What vadd on module is best for me? Architect or Designer [newbie again]

[Pixel Painter]

Hi Vectorworks

I am a relative newbie to VW, I have been using it for 2D drafting for about 4 or 5 years now, and have just upgraded to Fundamentals 2012...

I am an architect by profession, but given the recent global upheaval in world markets in my spare time I have begun to diversify into product design, and dabbling a little with automotive design.

So I hope to begin to learn how to model in 3D in Vectorworks, being already proficient in Sketchup, I hope the transition is not too difficult!!

The question I have is related to which plug in would suite me best, Architect, or Designer? I need to do a bit of both, and hopefully use VW for BIM in the future.

I do not know if designer contains all of the bits from Architect, or if I would need to buy both?

Any ideas or guidance gratefully received.

[ray isaacs]

if you "side grade" (as they call it) to "designer", you will get all of the features of all versions of vw. i started with "landmark", then discovered that a few features of "architect" would be useful. consequently, i upgraded to "designer". when you say that you need to do a bit of both, what do you mean? i think that "architect" should cover all of the basic 3d design capabilities needed for product design. if you need more advanced landscape capabilities or advanced lighting design, then you will want to go for "designer". in the end you only need to buy one package.

cheers,

ray

[Pixel Painter]

Thanks Ray, useful to know.

I have contacted VW in UK for a price, so see what the price difference between them is.

[Jonathan Pickup]

if you are an architect, Vectorworks Architect is a minimum. There is too much not included in Fundamentals for you to work effectively.

[Pixel Painter]

Thanks for the comment RE Architect, yes indeed I am an architect, and conclude that you are right, the plug in is required. I am just waiting for some prices to come through on both designer and architect modules... does anyone have a ballpark figure in the meantime?

By the way, I just bought one of your 3D manuals for 2012 Jonathan! I never thought I would get a message from the author.

Have you produced any guides on organic modelling? [Hoping to medel a RC car body shell in VWX 2012...]

[IanH]

Ballpark, iirc that fundamentals to designer is about 2 to 2 1/2 x the difference of fundamentals to a single module. Some modules are more expensive than others but you wanted ball park.

You also need to factor in cost of upgrades / VSS. The designer upgrade is more than single module upgrade cost. Assume it's similar with VSS.

So assume that fundamentals is ?1000 and architect is ?1600 (+?600) then designer is ?2200-2500 (+?1200 - +?1500). Figures for illustration only and not based on any actual pricing.

Also, historically (pre VSS) best time to buy/upgrade is early Sept when new version of VW has historically been released. Whether it is the case now that VSS is around, but you use to be able to upgrade every 2 years in early Sept for price of a single years upgrade as purchases (including upgrades) made in few weeks prior to new version being announced came with free upgrade to next version. However, with VSS, this loophole may have changed. Your dealer will have full details if/when this window opens.

[IanH]

With the boards recent spam attack resulting in a highly disjointed chronology of posts, just wanted to check that OP got the info they were looking for.

[Pixel Painter]

Hi Ian, great info, just what I was looking for. thanks for taking the time to respond.