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8.5 is great


pfschuyler

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I just upgraded to 8.5 after holding off for a long time with upgrades, and using FormZ on and off since the mid 90's.  FormZ is now officially amazing and I think this represents a milestone release.  All the recent additions make a substantial contribution and at this point its pretty stunning overall.  Congrats for a job well done.

 

My only hopes for future development would be these:

  • Invest heavily in improved stability.
  • Keep developing Layout, just a bit more.  I'm finally impressed that with 8.5 you can finally do drawing sets pretty efficiently with reasonable speed and stability.  Its much better than 7.0  I know that some long time FormZ users want to ignore the development of Layout in favor of more modeling tools but I think this would be a huge mistake.  By giving users no major reason to go to other software (i.e. CAD, Vray), you'll increase your user base and your revenue.  That will allow you to spend more on stability improvements and also other improvements, with a larger base of feedback.  Its amazing to me that such an inferior modeler like Sketchup has a much larger user base than FormZ.  As an Architect I don't want or need CAD.  I just need a companion to FormZ's stunning modeling tools that would allow for great & precise presentations without resorting to another platform.  Layout doesn't need to be a cad program, with a zillion 2d features, it already has almost everything that's really needed.  My only request for improvement would be to make it more visually compelling.  Look up "Nick Sonder Workflow for Construction Documentation" in YouTube and you'll see what's possible with Sketchup's Layout and some ingenuity.  This should be possible with FormZ, too with some future developments.  Simple 2d Linework drawings are the basics of technical drawings but in some ways that's a throwback to the past and the days of mylar and blueprints.  Although the new Layout improvements are the essential basics for technical drawings...and greatly appreciated, FormZ doesn't have to follow that black and white, vector-only model forever.  In some respects FormZ's Layout is well ahead of Sketchup's Layout with true sections and clipping planes.  But Sketchup's layout is more visually compelling with the view styles and scrapbook collections, and its largely the reason Architects use it.  All that's needed for FormZ now is to bring in the great visual information that's already there on the FormZ modeling side, live into the FormZ Layout viewports.  
  • Finally, I don't know if there is a way to draw 2d lines via metes and bounds entry, but that would be another easy and useful addition to avoid having to use any CAD at all.

But regardless, at this point I just might make FormZ my sole design tool.  Thanks for years in the making of the ultimate design tool!

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Hi PF,

 

Great, good to hear that you are liking the latest release!

 

Yes, we will continue to improve stability and Layout.  If you have any issues, please email details to support@formz.com so we can make sure they are addressed.

 

Thanks also for your Layout "styles" suggestion, we will consider this for the future. ;)

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