Filed under: Software, Mac Pro
ArchiCAD 12: Multi-core architectural powerhouse
In addition to divvying up those rendering duties to all 8 cores on your Mac Pro, ArchiCAD 12 has a slew of new features including:
- A new tool for designing and documenting curtain wall systems
- Partial structure display for sharing design info with engineers
- Enhancements in the StairMaker tool
- New fill management capability and translucent fills
- 3D "Nudge" feature for moving elements
- Align and distribute elements along a path or in a pattern
Thanks to Michael for the tip!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Brandon Martinez said 4:43PM on 6-17-2008
If I remember correctly, don't they have a *free* student version? Of course, not meant for commercial use, but it should be good for any personal projects.
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Alex said 6:30PM on 6-17-2008
Well, this is indeed good news, but it's still no AutoCAD or Revit.
Autodesk needs to realize the insane potential market they have in the Mac community. There is already Maya and several other Mac apps that they offer (although, to be fair, Autodesk bought those most software companies that already had Mac products).
The day I read news of more Autodesk products (the big ones, 3ds Max, AutoCAD and Revit) coming to OS X will be a good day, for sure.
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Wojtek Kowalewski said 7:28AM on 6-18-2008
Have you (or anyone) used Revit with parallel desktop? just wondering if it is a possibility or worth it. At work I'm on a PC platform with Revit and AutoCAD, but use a mac at home.
Jim said 11:16AM on 6-18-2008
and I thank the WORLD for that. Autocad is a garbage, has been for years, and people need to WAKE UP to the fact that you might be better served taking the initial hickups from moving to a better program like ArchiCAD or Vectorworks (which might I add are cross platform) than begging that some feature thats been part of those programs for years be added. Autocad is the Quark of the engineering world. Dump it like a bad habit.
JayC said 7:20PM on 6-17-2008
Archicad BLOWS Autocad away. I've used it for 7 years. It's great for 3d. glad they still have a strong platform on the Mac.
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Alex said 12:49PM on 6-18-2008
I had a professor last year who absolutely swore by ArchiCAD. Even the most simple tasks which we would do in SketchUp (basic rectilinear assignments, nothing too complicated) would warrant a "Oh, well in ArchiCAD you can do this and this and this." Don't get me wrong, I'm all for BIM software packages (I'm fluent in Revit), and I can learn new software packages relatively fast (I don't sleep very well, which actually gives me tons of time to mess around with new software), but ArchiCAD just doesn't seem (or didn't, at the time... but maybe I was just pissed off from too many all nighters in a row?) to be as good as Revit.
And while this isn't necessarily architecture-related, I would love me some 3ds Max on OS X.
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valthewu said 3:55PM on 6-30-2008
i've seen rhino coming to the mac, i will see max sooner or later.
with autocad it will be a long time, sorry about them. maybe revit will jump in. and autoad will be history :-)
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willard said 4:04PM on 8-13-2008
There has never been competition between revit and Archicad, revit was designed and developed then sold off to autodesk because autodesk didn't have the ability to design a solution with they prove over and over, they just buy a quick fix. Thus if you look into the history of Archicad you will see the foundations for the revolution that we are apart of. Archicad 12 is a far superior product, though as do most things, it takes time to learn, and become an expert. I guarantee even with all the supporters of revit and Archicad there are about 99.9% of them who do understand the principals by which we can change our environment. Archicad and other BIM software is just a viewer into a completely different way things will operate. Archicd 12 is the answer. The only reason people use Autocad is because it's so easily "cracked" and shared. People are greedy and cheap, thus the proliferation of inferior software. There is nothing that I can't do in Archicad 5x faster than the competition with AC 12, and with less staff, less overhead. Personally i have mixed feelings about Graphisoft's popularity. First I am happy that no one knows how to use Archicad it mean I get more money to do things faster and better because there are less of me's around. Second not everyone wants to own a Porsche but some do, it might cost more initially, but if I can get from a to b faster, and looking sharper than the generic x car then I would and will always chose the shortest most efficient and proven method.
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