FloorPlan 3D Design Suite 9.0 is a really easy-to-use Windows application for creating basic interior design models or relatively detailed house plans for renovation or decoration. Although the finished drawings aren't anywhere near as professional as those drawn by a professional using a high-end CAD package, the results are moderate considering the low cost of the software. FloorPlan 3D Design Suite 9.0 has got a few neat tricks up its sleeves too, such as over 1000 customisable floor plans to inspire you and give you a head start, another 1300 symbols including UK type fittings such as radiators and curtains, as well as the ability to create renderings using light sources to cast shadows and create ambient lighting effects. There's collision detection technology too, to help you create accurate spacing models and prevent you from placing one 3D object on top of another, but the key feature is the way you can experience your home design or remodel by 'walking' though it in a 3D dimensional floorplan. Unfortunately, the software has a low-cost feel and hasn't really improved over the years. We also encountered some bugs, but overall it's a relatively decent offering considering its price - just don't expect to create the house of your dreams or be dazzled with the latest in graphics technology.

Pros: Over 1000 plans and pre-drawn 3D symbols; virtual walkthrough
Cons: Basic CAD functionality; doesn't extend to landscape gardening


With house renovation and weekend DIY reaching galactic proportions in the UK, home-improvement enthusiasts may be interested in FloorPlan 3D Design Suite 9.0, a low-cost and easy-to-use piece of software that lets you revamp any room in your home or office in three 'simple' steps - or even build a building from scratch. FloorPlan 3D Design Suite 9.0 is available in a standard version reviewed here (£24.99 ex. VAT), and as a more advanced Pro version containing TurboCAD 9.2 Deluxe and a 2D Course book (£42.99 ex. VAT).

The updated software has improved on its predecessor by allowing you to edit in 3D and by adding a new drawing information palette and hundreds of new pre-drawn 3D symbols. The user-interface has been improved too, allowing you create designs and floor plans faster and easier than before, collision detection technology prevents you from placing one 3D object on top of another, and you can now choose how many panes of glass are in your windows or how many panels are in your doors. You can also create and open multiple views of the same drawing so you can work in 2D and see the results in real-time 3D.

FloorPlan 3D Design Suite 9.0 is designed to play a useful and fun part in the planning stages of any DIY project, enabling you to explore some of the endless possibilities of a home makeover and help to prevent DIY disasters and dodgy designs. The software lets you explore and try out your ideas to-scale using colours, new furniture layouts and structural redesign. The software's built-in 3D 'photo realistic' images then give an idea of how things are going to look before paint has even touched the walls. However, take the 'photo realistic' statement with a pinch of salt - the graphics are lousy.

The Windows-based software offers a complete suite of tools to help you to visualise and plan a building project from conception through to completion, even if you have no previous CAD experience. Simple point-and-click operations and automated features, such as automatic dimensioning and automatic generation of a materials list, help to make designing or improving a building a snap. There are also a number of different views that can help you to better visualise your model at any time during the design process.

With FloorPlan 3D Design Suite 9.0 you can create customised building design with different floor levels, automatically insert doors, windows, stairs, columns, desks, balconies and roofs, as well as incorporate site information (such as lot boundaries). You can choose from different landing styles for steps, furnish your design with item such as cabinets, furniture, appliances and plumbing fixtures, as well add basic landscaping (such as trees), balconies, desks, driveways, fences and gates into your outdoor environment. You can also view shaded, rendered and wireframe models of your design, create a virtual walkthrough, and add text and plan dimensions to annotate your drawing - not bad for a package costing just £24.99 (ex. VAT).

Creating a basic building can been done in just a few minutes by using one of the pre-drawn plans provided. Alternatively, you can start from scratch if you have specific requirements. If you do decide to start from scratch, you simply drag-and-drop walls to create a basic top-down plan, and then add doors and windows. When you have the basic shell in place, you can then choose from over 1800 categorised fixtures and fittings, such as sofas, cookers, beds, sinks and so on to populate your rooms.

Perhaps the most impressive feature of this low-cost package is its walkthrough technology, allowing you to view and 'walk through' your design in full 3D. However, the technology is far from totally convincing as the camera controls are unresponsive and there's no collision detection, so you can walk right through furniture, walls and floors. Whilst 'walking' you can move furniture, change colours and add textures. Finally, having completed the design, you can create 'photo-realistic' renderings with built-in LightWorks rendering technology, allowing you to control light sources, cast shadows and create different ambient light settings for more realism and stunning beauty. Again, don't expect to be dazzled with graphics. Finally, your hard work can be shared with anyone over the Internet, should you want to show off to your partner, contractor or even architect.

BIOS, Dec 19, 04 | Print | Send | Comments (0) | Posted In Graphics