Google Sketchup Pro 7 is out

[remus]

@johnsenior1973 said:

If it is then it's frightening that they are still charging $500 for the Pro version and it's even more frightening that Google would allow it to be released in such a shoddy manner.

$500 seems pretty reasonable to me.

Id be interested if you could come up with any other packages that can compete at a similar price.

Cant hep but agree about the nature of the release though, seems like quite a bad way of doing things.

[Mike Lucey]

@princedragoncok said:

All I really wanted was multi-core support, but sadly it is nowhere to be seen as of yet.. hugely disappointed. 2D drafting within sketchup was also something I was eagerly awaiting.. nowhere to be seen either - Layout looks better but I need to evaluate it more for the moment.. Unless Google releases some magic list of features and points me towards some magic button I missed, then unfortunately it is time to leave for another modeler..

Let me know when you find a better one

[ilay7k]

Anyway, can somebody from GSU team(they are at forum now) say, is this leak of info or something?
somebody expects appearance at beginning of 2009....

[johnsenior1973]

@remus said:

@johnsenior1973 said:

If it is then it's frightening that they are still charging $500 for the Pro version and it's even more frightening that Google would allow it to be released in such a shoddy manner.

$500 seems pretty reasonable to me.

Id be interested if you could come up with any other packages that can compete at a similar price.

It's not a comparison between Sketchup Pro and other packages, it's a comparison between Pro and the free version.

I's seriously doubt the thinking of anyone who bought the Pro version. Even if it was on a company account, surely most people are honest enough not to waste their companies money?

[remus]

John(s),

layout is probably worth a bit, as are the exporters.

[rodrigonotor]

@linea said:

Have you found anything new yet?

nop, I look in whats new, but, I don`t see anything
http://sketchup.google.com/support/bin/topic.py?topic=13687 I asume this page is the 6 version.

[ScottPara]

While I do not want to take this thread over to post something other than news or data regarding Sketchup, I feel I need to at least make a real comparison to Modo as a far better modeler and complete package in comparison to Sketchup. Here is how I come up with Modo being a better deal for the money:

Sketchup $500

Modo $895

Granted, $400 difference but when you take into account things that Sketchup can not do out of the box that Modo can like:
Multicore support (not sure how loud we need to yell for this)
UV tools
Rendering (and a very good renderer at that)
Sculpting tools
Paint tools (directly on your model and can be baked out)
Animation tools

Coming soon:
Volumetric lighting
Hair
Advanced animation tools

You can start to add up what it would take for Sketchup to get to a level of Modo.
You would have to add things like:
Zbrush ($595) or Mudbox for sculpting
DeepPaint ($595) for UV editing. Yes there are free ones but nothing that would compare to DeepPaint or Modo's native UV tools.
Vray ($799) or another rendering tool. (yes podium is cheaper but I feel it still has a bit to go yet)

Total cost to get Sketchup to the level of Modo=$1989 This does not take into account the $500 for Sketchup or an animation package.

I would find it hard for anyone who gives Modo a shot to ever compare it back to sketchup. While sketchup is really easy right out of the box (I will give it that) and Modo will take a little bit of time to learn, but after that you will be modeling things that will take you days to do in Sketchup, and doing them minutes using Modo.

I write this only as a comparison and not as a deterrent to upgrading or buying Sketchup. Sketchup is a great tool but I find it's development lacking behind many other software packages. I think Google dumped a lot of their resources into developing their new brick of a phone and many other things under the Google umbrella were left to fend for themselves and it starts to show.

These are my two cents as a while back I started looking for an advanced modeler and I came to the decision that Modo was the one for what I wanted to do and it had a great price when you start ti compare it to MAX, C4D, and Maya.

Scott

[Stu]

@frederik said:

Wonder why they've chosen to release it on a Saturday...?!?

My guess is they were hoping no one would notice.

From what I can see there is just about nothing in V7 that are 'must have' features. More incremental improvements.......re-arranging deck chairs. And by the look of it, adding a degree of compexity and non-intuitivness that we dont expect with SU.
Its disapointing to see that this is the result of 18 months feverish work at Boulder.
It looks like the best thing that Google can do is provide a stable platform for the Ruby masters to work on.

Compare the jaw dropping amazement and excitement of the release of Tools on Surface, Subdivide and Smooth etc etc etc with Su7!!.....It's just embarrasing!

[linea]

Yes Su is very cheap, brilliant value but I am self employed so purchasing a Pro 6 license was a significant cost to me. A hell of a lot of professionals do use the free version commercially. I am hoping that I am not going to start thinking I have "Mug" stamped on my forehead.

I really hope Google do have at least a few fat rabbits to pull out the hat that we have yet to see for SU 7.

[matteo]

I don't know you, but I believe that most of the pro users come from the @last age: the update fee is not so expensive and I must admit I really need some of the pro features, like importing and exporting to dxf/dwg and the possibility to save big images.
If you really work with sketchup, 500$ is a reasonable price for me too.
Otherwise let me know if there is a reasonable alternative to sketchup ( heresy ) for less money.

But now, let me introduce a couple of videos of the new born sketchup 7:

[flash=425,344:1fpqvsjf]http://www.youtube.com/v/4X0RzqAz-lI&hl=it&fs=1[/flash:1fpqvsjf]
the new interact tool

[flash=425,344:1fpqvsjf]http://www.youtube.com/v/XbjqpeIvzjE&hl=it&fs=1[/flash:1fpqvsjf]
overlapping lines intersection

[/matteo]

[remus]

Stu, i dont think you can compare the development of plugins with hard coded tools.

When was the last time follow me didnt work? compare that to trying to use subd and smooth with 'preserve materials' on.

[Stinkie]

Well, if what I dl'ed and took a peak at today is indeed the New And Improved SU, then I must say I'm with Stu. And with Scott.

Personally, I think I'll keep using SU, but not to the extent I have so far. Still love it, though.

EDIT: I can see you, Bacus!

[Stinkie]

@stu said:

[But the point is, as its been mentioned many times, if these Ruby developers can come up with this sort of innovation why cant Google do likewise? And they have a team of pros to do the 'hard coding'.

Aye!

John?

[Stu]

@remus said:

Stu, i dont think you can compare the development of plugins with hard coded tools.

When was the last time follow me didnt work? compare that to trying to use subd and smooth with 'preserve materials' on.

Well I think I can. I find Tools on Surface or Joint Push Pull, for example, pretty stable and I'm happy to put up with a few quirks for the amazing added functions they offer.

The last time Follow Me didnt work as I expected was probably last week.

But the point is, as its been mentioned many times, if these Ruby developers can come up with this sort of innovation why cant Google do likewise? And then they have a team of pros to do the 'hard coding'.

[ilay7k]

stop, i was joking about Whaat-UP and ect. (ex)-alast/google made platform for developing.
Thanks to them for it.
Same situation is holding with...maxon's cinema4d, several years c4d's users wish new modelling features(write this in wish list) but got new motiongraphics tools with recent 10-11 versions...

you want lwcad in modo, you need lwcad in modo?

[Stinkie]

One wonders why all the frantically requested stuff isn't in the new release (if indeed the one available right now is the new one - still hoping they're playing a practical joke on us ) - you know, 64 bit, high poly ... They can't possibly think no-one needs those features. What's the Big Plan we don't know about?

[Ross Macintosh]

Thanks Matteo for your little videos. For me I'm excited about the improvements in basic modeling you illustrate in the clip about intersections. I've noticed basic modelling is much improved in SU7 -- it does what you expect it to do. I'm hopeful that that will translate into productivity improvements and I anticipate that those occasional moments of frustration I felt w/ SU6 will be less frequent (or eliminated altogether).

I remember when ruby was first introduced many users thought "ho hum what's the big deal?". With time we saw the true importance of the ruby feature thanks to inventive users willing to share or offer reasonably-priced scripts that added new useful features to SU. I'm predicting the new Dynamic Components feature will have a similar path. I'm thinking it may lead to some exciting new & powerful components that will blow us away.

I'm also looking forward to the Google folks explaining the improvements in Layout. I'm hopeful it is now going to live up to the potential it originally seemed to offer.

Regards, Ross

[notareal]

@unknownuser said:

Make texture unique works as Whaat's explode photomatched texture from his Indigo exporter.
I am glad to see SU7 finally.

It almost starts to feel like Google missed the opportunity and ruby writes do offer more value for SU6, when comparing to upgrade cost to SU7. Well... perhaps I am too hasty, better wait and see for the proper release of new features or next patch... Early news do not made me feel rushing.

[Stu]

Actually, Ross and thanks Matteo, the intersection stuff does look good and from the bit of practice Ive had does make drawing a lot more predictable.

[pbacot]

It seems most people just really wanted High-Poly and Multi-Core. Better modeling will just let these whiz-kidz max-out their models a little faster.