also see no point in buying Cadimage addons to perform tasks that ArchiCad should be doing in the first place...!!

This may well be my last year of the subscription too.

Unfortunately my select agreement came due just recently and without the benefit of a trial run with V21 ( I didn't qualify as a beta tester...too small or just Australia)and the cost increase, I declined to continue with the subscription 😞. It also means I'll be dropping the Cadimage suites I buy as well.

[Anonymous]

Took the plunge ! But paying the sub monthly. Yes I do hope Cadimage tools access might be a select benefit in the future ?

[Anonymous]

Just had to pay another huge amount for next year's Cadimage subscription. That, coupled with the Australian Select pay hike has really soured my relationship with Archicad Australia (Central Innovation). I do not think I will continue subscribing next year.

[Pato99]

Hey folks,

Sorry I dropped the ball on this one.. I didn't get notices of the replies.

I just wanted to confirm I have canceled our subscriptions and I'm sticking with 20. I had received a 21 Beta licence which I tried out and wasn't that excited about it. They didn't really seem to care, I had 2 phone calls demanding payment before x date then after that it was just cancelled and I haven't heard from them since.

If I had seen better integration with other software or improvements in cameras/rendering/exports or improvements on windows & doors (infill panels like we've been asking for for 10 years) then I might have stuck with it. But I'v been using crappy stairs and railings for 10 years and never complained about it. I don't know how they figure this was a priority unless it's the easy way out to merge Cadimage tools with ArchiCAD and just re-brand it.

I'll keep 1 eye on whats happening, but now I have to pay 2 upgrades it'll have to be pretty spectacular.. like way better C4D integration with material node connections and proxy rendering or a live link to a gaming engine or speedtree or Rhino or solid works... I don't know something useful.