Contains all the features of Arcon Architect Edition

Our Arcon Architect + Renderer Edition contains all of the features included with our standard Architect Edition detailed HERE

Arcon Real Time Renderer

Export your models quickly and simply to create high-quality rendering with ambient shade, real time shade, real time reflections and Photoshop® plugins. With the Arcon Real Time Renderer your Arcon projects can quickly and effectively be turned into a full visualisation scene. Its compact format enables fast scene building combined with close-to-reality quality and simple handling. Suitable for use by experienced visualisation professionals or first time users. See each feature below for more details.

Ambient shadows

Take greater control of your shadow detail settings to create the effect you require for your project and visualisation style. Control ambience and diffusion of the light source together with strength and intensity of shadow detailing to create your distinct style.

Real time shadows

Reposition, rotate and walkthrough your project with continual shadow detailing in place to provide consistently realistic visualisations.

Real time reflections

Reposition, rotate and walkthrough your project with continual reflection detailing in place to provide consistently realistic visualisations.

Bump mapping

Bump mapping is a technique in computer graphics for simulating bumps and wrinkles on the surface of an object. With built in bump mapping capabilities, you can now add greater levels of realism to your textures, enabling more detailed and realistic visualisations. Integrate your own texture bump maps or use the original texture to map against in order to produce enhanced edge definition and detail.

Reflection mapping

Reflection mapping is an efficient image-based lighting technique for representing the appearance of a reflective surface. This can be applied to any surface and is ideal for use in water features, polished surfaces, mirrored surfaces and swimming pools. Adding a reflection map to these objects will enable them to realistically reflect the surrounding environment.

Multi-layer textures

Combine texture effects such as bump mapping and reflection mapping onto a single multi-layer texture. This provides greater creative flexibility enabling you to ensure you are able to obtain the finish and style you require.

Texture picker

Using our standard texture pipette and dropper, you are able to quickly copy and replace textures from one part of a project to the other.

Texture & materials database

Thousands of new textures and materials are included in the new database, unique to the Real Time Renderer. Take advantage of the new higher quality image settings to improve your 3D designs with a greater selection of brick, stone, paving, wood, roof tiles and more. Additionally edit or add your own textures to the database for use on future projects.

Layer manager

Real Time Renderer introduces the concept of layers to perfect your scene. A scene can be created from multiple layers and by using combinations of background (sky, landscape), mid-ground (your 3D model) and foreground (fencing, overhanging trees) you are able to quickly build a photorealistic scene around your 3D model.

Scenery manager

Along with layers, use the scenery manager to add additional fine detailing to your projects. Using 2D PNG scenic images add plants, people and other items to add interest to your scene. Pin scenery items in place to rotate and move with your model when re-positioned.

Light source manager

Automatically integrate lightsources from within Arcon, add new light sources or combine both. Then select each light source for additional control including direction, strength and colour. For the maximum flexibility between Arcon and Real-Time Renderer we recommend using Arcon 2011 Architect Edition to ensure you can export your o2c object with light sources already included.

Scenery & layer library

Scenery and layers makes use of PNG file format images which contain transparent backgrounds. This enables images to be stacked to create rich, detailed scenes. The library contains images for both background and foreground layers and scenic items such as plants and people. Easily add your own to the library using this common file format.

Import multiple file formats

Import your models in either o2c format direct from Arcon or import models in the standard 3DS modelling format. 2D images for layers and scenery can be imported in the standard formats such as BMP, JPG and PNG.

Export multiple file formats

Export your final scenes as either o2c or e3d format for use within the relevant model viewer. Save your scenes as images in the standard formats such as BMP, JPG and PNG.

Utilise Photoshop® plugins for creative control

Arcon Real Time Renderer is compatible with plugins created for Adobe Photoshop®. Experiment with Photoshop® plugins with your models to provide unlimited creativity. Try line art, or pastel plugins. Use cell-shading and edge definition filters or any other plugin that provides you with unique and creative visualisations.*

*N.B. Photoshop® plugins not supplied.

Create professional drawings ideal for planning applications

With fast and accurate drawing tools, creating scaled floor plans, elevations and cross-sections is one of the key strengths of the Arcon system. All plans and elevations are produced to scale with flexible control over scale, paper size and measurement units. All of our Arcon home design software packages also come complete with our built-in Creative Lines package. This provides even greater control of your layouts, enabling you to produce single pages containing multiple views and floorplans. Ideal for planning applications, floorplan presentations to clients or service information for each trade.

Used by architects & building professionals worldwide

For over 15 years, Arcon has been the choice home design software system for thousands of building professionals, architects and self-builders. Working closely with our users we continue to develop and support our Arcon system to ensure it can be adapted to even the most demanding design project.

No CAD knowledge required

One of the main advantages of the Arcon system over a traditional CAD system is the use of a modular toolset. Designed specifically for building design we have been able to create an intuitive set of modules to guide you logically through the design process. This means it's simple for anyone to learn, both experienced professionals and novice amateurs embarking on their first self-build project.

Easy to use interface for planning and design

The modular toolset enables us to provide tools and icons for specific elements of the design in a logical manner. Easily identifiable, each tool will guide you through a particular part of the design process and will be familiar to anyone having used Windows based software. Each tool can be customised and adapted to your preferred drawing style with full flexible options, easily accessed at any time.

2D plans to 3D models in a single click

Creating realistic 3d models for visualisation couldn't be simpler. Draw your floorplans in a traditional 2d plan view and your 3d model is created automatically at the same time. With a single mouse click or key press you can then enter the 3d mode to view your design, modify finishes and fittings and take a virtual tour of your building.

Drag & drop or numeric input methods

Everyone has their preferred working methods and styles and so in Arcon we reflect this by providing multiple methods for achieving construction tasks. Use simple drag & drop to insert objects, point and click to place walls or use numeric input methods to enter dimensions such as wall lengths.

Metric and imperial measurement units

Unlike similar systems, Arcon is created to cater for either metric or imperial measurement units. Define your preferred units for each project whether it's metres, millimetres or feet and inches. Even swap from metric and imperial and back again at anytime.

Powerful measuring and ruler tools

For simple design ideas, drawings in Arcon can easily be created freehand. However for the majority of projects you will need to know that your plans are accurate. Arcon software contains many tools to ensure that your drawing elements are spaced and aligned correctly. With powerful guidelines, rulers, origins, grids and measures you can be certain that your plans will be correct every time.

Automatic and manual dimensions tools

2d plans and elevations in Arcon are always drawn to scale (which you have full control over) and accordingly there are many ways of displaying important dimensions and measurements. Set automatic dimensions to display as you draw, choose from many styles of dimension line to add manually, use height point dimensions on elevations and cross-sections, easily add room areas and volumes and even angle dimensions.

Customisable wall construction types, including cavity walls

Walls come complete with a number of standard settings in the library. These wall settings can be completely customised to change the library or create your own for future projects. Walls can be completely customised right down to specifying each individual layer of a wall. This makes the walls tool easily able to cater for cavity walls, sips, solid stone or even straw bales.

Stairs editor

Generate complex stair forms. You can adjust the parameters and see the changes instantly in 3D. Supports many stair types. When placed, stairs will automatically create a ceiling cutout for the stairwell..

Produce simple or complex roof designs

For simple roof constructions you can select from any of the standard roof types in the library and simply drag and drop into position and amend pitch etc. as required. Alternatively use the free form roof editor to create complex roof designs for more unusual shaped buildings. Easily edit the roof settings from pitch and eaves height right through to wood construction details. Then modify the roof easily with dedicated tools for dormer windows and skylights.

Create split level buildings

Not all building plots are level and often a design will need to include split levels within the building. This could range from a simple step-down kitchen through to a hillside home staggered with the slope of the site. By using the 'multiple building' concept within Arcon it is simple to overcome these design issues enabling you to create design solution perfectly suited to your plot requirements.

Create estates and multi-building developments

With the ability to create multiple buildings per project file, Arcon is flexible enough to enable you to design entire developments and plan estates. Easily save a design and load multiple copies into your project to create a complete development.

Integrate balconies and railings

Balconies can be attached to your floorplans using the simple balcony outline tool. Define the size and placement of the balcony and it will automatically integrate with your existing walls, placing parapet walls and/or railings where needed. Take full control of the railings to change style, size, and shape right down to specifying the fitting method. Use the independent railing tool to manually add rails around decks, walkways or gallery landings.

Advanced wall outline editing

Take full control of the profile of your walls for maximum design flexibility. Decide how and where walls interact with features such as stairs and roofs. Manually edit individual wall profiles to recreate unusual shapes, architectural features of even garden walls.

Modify existing walls with flexible editing tools

The Arcon system provides you with the flexibility to produce drawings in your own way and when you need to change your plans, nothing could be simpler. With a complete suite of wall editing options available, amending, modifying or adding to your drawings is quick and intuitive. Simply select the tool that matches what you want to change and edit the wall. With options to enable you to change lengths, angles, wall ends, splitting walls, merging and trimming walls you can always ensure your designs can evolve with your requirements.

View 2d & 3d views simultaneously

Whilst it only takes a single key press or click of the mouse to toggle between the 2d construction mode and the 3d design mode, there are occasions when you may want to see both at the same time. Simply enable the 3d preview and watch everything you draw in 2d replicated in 3d as you design.

Define the site, plot or landscape

Use the define landscape tool to mark the boundaries of your building plot or site. Break the area down into individual gardens, driveways and paths using the ground area tool. The add contours using the land topography tools or even individual height points for a realistic visualisation of your building plot.

Generate elevation views automatically

By using the section tool to designate the start and end viewpoints, an elevation can be generated automatically for everything visible within the boundaries of the section. The section tool enables you to define the scale of your elevation (which can be different for the floorplans) and specify whether to include one or more buildings or just an individual floor. Multiple sections can be added within a project to easily provide the standard front/rear/side elevation views.

Create 2d & 3d cross-sections

Our section tool enables you to create both elevations (by placing the section line outside the building) and cross-sections (by placing the section line through the building). With the same control over scale and the ability to include or exclude interior furnishings and objects. Combined with the architectural mode display, cross-sections will show detailed wall construction detailing. With cross-sections in place, toggle into design mode to display the cross-section in 3d.

Over 7000 furniture items and objects included

The standard library contains over 7000 3d models for the furnishing and fittings of your project. Included are objects for bathrooms, kitchens, living areas, dining, gardens, offices and many more. All objects can be amended and modified, resized and adjusted as required.

Over 1300 textures and materials for decoration

Apply textures to surfaces, objects, fixtures and fittings to change their appearance and style. The add materials to provide reflective surfaces, glass properties and mirrored finishes.

Increase your library with import options

Need a specific texture or object? Can't find anything suitable in the library? Easily add to the library to increase your options. Textures can be added in the common bmp format, enabling you to take images from the web, catalogues or you own images. Furthermore add more 3d objects to your catalogue by using the import feature to import files in the widely used 3ds standard.

Enhance your 3d scene with picture backgrounds

Select from one of the photographic backgrounds included or use your own to provide a greater insight into how your design will look in situ.

Create tiling plans on walls and floors

Use the tile planner macro to define unique and complex tiling patterns to decorate both floors and walls.

Check lighting and shadows

By selecting to use the variable daylight settings to light your 3d model, you are able to select your location anywhere in the world by entering your latitude and longitude (or pick your closest town/city). Then choose a date and time and see the impact of the lighting from the sun. Calculate where shadows are cast from all elements within the project. Alternatively use artificial lighting in night time mode to light your interiors.

3D virtual walkthrough

Analyze your design in detail with the 3d walkthrough function. Enter and explore your 3d model to check for space issues and practicality of design. With animated door and window information, check your plans will work for you.

Share information with advanced export functions

Arcon provides many ways to share your plans, drawings and models. Create image files of your 2d and 3d views, save your plans as pdf files, produce a 3d model in o2c format to share with clients or export your plans in CAD formats compatible with other software systems.

Import/Export DXF & DWG files

Many alternative CAD systems will produce files in the common DXF/DWG file types. Arcon is no exception and will enable you to produce 2d plans and elevation in DXF or DWG format. Additionally, some versions will also enable you export your 3d models into the 3d DXF format. It is also possible to import DXF/DWG files into your Arcon projects, enabling you to use them as the basis for creating your project.