Get back to the books with Artlantis

As summer begins to fade into a collage of sun-soaked memories, we look to that time of year when students once again return to the classroom. Even for those of us whose formal academic careers have ended, this time of year is still a reminder of the importance of learning. In that spirit, we're making it easier to "Get Back to the Books" with our current promotion.

Now through September 30, all of our Artlantis training resources will be 10% off. To ensure that you can put theory into practice, we've also placed Artlantis Studio on sale. If you've been wanting to delve deeper into the advanced features of Artlantis, this is a great way to accelerate that process. We can't offer you a degree suitable for framing, but there's a good chance you can expect to receive accolades and praise from your clients and associates when they see your Artlantis renderings.

Save up to $75 on Artlantis training products if you purchase them at the same time as your Artlantis Studio purchase. Use coupon code Back2Books2012 at checkout.

Promo Pricing and Ordering

Download the Artlantis 30-day Demo

Important updates to Artlantis 4.1!

Abvent has launched an Artlantis 4.1.7 update version for bug-fixing purposes. The complete list of fixes can be found in the ReadMe document zipped with the update.

Artlantis 4.1 users will be notified automatically about this free update and they can download it from www.artlantis.com.

The Artlantis demo version was also updated; users can download this latest 4.1.7 version right away.

Download the Artlantis Updater

Download the Artlantis 30-day Demo

What's on YOUR BIM object wish list?

There are exciting changes coming to Objects Online, and we are asking for your help in shaping the future of our company. Please take our 5 minute survey and share your thoughts with us. Your input will help us make sure we're contacting the manufacturers that YOU want to see in the BIMobject Portal.

Participate in the survey!

Artlantis 4.1 and Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion

The recent launch of Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion has brought with it a flurry of excitement and activity in the tech world, along with a lot of anxiety and questions. Many of our users have turned to us recently with the following question: "Is Mountain Lion compatible with Artlantis?"

Yes. Artlantis 4.1 IS compatible with Mountain Lion, Apple's latest Mac OS X 10.8 operating system. No special issues were found during the performed tests so far.

Mac OS X 10.8 introduces a new security option called Gatekeeper. It prevents the installation of malicious software on a Mac. By changing its security settings in the Preferences | Security & Privacy dialog box, you can control and allow the installation of applications not certified for OS X Mountain Lion.

On the other hand, Artlantis 3 was developed and tested with the earlier Mac OS versions only. We do not recommend running Artlantis 3 on Mountain Lion.

How to find, search, and sort on the BIMobject portal

This video shows how to find, search and sort on the BIMobject® portal using the different filters available. The website is fully functional without an account. However, you will need to login if you want to download an object.

This makes it easy for you to share the links to the different products you find interesting, via social media for instance. Since there is no requirement to log in, you can be sure that the information shared is accessible and visible for everyone.

Watch the Video

Visit BIMobject

Exciting changes at Objects Online!

During an election year, there is always a heightened sense that change is in the air. We may not know which way the winds will blow, but when we participate, we become part of a change process that keeps things vibrant, healthy, and renewed. Here at Objects Online, we are also undergoing some exciting changes this year, and your input can make a difference.

In April of this year, Objects Online became a BIMobject franchise. Our goal at BIMobject is to close the gaps that often exist between building product manufacturers and architects by offering a portal where thousands of high-quality information-rich manufacturers' BIM objects can be downloaded in a variety of BIM formats, at no cost to the end user. Furthermore, we are actively developing solutions to bring the portal to you, directly within your BIM software, allowing you to skip the trip to the website...smart, fast, and easy! Sound good?

This is a departure from the original Objects Online business model, where our customers visited our website and paid for the content they downloaded. We believe the BIMobject approach is a better way to serve the industry we know and love, providing a win-win for both architects and manufacturers. As a result, we have decided to discontinue all existing CAD and BIM-related object sales on Objects Online, effective August 1, 2012. We will be rolling out a completely new, streamlined website soon that will continue to focus on the Artlantis product family, while bringing you important news and information regarding the offerings from BIMobject.

Here's where your input can help. There are thousands of manufacturers out there, and we want to know which market segments and manufacturers are most important to you. If there are manufacturers you specify regularly, do they currently have BIM objects? Could their BIM catalog be improved or more fully developed? How would you rate the quality of the accompanying information? What source(s) do you use when searching for and specifying a product? Do you have contacts in or related to the building manufacturing industry who you feel we should be talking to? These are just a few conversation starters...feel free to elaborate. You can participate in our survey or contact us directly, but the important thing to take from all this is that we want to hear from you. We appreciate your loyal support of Objects Online over the past 15 years, and we want to continue to serve you for the next 15 years and beyond in ways that meet or exceed all of your expectations!

Participate in Our Survey

Contact Us Directly

Visit BIMobject

Visit Objects Online

All's Well That's Maxwell

The standout feature in Artlantis 4.1 is undoubtedly the optional Maxwell Render engine. Maxwell Render is legendary for its physically accurate rendering engine, generating hyper-realistic images that rival photographs. With the addition of this engine in Artlantis, you will have access to both the fastest rendering engine and the most accurate rendering engine on the market today...truly the best of both worlds. We'll discuss some of the logistical issues with the new Maxwell Render engine, then delve into some of the important benefits, to give you an indication of where the Maxwell Render engine might best fit into your workflow.

The Maxwell Render engine is automatically installed with Artlantis 4.1 and runs in a watermarked demo mode for 30 days. To use it to generate a rendering, simply select "Maxwell Render..." under the Inspector menu. Naturally, to achieve the higher levels of quality possible with the Maxwell Render engine, there is a significant rendering time increase when compared to the Artlantis engine (could be 5, 10, or even 20 times longer, depending on how long you let it run), so it's important to do some testing to get a feel for what to expect so that you can plan your projects accordingly. Because it is an add-on product licensed from Next Limit Technologies, the purchase of a separate serial number is required. At this time, there are no upgrade or side-grade discounts on this product for existing Maxwell Render owners.

Even if you already own the stand-alone Maxwell Render product, there are some compelling reasons why the Maxwell Render engine for Artlantis is a good investment. First, because Artlantis offers a faster rendering engine, it makes sense to start your rendering project in Artlantis to be able quickly produce preliminary renderings. Should the need arise to create higher quality renderings using the Maxwell Render engine, you'll already have most of your project set up done...just a few tweaks (i.e. applying the dedicated Maxwell Shaders to reflective and refractive surfaces, such as metals and glass) and you're ready to go. Furthermore, the Artlantis user interface is simpler to use and easier to master, so there is no need to get bogged down in the complex interface of the stand-alone Maxwell Render software in order to get the benefits of its rendering engine. Finally, the Maxwell Render engine costs $250 less than Maxwell Render stand-alone, making it an incredible value for both Artlantis users and existing Maxwell Render users alike.

Try the new Maxwell Render engine out for yourself and see what it can do for your renderings.

Maxwell Render Pricing and Ordering

Download the Artlantis 30-day Demo

Artlantis Pricing and Ordering

Maxwell Render Tutorial - Reverse a normal for neon effect

Maxwell Render Tutorial - Easy reflections and shininess settings

NEW Artlantis 4.1 Plug-ins!

Artlantis 4.1 has a different file format than that of version 4.0. Therefore, the exporters have been updated. We are pleased to announce the availability of the following export plug-ins for Artlantis 4.1:

ArchiCAD 16 installs Artlantis 4.1 export plug-in by default!
ArchiCAD 15 or SE 2012 plug-in to Artlantis 4.1 is available to download here!
ArchiCAD 14 or SE 2011 plug-in to Artlantis 4.1 is available to download here!

Vectorworks 2012 plug-in to Artlantis 4.1 is available to download here!

Revit 2013 64-bit plug-in to Artlantis 4.1 is available to download here!
Revit 2013 32-bit plug-in to Artlantis 4.1 is available to download here!
Revit 2012 64-bit plug-in to Artlantis 4.1 is available to download here!
Revit 2012 32-bit plug-in to Artlantis 4.1 is available to download here!

SketchUp 8 plug-in to Artlantis 4.1 is available to download here!

Artlantis 4.1 can open all .atl files belonging to the previous versions. As a result, users owning an earlier version of their CAD software can also choose Artlantis 4.1 for their visualization tasks. The Artlantis settings can easily be updated in case they need to change the CAD model by using the reference file feature from inside Artlantis: File menu > Use Reference File....

For more information about Artlantis plug-ins, click here:
http://www.artlantis.com/index.php?page=products/plugins/index

We the People Promo...A Popular Uprising

The popular uprising has begun. The people have taken to the streets, and they're on sale! No, this is not some vulgar red light district sale. This is a red, white and blue special. From July 4 through August 15, you can take home one or more selected collections of Artlantis Animated 3D People for a great price.

In order to keep the peace, we are pleased to offer you a savings of $17.76 on each of the selected Artlantis Animated 3D People volumes. Since no tea party is complete without cream and sugar, we're sweetening the deal by offering an additional 5% discount if you purchase all 3 collections in one order.

We the People Product Pricing and Ordering

Preview Animated 3D People Business 1

Preview Animated 3D People Casual 6

Preview Animated 3D People Workers 1

The coupon code for this promo is: people+5%

The sky's the limit with Artlantis 4.1's new HDRI Backgrounds feature

Artlantis 4.1 continues to dazzle and amaze with a rich set of excellent new features, including the new HDRI Background environments option. We're going to break down exactly what an HDR image is, and how you can start using them today to help create an immersive, detailed environment with realistic ambient lighting effects in your renderings.

High Dynamic Range Image (or Imaging) is a method of capturing a higher range of lighting intensities in an image by taking multiple photographs of the exact same view at a variety of different exposures. Through the use of software, the photographs are merged into a single HDR image file, which can then be manipulated in different ways through the use of tone mapping. Tone mapping enables the full range of intensities in the image to be utilized at will, creating anything from a subdued effect that simply better balances the contrast between light & dark areas of the image, to an extremely exaggerated effect where the high contrast creates an otherworldly atmosphere.

In 3D rendering applications like Artlantis, HDR images tends toward the more subdued, balanced use of background imagery to create realistic-looking immersive 360-degree environments. But, because the full range of lighting exposures are embedded into an HDR image, that same image can also serve as a light source for the scene, creating highly convincing ambient lighting on the surfaces of the 3D model.

What does all this mean, then? Simplicity! Select your HDR image in the Perspective Inspector: Environment settings: Background settings, then click on the HDRI button to turn on HDR lighting and adjust the intensity. Optionally, you can still add a heliodon (with or without shadows and lens flare) to create additional daylighting effects in an HDRI-lit scene. Now, it's your turn to download the free HDRI samples and try it out on your model in Artlantis 4.1!

Download the Artlantis 30-day Demo

Download the HDRI Samples

Artlantis 4.1 Pricing and Ordering