- Average user rating: stars out of 22 votes Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
User reviews
-
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
5 stars
Version: Punch Professional Home Design Platinum Suite 8
Pros: I have never used any type of architecture program before, but the video tutorials made learning easy. There are tutorials for everything from laying walls and navigating the animated walk-through and fly-around, to adding lighting and creating complex decks. You can fully customize furniture from within the program and you don't need AutoCAD to create your own objects. Everything is simple drag-and-drop; very easy to use. The 3D View looks amazing, in my opinion. I did my own house with this program and it totally feels like you're there.
Cons: If you add lots of furniture and complex 3D objects, it takes a long time to render the 3D animation view. (But you don't have to keep the 3D View open.) Also, you can add/remove floors, so supposedly you can create floor cutouts, but I haven't found out how to remove ceilings, which you would also need for it.
-
3 stars
Version: Punch Professional Home Design Platinum Suite 8
Pros: the software really isn't all that difficult to use and the video tut's ARE helpful, you just have to take the time to learn your way around - just like any other software out there. the rendering and walkthrough modes are far better/easier to work with then alot of pro CAD softwares. the library is fairly extensive and the object editor isn't too difficult to use (especially for changing materials)
Cons: these are more requests for items to be fixed or improved, but... light colors tend to come in more greyish and often two items next to each other with the same material will look completely different - no matter the lighting (i.e. the drive way and sidewalk - both paths with the same material applied, one looks medium dark grey the other very light grey. wall openings have a wood pattern/color inside of the wall that cannot be changed. cant rotate floor/wall tile patterns. when laying out exterior walls, stopping to fix a mistake will cuase to floor outline to irreversibly close - often into something twisted and unworkable - hence you must start from scratch or finish off the walls and fix the mistake later. the roof (as expected) can be *very* difficult to layout accurately if is anything more than simple. needs better plant manipulation tools; to be able to control the trim and shape of tree's and hedges. working elevation reverts back to 0" very often - painful if your home is on a hill. "float above topography" materials dont work well with shapely terrian - tends to dive above and below the green. very difficult to make things like coffered or tray ceilings (no standard features for this at least) too little varity for things like sinks and tubes while having too much for things like towel bars and racks. cabinet wizard lacks sinks and has only one style of island. many items, like ground fill regions, lack the ability to smoothly control the locations of points - rather its tries to force them into certain locations.
-
3 stars
Version: Punch Professional Home Design Platinum Suite 8
"Great product to use, if you don't mind the learning time."
Pros: Many features, lots of diversity, powerful tool.
Cons: Fairly steep learning curve.
-
1 stars
Version: Punch Professional Home Design Platinum Suite 8
"waste of time and money (Professional Home Design Suite)"
Cons: This software does not get along with vista
-
2 stars
Version: Punch Professional Home Design Platinum Suite 8
"No online help no simple samples"
Pros: Have not had the chance to use it, as it is not easy to use
Cons: It does not come with an online help. ONline help takes you to the windows operating system help, that has nothing to do wiht the application.
The software comes with a basic manual in PDF format, but when you are in a specific screen and want to know about a command, that help does not exist.
It comes with 20 plans that can not be previewed. You have to spend an hour to upload them all, and the plans are palaces, not simple houses for a common user to start working on.
There are reviews that catalogue the software as #1. I wonder how bad the #2 and 3 are to make this #1.
Typical techie product. Does many things, but nothing is documented.
Submit your review
You must be 13 years of age or older to submit personal information to CNET Networks. In compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, CNET Networks does not accept name and e-mail address information from users who are under 13 years of age.
All submitted ratings and written comments become the sole property of CNET Networks, Inc. (CNET) and may be used at CNET Networks' sole discretion. Ratings and written comments are generally posted within two to four business days in batch groups, not in real time. However, CNET Networks reserves the right to remove or refuse to post any submission for any reason. You acknowledge that you, not CNET Networks, are responsible for the contents of your submission.
CNET Networks is not responsible for the content of the publisher's descriptions or user reviews on this site. We encourage you to determine whether this product or your intended use is legal. We do not encourage or condone the use of any software in violation of applicable laws. CNET Download.com does not sell, resell, or license any of the products listed on the site. We cannot be held liable for issues that arise from the download or use of these products.
