ArchiCAD 18 announced

[Laszlo Nagy]

Find the official announcement and new features at:

http://www.graphisoft.com/archicad/archicad-18/overview/

[Anonymous]

The big problem I have found is that there are undocumented changes as well that actually decrease workflow.... and example being the context menus failing to default on the last operation and requiring 2 or 3 clicks where previously 1 did it.

Yes I agree with this point. The simple things can get neglected too. I would like to know about these small productivity changes that appear to get obscured by the big new features. That I guess is all part and parcel of being a commercial CAD software product.

We all appear to like the new render engine as it will save time if we do not need to produce high end renders for basic 3d feedback and if we do we still have the tools.

I would like some more detailed information on the constraints if the videos do not cover it
properly.

[Anonymous]

In terms of surfaces, does the Maxon Cinema 4D use a procedural algorithm? The Rendering Theme Clip video seems to illustrate an updated graphisoft library, which is based upon various bit-mapped images.

While LightWorks is a bit clunky to navigate, I do like the ability to create surfaces based upon a procedural algorithm for Colour Shaders, which avoids the repetitive, wallpaper affect of bit-mapped based surfaces.

Regards,

Joe

[Laszlo Nagy]

Bricklyne wrote:
Still haven't a clue what the whole BIMCloud thing was all about, but I suppose it's not that big a new feature if it's not being featured in these videos.

As far as I know BIMCloud is actually quite a big new product.
I got information from Graphisoft that detailed information and feature clips on it will be published in June along with the release of the new version.

[Anonymous]

We are quite excited with the release of AC 18. Like others we wish it would do this or that, but having a new rendering engine and better PDF management is good news. Like others hoping the little things that are not mentioned will be cool too!

[Bricklyne Clarence]

laszlonagy wrote:

Bricklyne wrote:
Still haven't a clue what the whole BIMCloud thing was all about, but I suppose it's not that big a new feature if it's not being featured in these videos.

As far as I know BIMCloud is actually quite a big new product.
I got information from Graphisoft that detailed information and feature clips on it will be published in June along with the release of the new version.

That's good to know.
Just as it will be good to know more about it when they do publish that information.

I'm assuming from this staggered announcement then, that it's not integrated into ArchiCAD proper, but rather is a supplementary product (much like Ecodesigner Star or something like that) that is purchased separately or as a separate license to run alongside ArchiCAD or within the ArchiCAD environment?

[Eduardo Rolon]

Bricklyne wrote:
…
I'm assuming from this staggered announcement then, that it's not integrated into ArchiCAD proper, but rather is a supplementary product (much like Ecodesigner Star or something like that) that is purchased separately or as a separate license to run alongside ArchiCAD or within the ArchiCAD environment?

That's basically it.

[Nando Mogollon]

jfa_ra wrote:
In terms of surfaces, does the Maxon Cinema 4D use a procedural algorithm?

Yes!, and I agree, that is much better than the repetitive bitmap.

Regards

[Bricklyne Clarence]

NandoMogollon wrote:

jfa_ra wrote:
In terms of surfaces, does the Maxon Cinema 4D use a procedural algorithm?

Yes!, and I agree, that is much better than the repetitive bitmap.

Regards

Cinema4D does, but there's a real question as to whether the C4D Render engine integrated into ArchiCAD will as well, and if it does, how that will work with ArchiCAD's OpenGL 3D window display engine to allow users to see how the textures work in the 3D window before rendering or without doing a preview render.

In fact I guess the bigger question would be to what extent the Cinerender engine works and coordinates with the OpenGL to facilitate tasks in the 3D window like texture resizing and placement (the current method is incredibly clunky - certainly outside of Morphs) and also how fluid the integration of imported materials (from the web or C4D proper) will be with OpenGL.

I guess most of the questions will be answered in a couple of weeks but from the looks of the demo videos, it seems like a yes on the question of the procedural textures (or some procedural texturing) but still no clarity on the other questions.

[Eduardo Rolon]

Quick previews are quick 😉 Cinerender works in the background using as many cores as it can.

[Stress Co_]

laszlonagy wrote:

Bricklyne wrote:
Still haven't a clue what the whole BIMCloud thing was all about, but I suppose it's not that big a new feature if it's not being featured in these videos.

As far as I know BIMCloud is actually quite a big new product.
I got information from Graphisoft that detailed information and feature clips on it will be published in June along with the release of the new version.

Can we assume it will simplify creating a WAN?
i.e., no need for a stand alone BIM server computer, a qualified domain name or static IP address?