Tag Archives: SketchUP

Seems you CAN get some CADisfaction! SketchUp scores top marks in G2 report.

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So this post is a little overdue (from a posting early this year), but worth re-posting especially as AutoCAD celebrates its 32nd birthday (and the launch of 2016 version). Yes, The Factory is still adding “new” features to AutoCAD 32 years later. Amazingly! In the first Grid℠ report for CAD software, published by business software review site G2 Crowd, they rank eight products to help purchasers in their selections. Although AutoCAD came out tops overall (with a G2 score of 88), humble Trimble SketchUp came second (80). However, at AU$4150 thats a hefty $3300 you need to spend to get 8 more points (Trimble SketchUp Pro being AU$790). But in terms of satisfaction rating, SketchUp tied with 94 points, blitzing both 3DS Max Design (39) and Bentley MicroStation (21).

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The Grid℠, which is created from G2 Crowd’s industry-leading software review platform, factors in customer satisfaction reported by users and vendor market presence determined from social and public data to rank products. Click any of the results below to read the full report.

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BIMRendering? What is Maxwell Render?

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Maxwell Render is a standalone render engine for making perfect images, films and animations from 3D models. It is the complete solution for anyone who demands immaculate results on a deadline.

Maxwell Render offers maximum quality, speed, and compatibility for architects, designers and visual effects artists.

 UPDATED. Attend a Maxwell Webinar 

 
      
 
Want to make photo-quality renders of your Revit scenes? In this free webinar, Next Limit plugin developer Mihnea Balta will take you through the workflow rendering Revit scenes with Maxwell Render. 
 
 
We’ll cover installation, setup, handling Revit materials and MXM materials, lights, grass, and exporting with Maxwell Studio and 3DS Max.
 
 
When: Thursday, April 18, 2013 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM PDT
 
Use the link below to reserve your Webinar seat.
 

Revit

  • Compatibility: Revit 2012 and 2013 (any edition) Revit LT not supported
  • Support for Revit lights, including IES
  • Support for many built-in Revit materials
  • Ability to override scene materials with MXM files
  • Maxwell Grass
  • Multilight read back: changes made to lights in Multilight can be imported back into the Revit scene
  • Easy access to the Maxwell material library and gallery from inside the Revit UI

Download:
Existing clients access: Client Gateway
Not a client or don’t have gateway login: Demo Version

ArchiCAD
  • Compatibility: AC14-AC16 Windows 32 and 64 bits, OSX (we have dropped AC12 compatibility after 2.6.1 and AC13 compatibility after 2.7.2)
  • Complex scene export from ArchiCAD to Maxwell
  • Maxwell Render panel to adjust Maxwell specific parameters
  • Maxwell Physical Sky, IBL environment, sun and all the other Maxwell Sky parameters inside ArchiCAD
  • Automatic and semi-automatic material conversion
  • Maxwell MXM materials inside ArchiCAD (as referenced materials)
  • Maxwell material preview inside the Material Settings dialog
  • Maxwell Grass
  • Maxwell FIRE (Maxwell Interactive Renderer within ArchiCAD)
  • Supports referencing external MXS files containing geometry and materials
  • Automatic animation export from ArchiCAD (Sun Study… and Fly -Through…)

Download:
Existing clients access: Client Gateway
Not a client or don’t have gateway login: Demo Version

MicroStation
  • Compatibility: Microstation V8i SELECTseries 2, Windows 32 and 64 bits.
  • Maxwell Render plugin for MicroStation performs direct geometry and materials export from MicroStation to Maxwell Render MXS scene and optionally to MXM material files.
  • MXM material files can be reused by subsequent exports which will refer to the MXM files in the cache folder, rather than re-translate.
  • Large parts of the plugin’s user interface intentionally mimic their counterparts in Maxwell Studio and convey the same functionality. This addresses Maxwell Render functionality which is not present on the MicroStation side.
  • Different plugin settings can be stored in the same DGN file, for different purposes. They can also be exported and imported.
  • All plugin options have balloon help pop-ups, and for the most part are self-explanatory.

Download:
Existing clients access: Client Gateway
Not a client or don’t have gateway login: Demo Version

SketchUp Pro Plugin
  • Compatibility: SketchUp Pro 6,7,8 for Windows 32 and 64 bits, OSX (Intel)
  • Provided for free with a Maxwell Render Suite license.
  • Scene Manager provides an easy-to-use tabbed interface.
  • Includes unique interactive wizard-style material editor.
  • Material model provides Embedded and MXM-Linked modes.
  • Provides interactive camera tools, and auto-focus function.
  • Implements custom automatic ground-plane feature.
  • Extensive use of instances reduces memory requirements.
  • Includes a very high performance C++ -based MXS Exporter

Download:
Existing clients access: Client Gateway
Not a client or don’t have gateway login: Demo Version