Google Sketchup Pro 7 is out

jaceguay

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.

I just don´t know how do multi-core could be of any value besides export videos and images, I think there isn´t any other modeling program with multi core enabled 3d Viewport.

anglaret

I tried to update at 64$ but my registration was rejected
The renderer is very interesting, it takes out the "moirage" effect of materials
Marc

matteo

@unknownuser said:

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.

totally agree with you Ross!

btw: the pdf 2d export works still bad

chango70

@matteo said:

@unknownuser said:

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.

totally agree with you Ross!

btw: the pdf 2d export works still bad

Whats wrong with it? I use it all the time for good quality image export. Just have to change the setting from draft to high.

remus

Just as a general reply to high poly stuff: if their was an easy way of doing this im sure the google guys would have done it. The fact that their havent been any major imporvements in that area tells me it isnt easy.

ScottPara

Remus,

While I am with you in the thinking that high poly integration must not be easy, I would have to say that after 18 months in development Google of all companies should have found a way. I am sure that they (Google) frequent these forums and have seen the cries for high poly support along with the shadow bug to be fixed but yet have not done so tells me that Sketchup of all the things they have their hands in does not rank high on their lists of of development dollars invested. Sad but sure seems to be true. For the shadow bug, I have to say that is one of the bigger disappointments for me. I have to say I do not see too many models being displayed without shadows on so that tells me I am not the only one wishing this would have been addressed.

Scott

Stinkie

@remus said:

The fact that their havent been any major imporvements in that area tells me it isnt easy.

That's quite possible. It is also possible that Google is a marketing firm first, and a software developer second.

ScottPara

second, third or tenth in this day and age it should have been addressed. I do not know too many people who are not taking advantage of multi core in their system specs. You almost can't get away from it in a new system.

Scott

Chris Fullmer

Hey Scott, you should let the shadow bug go. Its out of their hands. Its not something that can be addressed. Its an algorithm that is owned by someone who seems to not be interested in licensing it. Its not broken so much as it is illegal to fix.

lewiswadsworth

Plenty of other modelers (I have at least three now...Caligari, 3DS Max, and Groboto, and will have four when Rhino 5 is available) institute multiple-light, real-time shadowing in a way that is not affected by the Shadow bug. Max costs $3500, Caligari is free, and Groboto is $80.

No excuse.

No modeling application is "perfect," but I would argue that SketchUp has moved farther away from perfection with this release.

remus

Scott,

i genuinely believe it is being addressed. There is no good reason for them to ignore the performance deficits in SU. Just for the record, the vast majority of modelling programs do not support multiple cores for modelling.

Stinkie,

The developers have probably just been sitting around producing pretty graphics for the past 18 months.

Thats it for tonight,
A slightly exasperated and defensive remus.

Ross Macintosh

Chris, at BaseCamp earlier this year I was told by a developer that they think they have a way around the infamous shadow bug - a way that doesn't require Carmack's algorithm. Unfortunately it was noted that in regards to how SU works, implementing the improvement was a 'big deal' and wouldn't be in SU7. I left BaseCamp realizing those guys have a big team working on improvements and that they have a long-term view of what's best for SU. They aren't about to just throw in features just for marketing 'stats'.

I'm looking forward to this being the most stable and efficient SU yet.

Regards, Ross

plot-paris

I am impressed with the new auto intersection thing - huge improvement! correction of component/group bounding boxes orientation with changed coordinate axes is a great thing too.

but there have been so many suggestions for small changes and improvements that obviously have been ignored completely. if they simply wanted to "clean up" the current version and make everything work perfectly before doing the next step, why did they not listen to us?

one example: with Google Chrome you can simply drag scene tabs around to change their order. with SketchUp you still have to awkwardly go to the scene window and move a scene by using the up/down buttons.

You want SketchUp to remain the easiest modeler available, Google?
then have a thorough look at the iPhone (not the fancy reflective icons) and what it did in terms of making the use of a phone/media player intuitive and easy. do the same for SketchUp - keep it/ make it as intuitive and easy to use, as is possible for a piece of software. how? just listen to us! talk with us. you have a fantastic 'think tank' at hand. ask us a question and you will get so so many new ideas, tips and opinions.

idraft

Congratulations Google for finally releasing SU7 (@last)

Does anybody yet have a list of the new features of SU, Layout2 and Style builder?

In my second hour of exploring SU I havent yet fully explored everything but Layout is looking like its had a little improvement, a few extra new Styles added in SU to, but think I will hold my breath until Ive seen the full new / upgraded features list.

Cheers Jeff

remus

I imagine a full feature list will come with the full release of 7.

thomthom

The dynamic component feature is nice. Something I've been hoping for. Though I'm surprised to see it as a ruby. Why not a native feature so it'll be faster?
And I can see some use in the make unique texture. ...but, I really do not see why is is marketed as a major version. Feels more like a point release.
Importing 3D files is still limited to DWG which has no materials, or .3ds which is a really old format with many limitations. .fbx anyone?
And printing a parallel view to scale is still limited to the Standard views. Why? There's a number of things that I really thought would have been addressed.

And does SU7 link the default components to Google Warehouse? No more local libraries? (except the ones you create yourself..?)

It'll be interesting to see the official announcements. So far I have to say that the experience of trying out SU7 has been a bit of an anticlimax compared to the expectations due to the long wait.

Besides dynamic components I'm, currently finding it somewhat hard to justify an upgrade. (All though I will upgrade. But I won't feel too great about it...)

(btw, SU7 says in the Pref that I use an OpenGL mode with no anti-aliasing, but I'm still seeing AA that looks like x8. Using Geforce 8800GT)