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How good is Vectorworks modelling?


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I find the 3D design and modeling the easiest route to producing the most detailed 2D drawings (plans, elevations and sections) and 3D presentation drawings. The productivity and results of a VW 3D work flow, from design trough CD's, are vastly superior to a 2D work flow. When I see folks on this forum say otherwise, it makes me suspect that they have not mastered the skills to do it. Once the flow of working in 3D is achieved, it is like riding a bike, you no longer think about balancing, you just think about where you are going and enjoy the ride. In this way, I generally find VW 3D design and modeling a pleasure to use.

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Interesting: Can you show us some examples of your work?

I used to use Vectorworks for modelling interiors but I always kept the 2D and 3D files separate purely because of file sizes and time delays. A complex 3D file is generally slower to respond. In particular I find that the tools for getting hold of a 3D model and rotating it around at various angles in real time is not possible as it is with 'proper' modelling packages. Maybe things have changed with 2010?

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The productivity and results of a VW 3D work flow, from design trough CD's, are vastly superior to a 2D work flow. When I see folks on this forum say otherwise, it makes me suspect that they have not mastered the skills to do it.

Jonathan, before passing judgement on people's skills, perhaps when you've run a number of multi-storey projects with an active team of 4 or more, you can then come and tell us what you think about this vast superiority you talk of.

VW 3D does of course require a different skillset, but this is more about working out how to spend one's time while waiting for a WGRs to update or mastering one's frustrations at the drudgery of needing to manually model the likes of windows, etc. because the tool is not fit for purpose.

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I've said this in another thread, but I have been using Cinema 4D for a few years and love it! I am pretty certain that I can model anything that one can achieve using Solidworks or VW. But C4D is a tool used for approximation and render of final designs, not for the informational accuracy needed for architects or engineers for production.

I would love if VW would consider incorporating the C4D engine so that it is both more stable and possesses many of the 3D capabilities native to C4D. Heck, that would be an awesome marriage! :)

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Jonathan, before passing judgement on people's skills, perhaps when you've run a number of multi-storey projects with an active team of 4 or more, you can then come and tell us what you think about this vast superiority you talk of.

Are you saying that you do not think that there are firms already doing this? Look at the project examples on the NNA website.

VW 3D does of course require a different skillset, but this is more about working out how to spend one's time while waiting for a WGRs to update or mastering one's frustrations at the drudgery of needing to manually model the likes of windows, etc. because the tool is not fit for purpose.

Sorry, Christiaan, but what you describe has not been my experience of a VW 3D work flow. Have you personally designed, modeled, presented, and documented even a small project with a 3D work flow in VW?

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Are you saying that you do not think that there are firms already doing this? Look at the project examples on the NNA website.

I'm not saying it's not doable. We just find it tedious and uneconomic. We're not interested in the workgroup referencing required to work on a model in teams and we're certainly not interested in manually modelling standard building items such as windows (amongst a myriad other issues).

Have you personally designed, modeled, presented, and documented even a small project with a 3D work flow in VW?

Indeed I have and I was the only one working on it. I certainly enjoy the principle of working in 3D rather than 2D.

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At the end of the day Jonathan, I guess my beefs with VW really come down to one thing: a certain lack of respect for the details of automation.

A prime example is the titleblock revision system which not only doesn?t let the user customise the lettering/numbering system but doesn?t allow the user to skip I and O, etc. We just shouldn?t be expected to put up with this sort of thing. Moving to automation should not mean loss of capability or more work for the user (by definition!). But this is often the case with VW.

I sometimes wonder if it?s analogous to the difference between GNU/Linux and Mac OS X interface design. Both are well engineered products but only one sweats the details.

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