Chief Architect vs Revit in Res Work

[Richard McCarthy]

Has anybody tried Chief Architect for residential work? I just recently been referred to it by a friend about it, and it seems to be quite capable (maybe a lot more) than Revit can do.
In term of cost it's also cheaper from the look of it...

BTW, Kroke, is that you over there ? :)
http://www.chiefarchitect.com/chieftalk/showthread.php?threadid=3025

[Kroke]

Yeah, that's me...
There's a guy here in town who bought me a seat of Chief, sat on the shelf forever, he upgraded it to the latest version for me, now he wants me to use it for all his plans. This guy is a Chief wiz I guess. He wants me to use it so we can share files, work together on projects, etc.

I still have a hard time learning it in my spare time, I just want to relax and have fun in the spare time, know what I mean?

I've seen some of his plans, they really look good. I still thing their rendering department is sub par. I have learned Revit and I love it for what I do. I can't imagine using anything else as exclusive as I do with Revit, but I will give it a try so that I can roll some more funds my way.

I do have to admit I'm sorta anxious to try it, I just don't want to spend tons of time on another cad package that I won't be capitalizing on. We'll see I guess...

One thing I do know, and I'm not knocking Revit, but the foundations in Chief do own Revit all the way, I hope Revit will have something similar as them.

Have a good one...

[Richard McCarthy]

And the AUTO-FRAMING feature... I think that feature alone already made my heart beat twice as fast... haha...I mean we are using BIM aren't we? Let's make the program work a bit harder and us work a little bit less so we can have more time for our Counter Strike (don't you agree Kroke? :))
Oh I think they also have.. shock.. 8000 (!) objects in library ready to use, lots of nice patterns (with corresponding textures) that go with it. A lot of time, the lack of library in Revit just made me want to pull my hair out. Having to custom model stuff yourself really put a damper in my enthusiasm. Not to mention Revit's lack of modeling capability :(

Let's hope v8.0 comes out alright?? ;)

[hand471037]

Lack of modeling capability? I have no idea what you're talking about, if you could give some examples I'd like to hear it.

Chief Architect rocks, has some great tools within it. But it's limited to only doing houses, as well as being rather limited in general. A local Design-build firm I know here jumped from it to Revit, and has felt like the transition was a good one, for while they did have to give up some of the residential-only tools they have felt that Revit is a lot more productive in general due to the bi-directional BIM nature of the thing and the very robust schedules & ODBC export... but they are design-build, where such things are really helpful, for they were doing it not just for the plans but as a construction planning tool (they sometimes redraw the Architect's plans in Revit for that very purpose).

If all you did was house drawings, I could see where it could be the better tool over Revit. The cabinet and framing tools alone are worth it. And the price is certainly right. But it's really specialized, and so even if all I did was house drawings I still think I wouldn't use it. something I like about Revit is how flexible and capable it is (which is why I'm wondering what you mean when you say a lack of modeling capability- I've found that other than the lack of a lofting tool Revit's pretty complete when it comes to making buildings- but that's just my opinion, which again, is bound to make someone mad).

[Kroke]

Hehe, yah, cheers to that Richard.

If you want a good thread, here's one that I thought had alot of info about the product.
http://www.chiefarchitect.com/chieftalk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7819

[gregcashen]

Lack of modeling capability? I have no idea what you're talking about, if you could give some examples I'd like to hear it.

Chief Architect rocks, has some great tools within it. But it's limited to only doing houses, as well as being rather limited in general. A local Design-build firm I know here jumped from it to Revit, and has felt like the transition was a good one, for while they did have to give up some of the residential-only tools they have felt that Revit is a lot more productive in general due to the bi-directional BIM nature of the thing and the very robust schedules & ODBC export... but they are design-build, where such things are really helpful, for they were doing it not just for the plans but as a construction planning tool (they sometimes redraw the Architect's plans in Revit for that very purpose).

If all you did was house drawings, I could see where it could be the better tool over Revit. The cabinet and framing tools alone are worth it. And the price is certainly right. But it's really specialized, and so even if all I did was house drawings I still think I wouldn't use it. something I like about Revit is how flexible and capable it is (which is why I'm wondering what you mean when you say a lack of modeling capability- I've found that other than the lack of a lofting tool Revit's pretty complete when it comes to making buildings- but that's just my opinion, which again, is bound to make someone mad).

I agree with Jeffrey. I actually evaluated Chief prior to buying Revit. I thought it was a very cool tool, but it was very limited to residential work and it didn't have the same level of parametrics as Revit. I can create almost anything in Revit and I can reuse it in many different sizes, etc. Components in CA are simply 3D blocks for the most part. You cannot create anywhere near the level of parametric families as in Revit.

That said, Revit would be well-served to look into CA, as the auto-framing tools are slick, the ability to swap materials in a rendered view on the fly is very cool and the residential-specific tools are great.

[Richard McCarthy]

Lack of modeling capability? I have no idea what you're talking about, if you could give some examples I'd like to hear it.



Try this two simple test....
1. a sail
http://forums.augi.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4473&stc=1
2. a simple sofa cushion.
http://forums.augi.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4472&stc=1


Try it...I really like to see if anyone can do this in ONE GO. Not using several solid primitives to achieve this.

[gregcashen]

This was done almost a year ago and is posted elsewhere here...

[Richard McCarthy]

Wow, that Greg's crazy sail stuff is fantastic, but still the round cushion.. anyone try to make that?

But I still think that Revit really need to have more modeling tools.. I have posted in the Revit wishlist forum year ago (maybe since 4.5) about having lofting, sub-d or vertex polygonal editing. That level of modeling. Really I see those as standard in most 3D application but not here. I also like to see fillet and chamfer, bevels, etc...

Compare to Inventor (current version) Revit's modeling capability still seems far from complete...I mean no offense to anyone working in Revit, but just a general suggestion :)

[PeterJ]

Have you looked at the complex forms available in the Building Maker? Look at the conch form discussed elsewhere.

[Richard McCarthy]

I just downloaded v7.0 here still trying to find my way around.. where is the this "building maker" that everyone is talking about ? :smile:

[Phil Read]

Quick pass-

In 7 you can pick the face of the sail shape and convert to curtain wall...

Phil

[Wes Macaulay]

I'm hard-pressed to complain about Revit's modelling capabilities, even though it's probably my top wish to have new modelling tools. (Actually, my top wish is for sloping walls without having to use roofs or in-place families.)

AutoCAD can't touch it - what kind of solids can you make in AutoCAD/ADT? ArchiCAD can't touch it either.

The only apps of any signifcance that can match Revit's modelling capabilities AND be useful in creating CDs are Allplan (based on pics I've seen) and MicroStation Triforma. And those are programs with nasty quirks and steep learning curves.

I realise that surface modelling apps like Vectorworks and Rhino and whatever else can make some very cool shapes. From what I understand of surface vs. solid modelling apps (which is precious little) we need solids to get volumes which in turn gets you quantities, since surfaces can't give you that information. Revit's whole premise is based on getting qtys from the model.

[BillyGrey]

Hey Richard, those forms were created in CA?

;) Also, on the flip side, can CA do the Freedom Towers? ;)

(Excuse the defensive position, but I do res. 90% of the time, and Revit works for me. And I mean like an employee. It works. That said, we do need more families).

out

[hand471037]

Compare to Inventor (current version) Revit's modeling capability still seems far from complete...I mean no offense to anyone working in Revit, but just a general suggestion :)

Oh heck yeah, that I totally agree with. Inventor has way more complex geometry. I have certainly run into issues trying to make complex things like furniture within Revit. It can be a little tricky.

I thought that you meant that you were having issues with modeling buildings, not furniture or complex tensile structures. I too have had problems making seat cushions. I keep a copy of Blender in my back pocket, I model the stuff there, and then import it. But that's very rare, just for more organic things.

But they are really different products. Revit's really good at modeling typical buildings, and is much faster and better at it than any other 3D modeler I've ever worked with. when I went from solid modeling in AutoCAD & touch-up in Viz/Truespace to Revit my modeling time was cut by half. Also the building models can just be huge and very detailed without issue- take that same model into Max or AutoCAD and it really bogs down. Revit's really about making buildings, not 3D modeling, so I can understand that different focus. 99% of the time I'm not dealing with Tensile structures and I don't care if the furniture is anything more than an outline in plan... So you pick your battles.

And here's your cushion. Took about five minutes. It's not perfect, but I don't have time to do more. ;)

[Scott D Davis]

IMO, modeling things like furniture and seat cushions should be done in other programs....we just need those other programs to create RFA's! (Revit was never intended to be a furniture design program) Wouldn't it be nice to use Inventor to do what it does best, and build 'objects', and then do a save as RFA from Inventor, and have a Revit family with parameters built in? I could see this happening in the future...the two parametric Autodesk apps talking to each other....

[Kroke]

RIchard, I don't know what you made that cushion with, but I can tell your second image was made w/ surface modeller, Rhino 3D. Another killer app.

[Richard McCarthy]

Hey Richard, those forms were created in CA?

;) Also, on the flip side, can CA do the Freedom Towers? ;)

(Excuse the defensive position, but I do res. 90% of the time, and Revit works for me. And I mean like an employee. It works. That said, we do need more families).

out

Billy, Howdy!
I am not trying to put Revit down, I am only trying to make Revit team improve Revit :)
Hell, I am even a Moderator of Revit in another forum so as you can see I am a passionate Revit supporter. :smile:

[Richard McCarthy]

RIchard, I don't know what you made that cushion with, but I can tell your second image was made w/ surface modeller, Rhino 3D. Another killer app.


LOL!
yes, the tensile thing is made with Rhino in 30 second...
The cushion? LOL.. I DRAW it.... :lol:

[Richard McCarthy]

IMO, modeling things like furniture and seat cushions should be done in other programs....we just need those other programs to create RFA's! (Revit was never intended to be a furniture design program) Wouldn't it be nice to use Inventor to do what it does best, and build 'objects', and then do a save as RFA from Inventor, and have a Revit family with parameters built in? I could see this happening in the future...the two parametric Autodesk apps talking to each other....


Yes, I understand Revit is only a building modeler not a furniture modeler, but I still can't agree on that point as to not to include full modeling capability to an app...I mean would you buy a scissors that can only let you cut a certain shapes only??. I mean who knows what kind of wacky design you could think up of next, but having difficulty of modeling it.

[mmodernc]

try making a sail with topo tool. can't seem to apply curtain grid to it though.
been asking for auto framing for yonks - there are some pretty good progs for framing out there but can cost a bundle-scuse the pun