what's new webinar

[bbuxton]

A link to the what's new webinar recording would be nice.

[¢hris £und]

I imagine they are going to do a little touchup editing to it before they post it.  "If you want it perfect, make it perfect", editing is that opportunity.

 

¢£

[CJTFORM-Z]

It would be good to see asap in any flavour 👍

In the meantime, I didn't see many comments on the webinar on this forum, or have I missed that dsicussion link ?

[Tech]

18 hours ago, Chris lund said:

I imagine they are going to do a little touchup editing to it before they post it.  "If you want it perfect, make it perfect", editing is that opportunity.

 

We had some technical issues with the recording plus we are cleaning up some rough edges (and prepping for this weeks webinar!). Please be patient, its coming but as these views tend to have a long shelf life so we want to get it right.

[malcineurope]

Not so much a webinar on what's new but more of a question and answer session. Oh and don't think you will learn anything about Draft or Layout! Not one of AutodesSys's better performances.😣

[¢hris £und]

Draft Layout is probably best as it's own subject any way.

[CJTFORM-Z]

On 3/6/2020 at 9:04 PM, malcineurope said:

Not so much a webinar on what's new but more of a question and answer session. Oh and don't think you will learn anything about Draft or Layout! Not one of AutodesSys's better performances.😣

Hi Malcineurope,

It suggests you watched the 'whats-new' Form Z ver-9.0 webinar ? As a potential new user, I must say it sounds disappointing. As little traffic about this webinar on this forum & reading between the lines, it appears to be so, perhaps that’s’ why its’ not on their YOUTUBE website yet, even with the editing ?

It might be better, in my opinion, to just do a set of shorter YOUTUBE videos covering the main items ?

I’d love to see some enthusiastic up to date YOUTUBE videos for Form Z ver-9.0, just like the ones done by Matthew Holewinski. I watched again the Form Z-free YOUTUBE video the other day & am still amazed what this basic version can do.

What’s that saying again…………’ALL THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT’…..🙄

[Shibui Design]

CJTFORM-Z, if you are sincerely interested in adopting FormZ in your 3D design modeling workflow, I strongly encourage you to do so without delay. You will continue to be impressed with the robust modeling features combined with the ability to quickly explore 3d forms and space. It is a very fluid and flexible design program and far exceeds the toolsets in many competing programs. In my opinion, version 9 is not a perfect execution; it still has bugs to sort out. Many of us longterm users are also disappointed in lack of development from v8.6 to 9. Yes, there have been improvements that benefit day-to-day productivity. Matthew Holewinski's old youtube videos are probably the best and most comprehensive training resources out there. Evan Troxel has also produced some good training materials. Autodessys could put more effort into marketing and training materials, but I assure you will not be disappointed if you give FormZ a try.

[Des]

20 minutes ago, Shibui Design said:

CJTFORM-Z, if you are sincerely interested in adopting FormZ in your 3D design modeling workflow, I strongly encourage you to do so without delay. You will continue to be impressed with the robust modeling features combined with the ability to quickly explore 3d forms and space. It is a very fluid and flexible design program and far exceeds the toolsets in many competing programs. In my opinion, version 9 is not a perfect execution; it still has bugs to sort out. Many of us longterm users are also disappointed in lack of development from v8.6 to 9. Yes, there have been improvements that benefit day-to-day productivity. Matthew Holewinski's old youtube videos are probably the best and most comprehensive training resources out there. Evan Troxel has also produced some good training materials. Autodessys could put more effort into marketing and training materials, but I assure you will not be disappointed if you give FormZ a try.

Agreed..

[allanjl]

1 hour ago, Shibui Design said:

CJTFORM-Z, if you are sincerely interested in adopting FormZ in your 3D design modeling workflow, I strongly encourage you to do so without delay. You will continue to be impressed with the robust modeling features combined with the ability to quickly explore 3d forms and space. It is a very fluid and flexible design program and far exceeds the toolsets in many competing programs. In my opinion, version 9 is not a perfect execution; it still has bugs to sort out. Many of us longterm users are also disappointed in lack of development from v8.6 to 9. Yes, there have been improvements that benefit day-to-day productivity. Matthew Holewinski's old youtube videos are probably the best and most comprehensive training resources out there. Evan Troxel has also produced some good training materials. Autodessys could put more effort into marketing and training materials, but I assure you will not be disappointed if you give FormZ a try.

Absolutely right.

[Alan Cooper]

Can the topic title be changed? I clicked hoping to watch a what's new webinar.

[malcineurope]

CJTForm-Z. I was very disappointed in the webinar but not in FormZ. I think it is the best modelling program around for creative work. I do have problems with going from the model to construction drawings and am disappointed in Layout. However, as an owner of Rhino and Bricscad I still prefer to do all my modelling in FormZ. Give it a try!

[¢hris £und]

Hopefully they will come out with a webinar for Draft/Layout, at least at that point we can understand their vision for it, and use that as a starting point to convey the users visions for it back to ADS.

 

¢£

Edited March 15, 2020 by Chris lund

[AsOne]

Depends on the User I think.  Some with simple projects may find Layout useful and it seems worthwhile for ADS to work to improve it.  Others with more robust needs will always need another program.  I work in Architecture and it would be difficult to produce a full set of technical production documents in Layout.  However, Layout has really helped improve my export of data to Vectorworks (where I produce my production documents).  I know can export plans, sections, elevations to Vectorworks via DWG in one pass.  It's been a massive improvement.  If we can get Imager improved or at least stable - it would help with image file export, which I use for elevation/section/sometimes plan backgrounds behind the linework.

What is the Draft aspect?  Is this a mode for 2D drawing?

malcineurope:  How is working in Rhino compared to FormZ?  In terms of modeling power, versatility, speed?  Most of my students a school use it.  It looks powerful, much more advanced than SketchUp, but slow.

[malcineurope]

AsOne. I bought Rhino as I needed it as a mesher for Flac a geotechnical program I use. For that it had to reside on my Windows machine and, as I use a Mac for most of my work, I did not use i for anything else. Indeed, I created my models in FormZ and then opened them in Rhino to mesh. Your question prompted me to transfer it to my mac and play with it. It is a surface modeller, whereas I like FormZ being a solid modeller. However, it is very powerful and the learning resources are very good. At first glance the Layout procedure and drawing production is better than FormZ but I will report further on that once I have examined it further. Drawing production is the biggest drawback for me with FormZ.

[Hugo]

Yesterday I started to discover BricsCAD, and I have to say, it looks good. Their approach to get a BIM model is what I like compared to what Revit, Archicad, Vectorworks, etc. doing, because modeling is prior to a database with codes and it is working with Grasshopper as well.
Maybe I will get myself a 30 day trial version. 😊

I also feel there is not much of development or news about FormZ. Since my last bugs upload to the def team, I think the latest version is poor. All the bugs and more are still in it, not solved at all. Unfortunately!

This is my motivation to seek for serious alternatives.
 

 

[Alan Cooper]

Noted

Edited July 29, 2020 by Alan Cooper
changed my mind

[snow]

4 hours ago, Hugo said:

Yesterday I started to discover BricsCAD, and I have to say, it looks good. Their approach to get a BIM model is what I like compared to what Revit, Archicad, Vectorworks, etc. doing, because modeling is prior to a database with codes and it is working with Grasshopper as well.
Maybe I will get myself a 30 day trial version. 😊

looks like it's available on mac and windows too... 

[CJTFORM-Z]

On 3/15/2020 at 10:42 PM, ¢hris £und said:

Hopefully they will come out with a webinar for Draft/Layout, at least at that point we can understand their vision for it, and use that as a starting point to convey the users visions for it back to ADS.

 

¢£

To all,
O.k. back again to see if there are any Form-Z Draft/Layout YOUTUBE videos or even any new videos for Form-Z per-se ! I did have a quick search, but nothing to be found....grrrr. Either I'm hopeless at searching or F-Z HQ just don't seem to understand how to market themselves.  

I'm an architectural consultant in the UK & currently use DataCAD & SU-Pro 2020 classic licence (perpetual). However, as SU HQ are ceasing the perpetual licence, I & many others will not be moving over to the subscription plan at more than double the cost each year. I guess my SU version will keep running for many years, however, as FZ seems to be the nearest 3D programme to SU, FZ is more on my radar lately. Other than that, I've also been looking at a full BIM CAD programme, this may be the considered direction.

I've been teasing myself for years on this subject, so this change by SU HQ may be the ultimate nudge to do something, however, I really need to see some new teaser FZ videos that demonstrate a typical building model, with extracted floor plans+(notes+dimensions etc), elevations & sections etc being used with FZ-Draft/Layout, which I trust is more or less the same as SU-Layout. Just like the many excellent videos below by Matthew Holewinski:- (bring him back for sure)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UslpCswTm1o

I suggested many years ago that FZ-Draft/Layout would be ideal as a stand alone product one could buy & use with all versions of FZ, including the free version. The reply back from FZ-HQ was promising, but very little talk since. 

If ever there was a time to promote FZ due to the SU licensing changes, now would be that time. 

[Alan Cooper]

53 minutes ago, CJTFORM-Z said:

To all,
O.k. back again to see if there are any Form-Z Draft/Layout YOUTUBE videos or even any new videos for Form-Z per-se ! I did have a quick search, but nothing to be found....grrrr. Either I'm hopeless at searching or F-Z HQ just don't seem to understand how to market themselves.  

I'm an architectural consultant in the UK & currently use DataCAD & SU-Pro 2020 classic licence (perpetual). However, as SU HQ are ceasing the perpetual licence, I & many others will not be moving over to the subscription plan at more than double the cost each year. I guess my SU version will keep running for many years, however, as FZ seems to be the nearest 3D programme to SU, FZ is more on my radar lately. Other than that, I've also been looking at a full BIM CAD programme, this may be the considered direction.

I've been teasing myself for years on this subject, so this change by SU HQ may be the ultimate nudge to do something, however, I really need to see some new teaser FZ videos that demonstrate a typical building model, with extracted floor plans+(notes+dimensions etc), elevations & sections etc being used with FZ-Draft/Layout, which I trust is more or less the same as SU-Layout. Just like the many excellent videos below by Matthew Holewinski:- (bring him back for sure)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UslpCswTm1o

I suggested many years ago that FZ-Draft/Layout would be ideal as a stand alone product one could buy & use with all versions of FZ, including the free version. The reply back from FZ-HQ was promising, but very little talk since. 

If ever there was a time to promote FZ due to the SU licensing changes, now would be that time. 

CJT, I am also in the UK and love FormZ and very patiently waiting for the sort of enthusiasm I would expect from the management before I upgrade to V9. It is such a great program and so sad that some of the former great highly talented staff members are no longer available. So sad to see the slow plod at the moment but I still have hope. Suggest you wait a little longer if you can and hopefully you will, in time, join in a much hoped-for revival deserved from the long term investment over all these years which has produced a solid foundation.

[CJTFORM-Z]

13 minutes ago, Alan Cooper said:

CJT, I am also in the UK and love FormZ and very patiently waiting for the sort of enthusiasm I would expect from the management before I upgrade to V9. It is such a great program and so sad that some of the former great highly talented staff members are no longer available. So sad to see the slow plod at the moment but I still have hope. Suggest you wait a little longer if you can and hopefully you will, in time, join in a much hoped-for revival deserved from the long term investment over all these years which has produced a solid foundation.

Hi Alan,

Good to talk on this subject, I guess we're all patient to a certain degree. It suggests there are investment issues as you note, I wasn’t aware of that. However, if the numbers are to be believed with SU sales, why isn’t FZ up there as well ?

Perhaps an FZ buyout is needed by a company who could make FZ be a SU-KILLER it should be. They wouldn’t have to do much initially, just some half decent marketing for a start should see some sales.

Confidence is key to any new users & that needs to be addressed with continued video tutorial support & written material etc.

[Alan Cooper]

I don't know what the position is, maybe the management are just happy to let it tick along as it is. Seems a wasted opportunity though.

[CJTFORM-Z]

4 minutes ago, Alan Cooper said:

I don't know what the position is, maybe the management are just happy to let it tick along as it is. Seems a wasted opportunity though.

It’s an odd business plan to carry on in this way if so. I just wonder how sustainable it will be to continue in this direction for much longer ?

[snow]

28 minutes ago, CJTFORM-Z said:

Perhaps an FZ buyout is needed by a company who could make FZ be a SU-KILLER it should be. They wouldn’t have to do much initially, just some half decent marketing for a start should see some sales.

This has been in my mind for some time... 

Or, at the very least, consult a marketing agency for re-branding and actually getting the formZ name out there beyond the current user base.  Gone are the days of using prestige and namesake for marketing and/or deployment.  

[Alan Cooper]

4 hours ago, CJTFORM-Z said:

It’s an odd business plan to carry on in this way if so. I just wonder how sustainable it will be to continue in this direction for much longer ?

CJT, the support at Form Z is very good and certainly dedicated. I sent a question only today and within a few hours received a detailed reply including some good news about improvements coming along in v9. So what I am suspecting, is that the small nucleus is keeping their head down, gradually improving it without taking on too many distractions, so that when they feel it is ready, they will go for it in a much bigger way. So as usual, we will need to let patience continue for the moment. Hope that helps and is some relief.