Real-time software/plugin visualization for Archicad macOS

[Jose Gradoli]

Hi

I'm looking for some plugin/software for complement my visualization work with Archicad in macOS. For still images and some time spent with the cinerender config I can get some good looking renders. But it's no realtime and is not useful to show or send to my clients.

For some years I'm using Twinmotion which is available in macOS and the connection with Archicad is very good. Year by year it's getting better and it has a lot of features for show and explain my projects to my clients but there's a critical feature not available on macOS: Path Tracer. While Archicad 3D is good looking, his Global Illumination an reflections are very unpleasant.

So, ¿which options I have besides Twinmotion?. I have a list of plugins / apps / gpu renderers but they have almost the same problem: don't have a macOS Archicad Plugin. For example:

Octane X: They have a very good soft compatible with arm macs but they don't have an Archicad macOS plugin.

Enscape: They released a very good looking plugin for sketchup macOS but there's no date release for a supossed macOS plugin

RedShift: I don't know much about this soft. I thought it was like octane which have a real-time visualization window but I think the Archicad implementation is only an alternative to cinerender.

So, ¿Do you know some real-time soft with a good IG/Reflectios or it's better wait for enscape plugin, octane x plugin or the Unreal 5 engine implementation for Twinmotion?

[Emre Senoglu]

I would suggest you to stick with Twinmotion, build your scenes, set up your views, then rent a PC for solely rendering the images with pathtracer. I've previously used iRender for this, and it works perfectly fine. And unless you're doing long videos, it doesn't cost that much either (3-4$ per hour if i recall correctly).

[Marc H]

Jason Josselsohn has some approaches you may be interested in if you are not already aware...

https://www.conceptdesignarchitect.com/

[Jose Gradoli]

Thanks foe the suggestion, I'll give a try; I've been watching some videos at iRender page and it's very interesting. Do you know if you have to install the soft - Twinmotion - each time you run the virtual pc?

[Jose Gradoli]

They have some stunning images/renders but the approach is not what I'm looking for. I don't want to post-process any image and I don't want to use a third app (photoshop, Pixelmator, affinity..) to finish the production of each render.

[Emre Senoglu · Accepted solution]

No you only install once. Then, as long as you use your account regularly, your partition is kept on their servers. You have to upload/download project files each time, however this has become easier now with their cloud drive app - works similar to any other cloud storage service. You can upload the project files onto the drive before you start, and then then you boot the remote PC, you will already have the project files ready.

You can ask for trial credits to try it out. I remember asking for 2 hours worth of credit to test it out and they were kind enough to help. The only negative for me has been the minimum pay limit (for recharging credits) which is 50$.

[Nathan Hildebrandt]

I have got connections at Enscape. Yes, they are still working on Enscape for Mac. I haven't been advised of the timing of when they will have that ready. But if you sign up to their mailing list they will advise when Beta Testing for Archicad will be available. https://enscape3d.com/enscape-for-mac/

[Jose Gradoli]

Thanks I'll give a try with the trial credits.

[Jose Gradoli]

I was enrolled in the enscape/sketchup beta plugin and tested it myself in a mpb m1pro. It worked very well but there is no estimation with the release of the Archicad Mac plugin, not even an alpha/beta test. Like octane-x, seems there is no interest in develop software for Archicad macOS

[Nathan Hildebrandt]

Enscape is keen to get it done. Maybe they are having similar challenges to Graphisoft in being able to develop the software to work on the latest macOS???