Bonzai3D vs Sketchup ?

tom1169 · 19 Jun 2011, 12:43

Hi all I have been using Sketchup free version for a few years now.
I do a lot of 3D modeling/designing with renderings and I love Sketchup.
Lately I downloaded the Bonzai3D and I am amazed with so much more power it has
over Sketchup. What are your thoughts, cons and pros since they both cost $499.00.
It seems like DeSys updates their program more often than Google does for Sketchup?
Thanks for your input.
Thomas

mitcorb · 19 Jun 2011, 12:54

Hi, tom1169:
This forum's back pages have discussions about this topic. They may still be relevant, and you can do a keyword search on it. There are folks who use both B3d and Sketchup. While the two programs have similarities, Sketchup is intentionally more "simplified"? for a number of purposes.

Rich O Brien · 19 Jun 2011, 12:57

Last time I used Bonzai it had a tendency to crash. But I never moved past the initial trial offered. So I guess I've missed the boat if it's more stable these days. It did have a really cool means of customizing the UI/Toolars. But wasn't it's NURBS a psuedo-NURBS of sorts?

I'd like to hear others opinions too, good topic Tom

tom1169 · 19 Jun 2011, 13:45

Yes I did read the previous posts from last year here.
I also noticed how often Bonzai3d updates their bugs.
Just wondering whether it has passed Sketchup capabilities yet?

GREETINGS TO BEAUTIFUL IRELAND AND HOME OF GUINNESS !

pilou · 19 Jun 2011, 14:35

If you want a real Nurbs program with the easy ergonomy of Sketchup try Moment of Inspiration
You have an infinite demo without save for take time to make your opinion
(you have of course a normal 30 days trial)
ps Without bugs

tom1169 · 19 Jun 2011, 14:54

@unknownuser said:

If you want a real Nurbs program with the easy ergonomy of Sketchup try Moment of Inspiration
You have an infinite demo without save for take time to make your opinion
(you have of course a normal 30 days trial)
ps Without bugs

Wow ! Never seen this 1 before.
Thanks Pilou will definitely try it.

EarthMover · 19 Jun 2011, 16:54

I think there is a notable difference between Bonzai3D vs. Sketchup and Bonzai3D vs. Sketchup with plugins.

I played a bit with Bonzai and built a few things in it, but always missed the simple logic and fluidity of Sketchup.

tom1169 · 19 Jun 2011, 18:20

Thanks EarthMover,
Nice works BTW>
I'm just wondering why a Large Company like Google is lagging
behind updates and not moving forward with progress ?

Rich O Brien · 19 Jun 2011, 19:10

Engine overhaul between 7.0 and 7.1

New tools and toolbar fixes between 7.1 and 8

LAA and shadow fix between 8.0 and 8.0 M1

If that's not progress I don't know what is? I've even left out a lot of other things they've fixed and unveiled. They're doing a bang up job if you ask me.

I imagine SU9 will take it to the next level. Though I intend to give Bonzai another go.

thomthom · 19 Jun 2011, 19:16

@tom1169 said:

I'm just wondering why a Large Company like Google is lagging
behind updates and not moving forward with progress ?

Compared to large companies like, MicroSoft..?

It's usually smaller companies that release more often.

bonzai3d support · 21 Jun 2011, 20:50

Gentlemen,

There have been a lot of improvements to bonzai3d, and we are currently at version 2.5, and it should be quite stable. (If you are using Windows, you should make sure to have an updated video driver.) If you like, you can download a free Trial version from here:

(formz.com)

It offers another 30 days if you used an old trial version, and if you find that you need an extension to the trial, we can give you one of those. (Just email support@bonzai3d.com and ask.)

If you are curious as to what it can do, you can check out some of the Webinar Replays Here:

301 Moved Permanently

(www.formz.com)

or here:

We have many more great things in store for the future, and many SketchUp users are currently enjoying bonzai3d. Why not give it a try and let us know what you think. It makes a great companion to SketchUp!

mukul.ar · 3 Dec 2011, 10:18

How does b3d fare with models in excess of a 100mb size? Since it imports and exports multiple formats, can it be used as a platform where i merge my sketchup models (with obj files such as trees and cars etc) and so forth...?

thomthom · 3 Dec 2011, 11:43

@mukul.ar said:

How does b3d fare with models in excess of a 100mb size? Since it imports and exports multiple formats, can it be used as a platform where i merge my sketchup models (with obj files such as trees and cars etc) and so forth...?

Going about model complexity by filesize isn't the best measurement. It might be bitmap resources adding much of the file size while the model itself is very simple. In SU you can get face counts, though even that isn't the best way, as a face can be built out of many triangles, I made a plugin to count the number of triangles a model is made of. But for Bonzai, I do not know how to measure it, as it's based on NURBS... harder to measure...

mukul.ar · 3 Dec 2011, 11:51

ThomThom, I'm sorry for not being clearer in my previous post... But yeah I do mean, how is it able to handle more geometry compared to sketchup. I have read up some more on Bonzai and it doesn't offer subdivision modelling. Something which sketchup does by means of Artisan and the bevel/round corner plugins... But how it handles geometry is of essence. Considering they are pitching it as a solid modeler with the ability to handle NURBS.

bonzai3d support · 5 Dec 2011, 17:50

Mukular,

Thanks for your interest in bonzai3d. We have been hard at work on bonzai3d version 3.0 -- and formZ 7.0 at the same time (which utilizes an updated / extended version of the bonzai3d interface). If you would like to sign up for the formZ 7.0 Beta version, you can do so here:

http://www.formz.com/products/formz/formz7beta.html

Large numbers of objects in a file can eventually cause formZ or bonzai3d to slow down, but if you convert them to a Reference Object (with the tool on the Group tool row) then you should be able to generate a file that performs very quickly with large data sets. We are also working on enhancing large data sets right now, so the next few updates should show some dramatic improvements in this area.

We should probably note that formZ and bonzai3d are probably best though of as "hybrid" modelers -- that offer Solid Modeling, Surface Modeling, and NURBS Modeling -- all side by side in the same project -- so you can choose which methods work best for you at any given time.

Also, we have been expanding the Webinars for formZ and bonzai3d (and we will continue to do so). If you like, you can see replays of past webinars here:

301 Moved Permanently

(www.formz.com)

Give it a try, and let us know what you think! (And if you post on our forum we can give you a reply much more quickly...

numerobis · 6 Dec 2011, 19:33

@mukul.ar said:

Something which sketchup does by means of Artisan and the bevel/round corner plugins...

This is no SubD modeling... no quads, no SubD-levels or base mesh, only one way...