Id like to know what 3D CAD software do you like better or dislike too.

lightwave 3D is good in modeling
3D studio max is good in texturing
maya is good in rendering

that's just my personal opinion.

archicad followed by 3ds max, and sometimes bryce 5.

I use a low end application named TrueSpace to do my renderings. It's strickly for artist conceptual renderings, however. Not actual designing of buildings/towers.

ive only used autocad and studiomax/viz

Revit, Cad and Vidz.

Revit, Cad and Vidz.

Can you tell me whats the major differences between revit and archicad, in case you know archicad of course.

I-deas 10 for modelling and 3d studio max for rendering

Can you tell me whats the major differences between revit and archicad, in case you know archicad of course.

Sorry, can't comment on that since I don't use Archicad.

I use Rhinoceros 3D for modeling and either that or trueSpace 5.2 for rendering.

I used to use ArchiCAD. However, I found it to be quite limiting.

In my new job I now use Microstation, which on first impressions appears to be more versatile.

i use Bentley Microstation V8 2004 edition, its the dogs bollocks. the complete package.
I used to use AutoCAD and 3D max at uni.
Microstation can even read DWG and now export PDF with the new composer, which i find very useful.
You will find that all the big companies use it, large depts with 10+ CAD users.
in the UK Balfour Beatie are select members.
Please feel free to contact me with regards to Microstation, im in Manchester UK.
I warn you that Im not an expert in 3D, its tuff to master. only big contracts require 3D rendered presentations, otherwise I just dont have time to do it for every job.
chasedwar@yahoo.com

So 3D with microstation is not an easy job to master as with archicard?

i use Bentley Microstation V8 2004 edition, its the dogs bollocks. the complete package.
I used to use AutoCAD and 3D max at uni.
Microstation can even read DWG and now export PDF with the new composer, which i find very useful.
You will find that all the big companies use it, large depts with 10+ CAD users.
in the UK Balfour Beatie are select members.
Please feel free to contact me with regards to Microstation, im in Manchester UK.
I warn you that Im not an expert in 3D, its tuff to master. only big contracts require 3D rendered presentations, otherwise I just dont have time to do it for every job.
chasedwar@yahoo.com

I use Microstation V8 as well and add-on programs such as InRoads. I'm still a bit of a novice but and only capable of doing 2D, hope I'll master 3D as well. V8 is a big improvement from the V7 version. Especially dwg-reading and paperspace addition is positive. Hope I can thow U some questions if I run into problems... ;)

Sketch up is good also and they have a free 60 day trial on their website

...

For the actual pros i would reccommend Autocad, although for a user friendly cad package go for turboCAD pro. But i personally use autocad.

I use ArchiCAD and AutoCAD... Many people might think that ArchiCAD hasn't got enough freedom in structure... but it really actually does... You just have to learn the small secrets in the program (which takes a while) and afterwards you should be able to build what you imagine... By the way... It is VERY hard to make windows for some reason... and the plans are very wierd too... But the hardest of all is making round roofs... I know you can do it... But I don't know how to...

AutoCAD, 3D Studio Max and Photoshop.. you don't need anything else...

3d studio max and photoshop

Well, I decided to go for Revit and 2 weeks after using it Im quite happy myself.

if you want good lighting effects, good textures and good fluid form generating capabilities form z it is... just don't expect to be able to make a plan or section with it very easily

AutoCAD, 3D Studio Max and Photoshop.. you don't need anything else...

thats precisely what I use, and I agree. AutoCAD is great for 3d modelling, as long as you don't have any wacky compound curves or things like that.

I'm hooked on parametric modelling now, though. I really liked Architectural Desktop, but AutoDesk discontinued it when they bought Revit. I think that was a big mistake. Revit is ok, but without really good 2d drafting ability, it's shit.

Autocad at school

For 3d I is mostly using 3dStudio Max, FormZ and Rhino. Although Im learning Maya.

Just curious. Who here thinks that Revit won't be replacing Autocad(at lease in the foreseeable future)? I know I hate it.

Just curious. Who here thinks that Revit won't be replacing Autocad(at lease in the foreseeable future)? I know I hate it.

For architecture Revit will definetly replace AutoCAD but as AUtoCAD is a true 2D software it still will be used mostly for technical work and specialities

Archicad is a shit. I don't know the rest. In Poland standard is Auto Cad Architectural with 3D studio.

I use AutoCad with Acurender.

Here you can see some of my lastest work with Revit which I have started to use 2 weeks ago:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/MCarr/hf3.gif

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/MCarr/hf1.gif

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/MCarr/hf2.gif

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/MCarr/pes2.gif

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/MCarr/pes1.gif

Here you can se my last works in Acurender. It is only pugin for AutoCad :)
http://100tka.net/~dziki/other2/acurender.jpg

Very nice work, but on my side from the same unique file I took my renderings I also took all plans, elevations, sections and construction details ready to get all the permits from the city hall and to give the blueprints to the enginner and constructor, just from a click on the mouse.

Heh on this point we are fare behind you. Even if we have super hipper CAD tool it’s just impossible to get anything from the city hall even if you rare clicking the city hall doors by hummer hehe. But to your knowledge basic AutoCAD although aloud you to share your project with constructors and instalators without fiscal contact.

I tend to use 3d stuff as an ongoing design tool rather than producing the really polished final result for planning etc. For that it tends to be more time & cost effective to go to an external specialist. I don't therefore really have anything that shiny to show for that reason but... in the spirit of sharing, the following were produced on AutoCAD / 3DMax / Photoshop for the early stages of an office project on the edge of Barcelona. It's the first time I'd used the 3d model to actually generate the elevation illustrations, which was a bit of an experiment.

http://www.ed-daines.com/tempimages/view3.jpg
http://www.ed-daines.com/tempimages/elev-sefinal-sm.jpg

as was brought up by the previous post, alot has to do with what your goals are... if you are trying to actually DESIGN something, and work on how the building works and such...one program might make alot more sense than another... whereas if you are just looking to get all of your working drawings out of a single model another program might be good...but from my experience those programs often times tend to restrict people in terms of actual design

Dziki rex did you really make this?? Very impressive. Anyway if we're talking about the software I like 3DSMAX3... and trueSPACE.

Since there's sharing going on, here's a few I've done. Using TrueSpace3, and Photoshop. I don't architecturally design buildings. Just model and render them.
http://bricks.labattracks.net/kiwanis/temp2/ST/SapphireTower3.jpg
http://bricks.labattracks.net/kiwanis/temp2/ST/SapphireTower2.jpg
A different building
http://bricks.labattracks.net/kiwanis/temp2/Ed-764-Yonge-01.jpg
http://bricks.labattracks.net/kiwanis/temp2/764-Yonge-Day3.jpg


So some of you guys use regular 3D applications for actually designing? I had no idea that could be done. Always assumed you needed very specialized software to do that.

^That looks very nicely done, Cassius.