Now, onto what I think of the new and "new" Revit 2018 features...
Before I go on rattling the new features, Autodesk does a good job pointing them out and demonstrates them with little videos. Click here to see the new features (and "enhanced features" page of Autodesk's website)...
Instead of listing them off, I figured I would just give some commentary on a few highlights (in my opinion).
Railing Updates:
The first new feature that caught my eye was an addition to what railings can host to. I find myself modeling a lot of fences, barricades, and miscellaneous elements that need to follow topography. Before this new feature, I had to use Dynamo and adaptive components to make something as simple as a fence that follows topography. Revit 2018 gives you the ability to host railings to topography. I am in the process of really testing the limits of this function, but it is a step in the right direction for me.
Other railing enhancements include new stair and post adjustments... Still, creating railings correctly with stairs takes a bit of effort.
Linking Navisworks Files and Scheduling Links / Groups:
These two new features I will categorize under "collaboration/coordination".
Being able to schedule elements within a group or linked file is a no-brainer. I think everyone reading this blog can see the benefits (or have dealt with the struggles of not having) this feature. I don't know why it took so long, but thanks Autodesk!
Linking a Navisworkd file, on the other hand, is an interesting addition. Honestly, I am still trying to imagine the perfect use-case for this feature, but I still think it is great to have. The ability to load a federated Navisworks model into a Revit file could be useful. The first example that came to mind was coordination sign-off. When sub-contractors submit a coordinated area to the engineer of record for sign-off the engineer can load the Navisworks file into their Revit model and compare/contrast...
What Are Your Favorite New or Enhanced Items?
Comment below and let me know what you think of the Revit 2018 release... Here, again, is the list of items. Did you already download 2018 and have been playing around with the new features?
Where you wishing to see improvements on the new text tool? Improvements on the depth cueing feature introduced in 2017?
Comment below!
Logging you in...
Michael Dunn · 415 weeks ago
Nick Crane · 415 weeks ago
archilizer · 415 weeks ago
I do agree with your starting paragraph on "new features" though .. one of the things I'm super interested in, for example, is the support of Rhino files, which obviously made to a 2017 patch release.
Matt Rimert · 415 weeks ago
Pieter Schiettecatte · 414 weeks ago
pumphousebim 21p · 414 weeks ago
spoke · 414 weeks ago
I wish that AutoDesk would not keep making more and more and more and more things that work mainly with AutoDesk products and make things that work an integrate with other products like ArchiCAD, VectorWorks, SketchUp, and a host of non AutoDesk products. Navisworks and 360 = snore.
The point about a thing like a BIM idiom surely, is to be able to cross pollinate, but what it is, is really only 1 AD product talking to another, which is hugely limiting, typically proprietorial and restrictive, and for which reason, projects an image of caution to not put all your tech eggs in one AutoDesk basket, despite all the obvious restrictions they have on Revit now..
Also, diminishing circles indeed, there are still a huge number of tolls not finished or or poorly integrated of lacking functionality to make them top tools and no matter what the Users say, vote, plead, criticize , pray or hope, the vendor does not listen and, never will, so it is typically, another year where little is done, but the near promise of tightening the screws on the customer license base.
The onyl thing that might change their way, is for a groundswell of customers moving elsewhere to maybe Generative Components or ArchiCAD because even though there are problems wherever one looks, Revit is far from ideal , and for sure, it does feel that part of the long term plan to is keep drawing in Users until they /we are all so deep, there is a feeling of not wishing to change.
Very disappointing, after so much hype for so many years to keep on finding every year, the trnech is deeper than last year.