posted 11-25-2003 04:34 PM              

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My office is currently looking at options for updating our exhibit design software, and as the only Industrial Designer surrounded by Architects, I need some help. Has anyone had success with any of the "traditional" ID software in Exhibit Design and documentation? 2D documentation capabilities are definately as important as 3D modelling.

Thanks

PS: If this answer is in an old thread, please include the link, I didn't see it in my search.

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posted 11-25-2003 04:51 PM              

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Most exhibit designers I know use Vectorworks.

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posted 11-25-2003 04:55 PM              

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Your best bet is to get 3DStudio Viz. It's not nearly as expensive as 3Dmax. Great program for building the booth (WAY better than using AutoCAD) and is a great rendering package as well. For your 2D drawings, get the plug-in called Illustrate. As the name implys, it creates Illustrator vector files from your model, whether it's a floorplan or a birdseye. Very powerful. I used to use it to do marker drawings.
The rest of the company will be pleased because the makers of AutoCAD (Autodesk) bought 3DStudio Viz, so now it's under their own label. Files export and import from each other flawlessly.

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posted 12-02-2003 04:51 PM              

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We've moved on from max3 to viz4. Soo far the biggest improvement i've seen is the radiosity feature. Viz works fine for what we do and has the nice animation features of max.

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posted 12-02-2003 05:55 PM              

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I use FormZ on a mac and PC and it works well. It can use radiozity which is good for realistic architectural lighting. It has a drafting interface which is what help makes it popular among some architects, interior and exhibit designers.

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posted 12-09-2003 12:48 PM              

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Autocad 2004

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posted 12-13-2003 02:35 PM              

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I have come accross Vis the most. AutoCad is used for low budget designs if it is a no brainer project like an inline. The Detailers mainly use AutoCad when the designs need to be made practical and put into actual manufacturing.

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posted 12-13-2003 02:36 PM              

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Oops... that's VIZ... my bad.

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posted 12-17-2003 04:58 PM              

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Yes: Schools in session, so listen here.

Viz is used when you want to make a "pretty picture" to hang on your refrigerator.

AutoCAD 2004 is used when you want to get the job done right. Wire-frame in AutoCAD and render in Max or Viz. AutoCAD will allow you to go right into production from the renderings with accurate dimensions. You can CNC from AutoCAD if you're set up for that.

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posted 12-17-2003 09:17 PM              

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It's the pretty picture the clients buy. Whether or not they want to hang it on their refrigerator that's their choice.

Render in VIZ = Sold Design

Detail monkey make drawing from pretty picture in AutoCad = Happy union man in shop with plan to make pretty picture come true.

Client happy = The end.

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posted 12-17-2003 10:03 PM              

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I'm gonna have to disagree with you there. Yes, 3D viz is the way to go for rendering hands down. You can even do some nice animation with it with gobos and volume lights. Fun fun.
I started out constructing booths in AutoCAD and then exporting over to Viz for the rendering. After I learned how to build stuff in Viz, I was easily 3x as fast. Easier and quicker to built panels, move them, edit them, etc. Try building a set of circular stairs with AutoCAD! It would take forever! And as for the detailing, if you know what you are doing (like the tubing should be 2" square, fit in an 8' x 4' x 4' crate, and have a certain radius), it's a piece of cake to build in viz, and argueably faster. It's all in the experience. True, if you don't really know what you are doing and just construct things on a whim, it will be nightmare for the detailer. But if you are experienced and know how things fit and next together, Viz is WAY faster IMO.

Class dismissed. ha ha ha! j/k

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posted 12-17-2003 11:29 PM              

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I don't see where you are disagreeing with me 6ix. It sounds like we both use VIZ on the front end of the design process. Don't have to detail and wireframe every little part before a design sells? That's what the spec sheets are for. Reflections and lighting effect are excellent. VIZ does make great animations to import into Flash presentations.... you are right on that. Also, true that the detail monkeys (I say that with respect) must be spared the horrific job of figuring out poor VIZ skills... in the end it is just a tool.... a tool that makes pretty pictures for clients to hang on their refrigerator after it sells.

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Originally by listen here:

You can CNC from AutoCAD if you're set up for that.

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That is true but the CNC machines don't come into the picture until after you WOW you client with the pretty picture.

I think probably each place you work has a different process. Designers, render monkeys, detailers, detail monkeys, project managers, project monkeys, shop guys and shop monkeys. I guess not all companies may have the luxury of all those monkeys.

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posted 12-18-2003 09:04 AM              

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YES, no I wasn't disagreeing with you. Sorry, that wasn't aimed at you. Actually, I was disagreeing with "listen here" who was stating that it's best to build everything in AutoCAD and then export to Viz.
But hey, it's just a tool. Whatever works for you!
YES...which town do you work in? Would you be able to drop some hints on where you work?

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posted 12-18-2003 11:37 AM              

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It's in the San francisco Bay area... that's not saying much.... there is plenty of competition here. It's a great fun place with a killer team and we've been able to stay on top of things even with all the cutbacks. We're working with less monkeys these days but we've always been optimistic.

What about you?

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posted 12-18-2003 11:46 AM              

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Worked for an exhibit design firm in the Chicago suburbs. Liked it, great people and lots of talent. Really wanted to be in product design, so I switched over about 2 years ago.
Hmm, San Franciso....I can think of a few places there...wonder which one.

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posted 12-18-2003 11:59 AM              

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Chicago suburbs huh? That sounds familiar for one or two places...

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posted 12-18-2003 12:16 PM              

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Putting two and two together, eh?

Shoot me an email at designer6ix@yahoo.com. I'd like to see some of your previous booth designs.

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posted 12-18-2003 12:49 PM              

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I'll send you some things after the holidays... access issues. We've more than likely at one time worked for the same people. Everyone seems to move around and in this industry. I've moved places a couple of times in this area.... it's almost incestuous.

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posted 12-18-2003 12:53 PM              

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Good point. It's a really small group, but I'm out of it for the time being. Actually wouldn't mind MAYBE getting back into it. I think I did pretty well at it, but the cheap, cheap, cheap projects started to really bother me.
Yeah, after the holidays, shoot me some stuff other, or if you leave me just your email I'll send some stuff your way. I don't work in the industry any longer, and the stuff I did was, for the most part, produced for all the world to see. So, I dont' really have anything to "hide."

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posted 12-18-2003 01:14 PM              

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I've been actually thinking of getting out of the industry all together. I want to get into graphic design, packaging and branding. That's what I really went to school for. It's odd how I ended up here. Who knows... I've done a lot of print work in the past and I end up doing a lot of the graphic design for my projects when there is time here. These places just suck you in.

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posted 12-18-2003 02:18 PM              

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That's funny because I can completely relate. I always got pumped when I got to work with awesome renderings and some animations. Started thinking about switching over to computer graphics. While I was there I got to design some booth graphics that eventually saw production (my first experience working with 300MB illustrator files on a mac!) But alas, my dream was product design so I jumped ship. My advice is go for it. (I think) you can always jump back.

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posted 12-18-2003 07:18 PM              

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I just worked on a project where each graphic production file for a graphic mural was over a gig combined. The 2 photoshop images were each almost 400mb and the Illustrator file they linked to was about 250mb. That was just for one fabric graphic on this 80x80. Multiply that by 11 for the rest.

I can say I know more about graphic design, print and Flash than exhibit design but I think most graphic companies are looking web experience also which I do not have. Oh well... exhibits pay the bills now. Probably move on soon. I do a lot of Graphic Design freelance on the side so that helps the portfolio... keeps it current... some of my old graphic design stuff is getting dated. Probably have to take a pay cut too.

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