Plug-in

New PANTONE Colours for KeyShot

KeyShot Pantone

Luxion is continuing its exclusive partnership with PANTONE® to bring you their complete palette of vibrant pastel, new neon, and fabulous fashion colours right inside of KeyShot.

The new PANTONE colours are available now as part of the exclusive collection of resources in the KeyShot Content Installer. The KeyShot Content installer contains additional resources to use in building your scene and is available for both Mac and Windows installations of KeyShot.

Don’t forget – this month you can also sign up for the free webinar from PANTONE parent company, X-Rite.

Webinar: From Physical to Digital – X-Rite Material Scanning for 3D Rendering in KeyShot
Thursday, April 18th 2019 – 10:00am – 11:00 PDT (18:00 – 19:00 BST)

See the process of going from physical to digital using X-Rite material scans.

Register Here

VisualARQ 2.4 Available for Download

VisualARQ 2.4

VisualARQ 2.4 is available to download now.

This free service release includes some new features and fixes most of the issues reported by users:

  • New components in Grasshopper to create 2D Section views.
  • VisualARQ Script API: RhinoCommon compatible SDK to create, query and edit VisualARQ objects in the document.
  • Added Parameter Grasshopper Component to select document parameters.

Buy VisualARQ         Update VisualARQ

Read on for the complete list of what’s new in this update:

New features

  • VisualARQ Script API: RhinoCommon compatible SDK to create, query and edit VisualARQ objects in the document. Currently only about 30% functionality is exposed in the API.
  • Added Create Section View Grasshopper Component.
  • Added Section Options Grasshopper Components.
  • Added Parameter Grasshopper Component to select document parameters.
  • Added depth parameter in Create Section Grasshopper Component.
  • TAB key works with VisualARQ control points to lock direction.

Changes

  • Rhino 6 SR11 is now required.
  • Unattended VisualARQ installation can set license mode to “Network”.
  • Removed all videos from the context help as they may cause crashes in some computers.
  • Improved speed when computing spaces.
  • Added “Food4Rhino” link the VisualARQ main menu.
  • vaStylesImport command replace existing styles with the same name as the imported ones.
  • vaStylesImport command shows a warning when some styles couldn’t be imported.
  • Improved display speed of VisualARQ objects, up to 5x in model and 3x in layout.

Fixed bugs

  • Stairs
    • Stair control points couldn’t be selected by windows or crossing.
    • Fixed many stair slab generation issues.
    • Fixed a bug that make some step slabs disappear on balanced stair with a small radius.
    • Fixed some bugs when computing spiral stairs.
    • Fixed a bug when increasing the “Bottom Slab Thickness” in spiral stairs.
    • Fixed a bug that makes appear a hole between step and riser slabs in balanced stairs
  • IFC:
    • Fixed a bug that import doors and windows without the opening in the host wall.
    • Fixed a crash when opening some IFC files.
    • Missing objects when importing an IFC without required “Model” IfcGeometricRepresentationContext.
  • Grasshopper Components:
    • All profile creation components check that measures are valid.
    • Some document parameters were duplicated when baking objects.
    • Fixed a crash in the VisualARQ Set Property component.
  • Grasshopper Styles:
    • Doors and windows may not create the opening when there are more than one host wall.
    • Doors and windows generate an opening bigger than necessary in some cases.
  • Fixed a crash when changing a “Brep” parameter value of a Grasshopper Style.
  • Fixed an issue that make difficult to control the wall to attach to when moving doors and windows from a lateral control point.
  • Fixed a bug that make walls disappear when extending to some polysurfaces.
  • Fixed a bug when extending walls to multiple polysurfaces.
  • Section line marks weren’t correctly scaled when document units where changed.
  • Fixed a crash when opening a 3DM.
  • Flip direction context menu option is only shown in for elements.
  • License mode dialog couldn’t be canceled when license was expired.
  • Meshes were missing from 2D previews.
  • vaWall FromSolid command didn’t attach door and windows to the wall in some cases.
  • Some changed were not applied after clicking the Apply button in the curtain wall style editor.
  • Solid modifiers in beams were moved or stretched when modifying the beam control points.
  • Scale icon showed an incorrect measure in HiDPI displays.
  • Level marks were shown in an incorrect elevation on HiDPI displays.
  • Fixed scale icon blurry appearance.
  • Fixed a bug when copying roofs between document with different units.
  • Network license was not working in Rhino 5 (32-bit).
  • Fixed a bug in vaSlabSubtract command when selection non-horizontal slabs.
  • Some doors and windows were imported rotated 90º.
  • “By Parent” material was not correctly handled in some cases.
  • Fixed a crash in the vaFillet command.
  • Fixed a crash when inserting a document with VisualARQ objects as a block instance inside another document.
  • Rhino hangs when inserting a 3DM as block instance.
  • Some elements and annotations were missing when opening some documents.
  • Fixed a bug when creating a block from a column.
  • Per object display mode was ignored when printing in vector output mode.
  • Wrong realtime section color in Realistic viewports.
  • Sometimes, VisualARQ properties tabs were missing in the properties panel.
  • Fixed a bug that updates all objects when editing parameters in the style editor.
  • Fixed a crash when VisualARQ was loaded after pasting a command in the command line.
  • VisualARQ objects were not duplicated when using the Duplicate layer and objects context menu option in the layer manager.
  • Layer off in detail was ignored when printing in vector output mode.

Notes

  • File format hasn’t been changed in this release. Files saved with VisualARQ 2.4 can be opened with VisualARQ 2.3.
  • This release requires Lands Beta VIII, previous versions are not compatible and commands may not work or cause stability issues.

 

Buy VisualARQ         Update VisualARQ

April Deals: Vectorworks, Maxwell Render and More!

April Offers

April has arrived, and now is a great time to save on Vectorworks, Maxwell Render, Realflow and formZ! Check out our current offers below which are running from now until the end of April.

 

Vectorworks – Get Current with 50% OFF

Time to Get Current by upgrading to Vectorworks 2019 at a 50% discount when purchasing a year of VSS before April 30th. When upgrading Fundamentals, take advantage of an additional 50% OFF when upgrading to Architect, Landmark or Spotlight!

Eligible customers must be in the UK & Ireland only, and not currently on VSS.

Vectorworks Offer >

 

Maxwell Render – 10% OFF

Get 10% OFF when you enter APRIL10 at checkout before April 30th. Maxwell Render is a render engine for making perfect images, films and animations from 3D models. It is the complete solution for anyone who demands immaculate results on a deadline. Maxwell Render is now also available as a plugin for a wide range of modellers including Maxwell for SketchUp and Maxwell for Cinema 4D.

Maxwell Render Offer >

 

Realflow – 10% OFF

Get 10% OFF when you enter APRIL10 at checkout before April 30th. RealFlow is an industry-standard, out-of-the-box fluid simulation software. Fast and easy to use, it is compatible with all major 3D platforms, as well as Realflow for Maya and Realflow for Cinema4D.

Realflow Offer >

 

formZ – 10% OFF

Get 10% OFF when you enter APRIL10 at checkout before April 30th. formZ Pro is a general purpose 3D solids and surface modeler. Not only can you build any form you imagine with formZ, it can also ignite discoveries of forms that you may not have thought of otherwise. formZ, the 3D form synthesizer, is above all a 3D modeling program, even though it also includes drafting, rendering and animation.

formZ Offer >

Webinar: Kubity One-Click 3D Communication

Kubity Webinar

Reimagine your SketchUp and Revit workflow with Kubity.

Webinar Sign Up

Thursday, March 7th 2019 | 2 pm GMT

 

Kubity PRO is a simple plugin that takes your SketchUp models and Revit projects from the desktop to any device without compromising the original file.

Kubity automatically syncs 3D models to your phone or tablet in a single click. Imagine exploring a model onsite with push-button augmented reality, walking through a space with clients in next-gen immersive 1:1 VR, or pulling a model out of your pocket to present in big screen style in seconds.

The webinar is free and will last about one hour, including the Q&A session.

Who should attend?

Architects. Engineers. Designers. Anyone who uses 3D and is looking for cutting-edge communication tools and affordable AR/VR solutions.

Sign Up

Save on SU Podium Browser before January 1st 2019

SU Podium Browser

Podium Browser has been steadily growing over the years, and has evolved into what it is now – a time-saving resource with over 20,000 render-ready furnishings, materials, lights and more. To reflect these improvements, Podium Browser will be increasing to $79 RRP on January 1st 2019.

Save on SU Podium Browser before the end of the year!

Working with holiday spirit? A large set of Christmas assemblies, tree and winter decorations are available now!

SU Podium 1 SU Podium 2

Black Friday & Cyber Monday Deals

Cyber Monday

Tired of Black Friday queues?
Beat them all with Cyber Monday online exclusive deals!

We’ve got four big offers, something for everyone, that you won’t want to miss. Here’s what we have:

 

SketchUp

Exclusive to Monday 26th November, get 15% OFF RRP on new SketchUp Pro licenses.

Enter CYBER18SU at checkout to get the discount!

Trimble SketchUp Pro (formerly Google Sketchup Pro) is an intuitive 3D CAD software package that is both cost effective and natural to use. Built in features like Layout and third party renderers make Sketchup Pro a powerful tool.

Single licenses only, and one per purchaser only. Discount does not include the cost of maintenance and support.

Save on SketchUp >

 

Vectorworks

Exclusive to Monday 26th November, get 40% OFF RRP on new Vectorworks licenses.

Contact us now to get the discount!

Vectorworks 2019 is specialist and powerful software that is pleasantly user-friendly. It comes in five variants:

Fundamentals (the basic package, short on specialist libraries but containing all core 2D and 3D functionality)
Architect – for architecture and built environment work
Landmark – for landscape/environment design
Spotlight – for event and exhibition design
Designer – incorporates all these versions, ideal for multi-discipline practices.

If you’re looking for previz software to create unmatched experiences, you can with Vectorworks Vision, also at 40% off when purchased with a 1-year VSS membership.

Offer applies to new licenses of Vectorworks for new customers when committing to a 1-year VSS membership at full price.

Contact Us to save on Vectorworks >

 

KeyShot

Monday 26th – 30th November, get 20% OFF new KeyShot licenses.

Enter KSCYBER20 at checkout to get the discount!

KeyShot by Luxion, is a processor-driven rendering application that works equally well on Windows and Mac. It is a biased renderer meaning it accelerates rendering by estimating lighting calculations – but it does so extremely effectively. KeyShot comes as KeyShot HD or KeyShot Pro, where Pro includes a range of animation tools and additional options and features. KeyShot HD was previously limited to HD resolution but the output is now unlimited – making it even more appealing.

We’re also running 20% OFF all week long on upgrades and add-ons until November 30th! Enter KSCYBER20 at checkout to get the discount.

Offer does not apply to EDU and Maintenance products.

Save on KeyShot >

 


Starting Friday 23rd and throughout the 26th, get a huge 50% OFF RRP on Maxwell and RealFlow new licenses.

Enter CYBER18NXT at checkout to get the discount!

RealFlow is an industry-standard, out-of-the-box fluid simulation software. Fast and easy to use, it is compatible with ALL major 3D platforms.

Save on RealFlow >

Maxwell is a render engine for making perfect images, films and animations from 3D models. It is the complete solution for anyone who demands immaculate results on a deadline. Maxwell Render is also available as a plugin for a wide range of modellers including SketchUp, Rhino and Cinema 4D.

Save on Maxwell >

 

Set your reminders now to visit CAD Software Direct this Cyber Monday to save on SketchUp, Vectorworks, KeyShot, RealFlow and Maxwell.

Vectorworks 2019 Plugin for Artlantis Available Now

Artlantis Vectorworks

Abvent have developed a variety of export plugins so you can avoid using a standard exchange file format between your modeler and Artlantis, as well as the risk of losing information that method involves. The latest plugin for Vectorworks is ready to download and use right now.

Download Plugin

Artlantis allows you to use models designed with almost all of the 3D applications on the market, without losing any information! As stand-alone rendering software, Artlantis can import many commonly used 3D formats including .DXF, .DWG, .OBJ and .3DS.

Artlantis is compatible with many other 3D packages including SketchUp Pro, Rhino, and more. Click here to view Artlantis plugins.

Shaderlight 2018 Update Available Now

Shaderlight for SketchUp

We are excited to announce the release of a free update to Shaderlight 2018 that includes a number of feature enhancements that improve the usability of Shaderlight.

This update is available FREE to users with a Shaderlight 2018 license. Anyone with an earlier version can purchase an upgrade to access the full features of Shaderlight 2018.

Download the Update

Precise adjustment of environment rotation

The addition of a numeric entry field now makes it easier to get an accurate match of the lighting environment and background image between different SketchUp models.

Warning when closing during render

To prevent accidentally losing the progress of a long-running render, Shaderlight will now warn if you attempt to close the render window while a render is in progress.

Keep Shaderlight ‘Always on Top’

If you select the ‘Always on Top’ setting Shaderlight will now keep the Shaderlight window above other windows between sessions.

Upgrade or Buy Shaderlight today at CAD Software Direct.

RealFlow and Maxwell Render Summer Price Drop

Next Limit Discount

From now until August 31st 2018, we’ve got big discounts on all Next Limit products including RealFlow and Maxwell Render!

 

Maxwell Render

Maxwell Render

Maxwell Render is 3D rendering software for architects and designers. Legendary for its quality and realism, Maxwell delivers great results via a simple setup which lets you focus on the lighting.

Maxwell Render is also available as a plugin for all major modelling platforms – find yours below:

Maxwell for SketchUp, Maxwell for Rhino, Maxwell for Maya, Maxwell for 3ds Max, Maxwell for Cinema 4D, Maxwell for ArchiCAD, Maxwell for Revit,  Maxwell for formZ, Maxwell for MODO and Maxwell for Rhino Mac.

 

RealFlow

RealFlow

RealFlow is an industry-standard, out-of-the-box fluid simulation software. Fast and easy to use, it is compatible with ALL major 3D platforms. You can use RealFlow for small to large scale simulations, ocean surfaces, body dynamics and much more.

As well as a standalone renderer compatible with all major 3D platforms, RealFlow for Maya and RealFlow for Cinema 4D allow you to work directly within your modeller without breaking your workflow.

 

RealFlow | Cinema4D – 2.5.3 Patch Release

RealFlow Cinema 4D

The newest version of RealFlow | Cinema4D has been released with many bug fixes!

If you already own V2, you can update now for free.

If you haven’t discovered RealFlow yet, you can try the free 30-day trail or buy the latest version of RealFlow Cinema4D at CAD Software Direct.

In case you missed it, Next Limit have also released RealFlow Maya which is available now.

Don’t forget, we also have 20% OFF all RealFlow and Maxwell Render licenses until July 15th! Just use promo code WORLDCUP20 at checkout.