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Flow Architect Studio 3D Giveaway
$63
EXPIRED

Giveaway of the day — Flow Architect Studio 3D

Flow Architect Studio 3D is a software package for design and presentation.
$63 EXPIRED
User rating: 462 63 comments

Flow Architect Studio 3D was available as a giveaway on September 12, 2012!

Today Giveaway of the Day
$36.00
free today
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Flow Architect Studio 3D is a software package for design and presentation. It enables you to design and visualize any scene you need in 3D, for example: buildings, interiors, spaces or your products. Flow helps you to present your work to others with screenshots, movies and a 3D real-time virtual walk.

Virtual walk is a real-time interactive presentation that can take a form of an application in a single executable file or an O4C file. A visualization in a form of an application can be shown to your clients or audience and shared through a website.

Features:

  • CAD Editor:
    convex blocks: create convex Blocks, cut them with planes, do CSG opperations, assign different material to each side;
    surfaces: create smoth or sharp surfaces;
    models: place models imported from different programs;
    particle effects: place fire, steam or fog;
    referenced instanced geometry: create libraries of objects that you have designed for easy reuse;
    different materials: use many different materials or textures. Tga, png and jpg textures are supported;
    lights and shadows: light up your design with multpile colored lights;
    animations: create animations of doors and other interactive objects;
    libraries of resources: use as many libraiers of models, textures, materials and objects that you have designed as you want;
    effects: create effects like fog or mirrors;
    sharing: generates redistributable visualizations, share your project and make presentations.
  • Library explorer: import models, create and edit materials, import textures.
  • The 3D engine: preview visualization as a virtual walk, take screenshots, record paths and movies.

System Requirements:

Windows XP/ 2003/ Vista/ Server 2008/ 7

Publisher:

Pixelplan S.C.

Homepage:

http://www.pixelplan.pl/index.php?id=products&section=flow&lang=en

File Size:

46.4 MB

Price:

$63

Comments on Flow Architect Studio 3D

Thank you for voting!
Please add a comment explaining the reason behind your vote.
#63

"If you are aware of a bug in the OGL implementation of specific versions of drivers for specific chipsets then you have all you need to institute a workaround! When launching your app you must enumerate available 3D chipsets and what OGL versions are supported, all you need to do is make the specific OGL API call optional so you don’t have to use the buggy feature if you cannot find a way to use the API without exposing the bug… Or even make your application capable of using Direct3D API or OpenGL… the whole point of workaround is to WORK AROUND the bug, NOT require the user fix the bug or wait until the bug is fixed externally… work around it!"

In general you are right. We have it mentioned in Flow FAQ on our web page but maybe it needs more exposure. Intel has already fixed this but Sony have not updated VAIO drivers. There is very little that we can do. We have tried to find a workaround but the nature of a problem is such this is not possible without working directly with a driver vendor.

Reply   |   Comment by Pixelplan  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+1)
#62

Hi, decided to examine this Software out of interest (in my spare time) and see what's in it. So far I only came across DX Studio some (good) time ago to imagine this could be similar, but having studied Architecture (even longer ago:) perhaps I will be able to grasp few concepts here easier than the "next person"(?), but not solely I'm sure (..I should add we didn't have any such digital "props" as aid in my day, but enough of my cv here, lol)

As for installation - slightly "old fashion" feel (icons in the bin), consisting of few different programs, so yet to discover what does what, what goes where a.s.o.

Thank You Ton (mainly) and others for much needed here professional view, as this is not perhaps widely "popular" Software offered here on GAOTD, but deserving it's presence just the same.

Thanks GAOTD and Pixelplan S.C for this Offer - on this occasion for me to learn, more than to have an instant use:)

Reply   |   Comment by fran  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+1)
#61

ok I have done the install the activation and am still being told that this is a trial version please someone tell me how to fix this as I am do not usually have this problem but guess today is one of those days
Thanks

Reply   |   Comment by Mary  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)
#60

This is not freeware, when I clicked on activate it says it is a locked liomited TRIAL VERSION, and to unlock you have topay $49.95

Reply   |   Comment by Gary Greenwood  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-1)
#59

The O4C viewer, and the browser plug-in contacts pixelplan.pl in order to check for automatic update (just as Flow and any other application today does).

I beg your pardon ... I understood no updates are available for this GAOTD or and any other application or software.
Is this a new policy?

Reply   |   Comment by JuanDeLosPalos  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+4)
#58

First off I am amazed at the negative/ridiculous comments (and votes) about this software.
There is nothing negative about this software (unless you don't need it, which you should just ignore it but you won't so you'll vote it thumbs down! right!)
Anyways this does what they say it will do and more, can't get into it right now (even if I did you wouldn't bother reading it because it would be too long!). If you need a program such as this then download it now and spend the time to learn it because it's well worth it!

I believe they are only giving this away because it is not well known and they want to get a larger audience to view their work of art!
Yes I am hyping this up, only because I believe this is one of the best softwares in it's category, and is well worth it's asking price, and it needs to be said! I will bet you will not see a similar one on this site (or anywhere for the price) this year!

Thank you Pixelplan for your generosity!
Thank you Gaotd for getting this!

Reply   |   Comment by rodken  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)
#57

Well, its ashame PixelPlan isn't MORE focused on the CAD aspect, as there really is more R.O.I. when one can actually MAKE something from one's designs. Making it look "pretty", however many "D's" only serves for selling the design.

Giovanni, what ya got for CAD in your bag of tricks? :-)

Reply   |   Comment by Antoniio  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-2)
#56

How does this compare to Google SketchUp?

Reply   |   Comment by Josh  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)
#55

#38 thanks, but I have an AMD cvard and getting the same error message, this is on a full size PC, not a netbook.
#39 my manufacturers website tells me I have the latest drivers.
Oh well.

Reply   |   Comment by Daniel  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)
#54

When I run it it tells me it is opengl software and I need to install the latest graphics drivers. I know I have the most current AMD drivers installed, but the software instantly exits. Any thoughts?

Reply   |   Comment by Daniel  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)
#53

To the developer: You can break Sony's rules of proprietary drivers by downloading the zip file package that is intended for developers and installing them from the control panel from the Intel Support Site. Its not the best trick in the book but it works!

(Manual update, they won't be signed but they will still install if you allow)

Reply   |   Comment by Little Bear  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)
#52

42 I-Glow

I installed with Admin, ran Activate with Admin
It didn't work initially.
Then found out activating the software needs to be done without admin.
Then it worked.
Thanks for pointing out the flaw in my review. I do apologize for that.

Reply   |   Comment by Ton  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+2)
#51

Very nice :) Sometimes I like a good challenge, and this will definitely be a fun and rather difficult (yes, difficult b/c I'm not exactly an expert with stuff like this...) task to play around with for a little while. Thanks GAOTD and Pixelplan!

Reply   |   Comment by Kristina  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+1)
#50

@38: When I try to run this program, it simply states "A problem caused the program to stop working properly. Please close the program". I'm given no other option or reason, simply a "Close" button. Is this related to the Vaio driver issue or something else? I'm running Win 7, with Admin rights, etc.

Thanks

Reply   |   Comment by Melika  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)
#49

I am getting a message that the version I installed is a trial only - how can I get around that? I did the setup and activation and still it's trial...

Thanks!
Jennifer

Reply   |   Comment by Credit Cards NJ  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+2)
#48

12.9.12
using the share your ideas - submit comment process is bogus, it does not accept the enter code #s it requires to add comments, (using chrom browser)

I would like to... suggest an idea installed through windows 7, Flow Architect Studio 3D v 1.7.1, client is 72MB
installed with WinZip as a trial version on a different partition than my system files.
The Activate.exe and Activate.gcd address C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\Activate.exe, had to extract those two activate to the actual installed location. After activation there are tedious nag popups.
Unchecked splashscreen in settings/global settings/startup

Had to pull a shortcut (flow.exe) from the bin folder.
Seems the program fails to provide a print function, making the program rather less than useful.

Reply   |   Comment by bubu  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)
#47

There are some mistakes in informations about demo version in polish language.
"Ogranioczona" - "Ograniczona"
"Obejżeć" - "Obejrzeć"

Reply   |   Comment by LordDraw  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+2)
#46

After a few hours of practice with Flow, I've done in 3d a proposal of a new arrangement of my basement, what was a point of the quarrel between me and my gf. She saw it on her asus and was very surprised;) The power of that app shows up when you have to fast visualize something in 3d and quickly share it with any audience...

Reply   |   Comment by Maciej  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)
#45

#44 It's ok, I played around a little and have it sorted now. Thanks anyway

Reply   |   Comment by Ripley200012  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-1)
#44

Well, I installed the into backup files - program files
in my external harddrive due concerns over new wrapper!
Works, but gonna have fiqure software out! Looks to be
an interesting software! Due to new wrapper started to
install all software into my external hardrive 1st, to
be tried out! I come to conclusion 20% of stuff I get
is highly used and rest infrequent and some bloatware!
If software turns out useful, I will make copy and put on
main computer! Thanks gotd and Pixelplan P.C.

Reply   |   Comment by Dido  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+3)
#43

GUESS WHAT? I just installed this, and within 15 minutes, I had designed my dream home. In fact, the construction workers are building it right now. Thanks, GAOTD!

Reply   |   Comment by Wally  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-3)
#42

"Warning .
This program creates secretly Plug in Pixelplan Web Viewer in Firefox- which sends all information in Your pc and all surfing history and opened interenet connections -to polish company pixelplan.pl.
Plug in is impossible to delete- You must reformate Your pc, to remove it"

This of course is not true. O4C Viewer does not send "all information" to pixelplan.pl. Is allows you to open O4C files that Flow can generate. The O4C viewer, and the browser plug-in contacts pixelplan.pl in order to check for automatic update (just as Flow and any other application today does). The new version of O4C viewer will be able to open almost all common 3D file formats. So it will also work as a free 3D model viewer. You can uninstall all Pixelplan software if installed from our install. I'm not 100% sure how GOTT installer works.

Reply   |   Comment by Pixelplan  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+50)
#41

@Roy (#40):
1) That "Polish company" is the manufacturer of this software.
2) The plugin enables the program's output to be displayed in web browsers. See Objects for Clients.

Where is your evidence that it sends information from your PC to the company?

Reply   |   Comment by Steve  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+32)
#40

@ #9, Ton, with 15 years of experience and a Autodesk certified professional you didn't activate the software!

You have to install (run setup) then run the activation and you have a full unlocked version.

My best guess is that with all of your experience you didn't learn to follow directions. It causes one to pause about how much stock we should put in your review.

IG

Reply   |   Comment by I-Glow  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-8)
#39

Warning .
This program creates secretly Plug in Pixelplan Web Viewer in Firefox- which sends all information in Your pc and all surfing history and opened interenet connections -to polish company pixelplan.pl.
Plug in is impossible to delete- You must reformate Your pc, to remove it

Reply   |   Comment by Roy  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-16)
#38

Oh well, I wasn't aware of that bug. Ignore my previous comment on that.

Reply   |   Comment by dany  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+1)
#37

Installed and registered without problems on Win 7 64-bit.

I also didn't have problems with my OpenGL drivers. Just go to the official site of your video chip/card manufacturer and download the latest OpenGL drivers. Or use a program like Driver Magician or the likes.

Not my cup of tea as I don't have any practical use for 3D programs but I'll be spending many free hours with this. Lots of options and features. Probably not up to par with CAD but that's not really the purpose of this program. The GUI is a bit overwhelming but all 3D programs have that. It's not an easy thing to do. Nevertheless, if you get past that stagefright it becomes real fun to play with.

I'm wondering how many GOTD visitors will actually get some practical use out of this but definetely a keeper as far as I'm concerned. Thanks GOTD and Pixel Plan.

Reply   |   Comment by dany  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+11)
#36

Hello,

Thanks for all the comments the good ones and the bad too :) We appreciate all input. As far as crashes are concerned there is a bug in OpenGL Intel driver for some Intel GPUs that is exposed in Flow. We have no workaround for this other than installing new drivers. Unfortunately this is not possible on VAIO because Sony have not released new drivers and you cannot instal Intel driver on VAIO.

Reply   |   Comment by Pixelplan  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+47)
#35

Good morning everyone. We were not able to install this due to the exclusive support for 32 bit and not a 64 bit system. Had tried everything but it did not run.

#32 : vc : Your Netbook obviously may not be able to run this due to the pixel shading, vertex shading / hardware transform and lightning not present on your particular hardware on the Netbook. However if you are just using the Netbook Screen, and you have an AMD Radeon or Nvidia ION and you still get this, chances are you may need to plug into an external monitor to get it to work.

Reply   |   Comment by Little Bear  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+6)
#34

sir
the software ,Flow Architect Studio 3D is installed sucessfully but it is not running first it is asking "windowscodecs.dll file" secondly the viewer is also appears for 1 seconds and disappears please give suggestion

Reply   |   Comment by prasad vaidya  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+8)
#33

Same as Anna. Win7 - Installed, activated, run = Modal Dialog with message "OpenGL version error, please install the latest graphics drivers." Upon clicking "OK" the application exits.

Reply   |   Comment by DJGray  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+3)
#32

super one :)

Reply   |   Comment by Dawn W  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-17)
#31

@#26: Without further explanations, your posting is kind of pointless.

Reply   |   Comment by Roger  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+18)
#30

Installed and activated but when I start it I get this error message:

"OpenGL version error, please install latest graphics drivers"

anyone know what it means or if I can not use it? Machine is a windows8 netbook

Reply   |   Comment by vc  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)
#29

I got the "OpenGL version error, please install the latest graphic drivers" when installed on windows 8 Release preview, build 8400. - and where do I find these drivers? ( Dell latitude E6500 )

Reply   |   Comment by Knut  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-2)
#28

No problem install to Windows 7 64bit. Activation ok need to have the activation programs in the same directory as the Main program. I use 7-zip for compressed files. Seems to be lite cad good for games.

Reply   |   Comment by Dan  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-4)
#27

Can not open this program
After installation it oppens and displays a message

OpenGL version error ,please install the latest graphic drivers

and then it closes
Can anyone help me please?

Trayed on Win7 and XP same result

Reply   |   Comment by Anna  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+1)
#26

22 Janet
I still use trueSpace 7.61 for game models. A very good software. But MS killed it for good.... we trueSpacers know the story....
got a handkerchief?
don't
life goes on, the forum COULD be better but glad it's there

Reply   |   Comment by Ton  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+5)
#25

Without collada (.dae) export, this app is kind of pointless.

Reply   |   Comment by Been There  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-17)
#24

I like this kind of software... couldn't wait to fire it up.

Installation on windows 7 ult... ok, except the executable is hiding in the bin folder.

Interface fairly straightforward.. the font on the side panel tabs could be a hair larger for those of us that are vision challenged.

I was unable to start a new project, the program would only let me explore 4 test projects... not good for an eval. The create option is dimmed out on the project menu panel and the right hand side of the location field does not have the file browser button, so computer location requires typing it out or pasting it in. (took screenies)

I could move (but not rotate) objects in scene, including objects added to the scene - the gizmo for object manipulation just disappeared. Texture and materials are also not accessible.

Maybe I need to go through more of the tutorials but not being able to create a new project limits program eval.

Reply   |   Comment by Opal  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+7)
#23

I am having big problems with this program. When I try to start a new project, I am using the help menu tutorials, but when I minimize the help menu, it stays in the plan windows. Every new item I click on also remains in the plan windows, and I cannot even get anything to work on the plan, not even block by range. Any suggestions?

Reply   |   Comment by Joe  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+1)
#22

I have been using trueSpace for years (FULL 3d and animation program--including redering and collaboration). It was developed by Caligari and eventually sold to Microsoft who then offered it to the world FREE (I paid $800 about 12 years ago)! It has a significant learning curve, but MANY video tutorials and libraries. Everything is free now. Had a great, active community. Still has a forum, but since it is no longer being developed (stopped at Win 7), a lot of old faithfuls moved on. It does everything any professional 3d program does.

Reply   |   Comment by Janet  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+44)
#21

A good software that I didn't have to steal - THANKS!

Reply   |   Comment by NapoleonVanHardirdge  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-31)
#20

For what I can see today's giveaway looks like a pretty decent software especially suitable for architects, designers and engineers.

Unfortunately, unlike TON (#1), I don't work in 3D business, Autodesk Certified Professional.... so can't wait to hear his review about this GAOTD.

However if you need a FREE 3D home planning tool to build the interiors of your home, besides pCon.planner and SWEETHOME 3D, already mentioned above, I'd also suggest give "Ashampoo Home Designer" a whirl:

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Others/Home-Education/Ashampoo-Home-Designer.shtml

But how about HEXAGON, GOOGLE SKETCHUP and BLENDER?

* Hexagon
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Graphic/Graphic-Others/DAZ-Hexagon.shtml

* Google SketchUp
http://sketchup.google.com/

Short tutorial:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5549248_create-home-designs-models.html

- Blender
http://www.blender.org/

Tutorials:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender_3D:_Noob_to_Pro/Building_a_House
http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-build-complete-digital-home-blender-3d-242095/

Other nice and very powerful FREE 3D modeling tools are also these:

http://www.123dapp.com/
http://www.anycad.net/

And to create 3D games and demos:

http://deaddeer.sourceforge.net/

Screenshots:
http://www.softpedia.com/progScreenshots/Dead-Deer-Screenshot-190100.html

Enjoy!!

Reply   |   Comment by Giovanni  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+91)
#19

a few start-up / getting started tips for the absolute beginner for getting the EXE export to work

-Open a default map (doesn't matter which)
-main menu select Tools, then Compile Map
-then Test Visualization (seems to be important as it will generate the shadow map at this point)
-next Build Visualization

you shouldn't get any compiler errors now

One thing which would be great for this is to allow custom screen aspect ratios.
Another feature request would be to cache shadow maps for re-use.


If you want to go pro with realtime 3D:

Crytek or Unreal Technologies
both are free and have indie licensing with no upfront fee at Crytek, but I believe 99 bucks at UDK per seat.
Crytek is charging 20 percent of all revenue. That's all there is to Crytek Licensing - easy.

Check it out

Cryengine 3
http://mycryengine.com/

Unreal SDK
http://www.unrealengine.com/udk/downloads/


I'm done here for today
all the best
and have fun
:)

Reply   |   Comment by Ton  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+44)
#18

To folks who say that the learning curve is steep for this software, try Sweet Home 3D. It has fewer features than the software offered today but you can be designing interiors within minutes.

Reply   |   Comment by Paul  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+20)
#17

Highly inflated price seems to me - you can buy this software at softcity dot com for $40, not $63 ............

Reply   |   Comment by Merc  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+2)
#16

Mike, hit the help menu and select "enter the unlock key" here you will find all fields preloaded (if you have activiated the prog). Hit the unlock tab, and the scrolling banner goes away - marvellous!

Reply   |   Comment by fred  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+52)
#15

Just wanted to add this to the list of Realtime 3D Software

DX Studio is now freeware
http://www.dxstudio.com/

Reply   |   Comment by Ton  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+45)
#14

Your'e right mike (#11); I was a little hasty with my praise; I would not be put out much, if some warning was provided that this is only a trial verson. I'll probably still keep it, as it has lots of bells and whistles, aside from the scrolling "Trail only banner" with the walk through animation.

Reply   |   Comment by Fred  –  11 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)
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