Multimedia presentation tools: show off your designs with these hardware and software favorites

CADalyst, August, 2004 by H. Edward Goldberg

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ArchVision w Composer and RPC Content Libraries

ArchVision's RPC (rich photorealistic content) technology and content libraries make this company the leader in 3D visualization content (www.archvision.com). RPC people, automobiles, trees, and environments are used throughout the world. Software products such as Autodesk VIZ, Revit, Architectural Desktop, AccuRender, Bentley MicroStation, SGI Performer, Cubicspace rtre, and Informatix Piranesi all ship with a native RPC plug-in. ArchVision Composer ($249) is a powerful tool that helps you add RPCs to 2D renderings and photographs.

Composer includes features such as automatic scaling, shadow generation, and individual opacity, saturation, and brightness controls. To operate the program, load a 2D rendering or photograph, identify the horizon, and adjust the scale of the setup person to match the scale of the background image. Then begin placing RPC content in the rendering. When you drop an RPC into a rendering, it automatically scales and adjusts as you move it around the image. A list of features is available at the ArchVision Web site, along with a Flash demo that illustrates how the application works. Take it for a test drive!

Many More Options

Many more excellent software products are available for creating and distributing interactive presentations. There's only so many I can cover in my allotted space. Do some online research to check out these other options:

* Eon Raptor (www.eonreality.com/raptor)

* Right Hemisphere Deep Exploration (www.right hemisphere.com)

* Informatix Piranesi (www.informatix.co.uk)

* Tornado Technologies AEC/VI (www.aecviz.com)

* Macromedia Studio MX 2004 (www.macromedia.com)

* TechSmith Camtasia Studio (www.techsmith.com) n

H. Edward Goldberg, AIA, is a practicing licensed architect, industrial designer, and AEC industry analyst. Ed's new full length book, Autodesk Architectural Desktop 2004: A Comprehensive Tutorial (www.prenhall.com) is available now, and his new book Autodesk Architectural Desktop 2005: A Comprehensive Tutorial will be available in the fall. You can reach Ed at ed.goldberg@cadalyst.com. His personal web site is www.hegra.org, and his new AEC Web Portal will be online in the late fall.

IN THIS ARTICLE

@Last Software www.sketchup.com Adobe www.adobe.com Alias www.alias.com ArchVision www.archvision.com auto*des*sys www.formz.com Autodesk www.autodesk.com Eon Raptor www.eonreality.com/raptor Informatix Piranesi www.microgds.com Macromedia Studio www.macromedia.com QuadriSpace www.quadrispace.com Right Hemisphere www.righthemisphere.com Scott Onstott www.scottonstott.com TechSmith www.techsmith.com Tornado Technologies www.aecviz.com Toshiba www.toshiba.com Wacom www.wacom.com