Google Sketchup 8 review

Link via PC Pro

That’s about it for the free Google SketchUp, but users wanting more power can turn to Google SketchUp 8 Pro (US$495). The main advantage of the commercial release is that it goes beyond bitmap and KMZ/DAE output to offer a much wider range of 2D and 3D export options such as EPS, PDF, 3DS, OBJ and FBX. Support has been further extended in this latest release to include the popular DWG/DXF 2010 format.

Pro takes further advantage of the program’s volumetric handling to offer five new tools – Union, Intersect, Subtract, Trim and Split – for creatively combining solid objects. Such subtractive and additive modelling can certainly make life easier, but SketchUp’s system only works with groups and components with no holes and no overlaps. It’s also worth pointing out that users of the free version can achieve the same results if they can to get to grips with the existing Intersect with Model command.

SketchUp has always offered exceptional 3D creativity and version 8’s deeper and wider integration with Google’s online technologies – Earth/Maps, Street View, 3D Warehouse and now Building Maker – make it more powerful than ever.