Vue, Plant Factory now free
bytescapes
Posts: 1,821
in The Commons
e-on Software have decided to stop developing their 3D software (Vue, Plant Factory, Plant Catalog) and have made the current versions free to download at https://www.bentley.com/software/e-on-software-free-downloads/ for anyone who wants.
I've found Vue sometimes frustrating to use, but it's undeniably powerful and can produce spectacular results. On the one hand, I'm sorry to see that it won't be developed any more but on the other, hey, free software.
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Comments
Thanks for the news.
I paid a lot of money for Vue Complete back in 2014, though stopped using it much after Cornucopia shut down, but it will be interesting to check it out now again in its current version.
From the looks of it, E-On got bought by some Auto-CAD company called Bentley. This feels a lot like when Pluralsight bought-out DigitalTutors then shut them down. At least E-On's giving us the tools, but get them quick I guess - no telling when the offer may be revoked.
Interesting. Thanks!
I bought Vue long, long ago - probably around that same time frame, which is when I first bought Poser - but didn't persevere with either at the time. Does anyone know if the Plant Catalogs are cumulative, or do you need all of them to have all of the items? Brief text on the page suggests that each one needs to be downloaded to get unique contents in each.
sorry, this is a little off topic but I've just rediscovered my best image where I used Vue2. It was with DS 0.7 or DS1.something in January 2006. The image used the Vue image as a backdrop and GV3 as the character.
Regards,
Richard
i used Vue through V6 when they changed owners and stopped supporting older versions. I think its when they went subscription as well, around that time. I liked Vue a lot. I think I will check that deal out. Thanks for link
Thanks for the heads up!
well , Thanx
I just completed downloading ALL files -- the programs and the archives. 38.5 GIG total on my HD
THERE IS A 1300 PAGE REFERENCE GUIDE/MANUAL INCLUDED.
I Installed it last friday
the Plant Factory App is the greater value to me
Make sure you grab that.
Thanks much for the news!! I had the free, entry level version of Vue through Vue 16 - not that I used it much. I'm a dabbler/hobbyist and was working full-time then. Several years ago, e-on software abruptly disappeared from online but reappeared several months/a year later as subscription only software. After retiring a few years ago, I decided to see if I could install Vue 16 on my current laptop. I could but it required server activation from an e-on server that no longer existed. I contacted e-on Support and they directed me to Bently which was handling such requests. Surprisingly, they sent me an email with the information that I needed to activate Vue 16 with them. I definitely plan to download the latest Vue software while it’s available.
Can these free versions be used to convert Vue files in a format usable by Daz ?
They are some nice freebies for Vue on Renderosity but off the top of my head, it was not possible to use them in Daz without Vue.
Wow. I loved Vue back before they started pricing out hobbyists. I think I have up to Vue 6 or 7? Thanks for posting this. I'm sorry to see them go.
Download is VueX1.8_2814662_8006132_Release_perpetual.jpeg
Is this correct ? Would have thought it would be a zip, exe, or msi file ....
it's an zip _ 2.0 GB Thanx
Rodger that - Will rename it and see if my computer explodes .....
No the actual downloads are mostly zip files and a few exe ones. I'm not sure what you are doing wrong. You need to left click on the download button and then accept the agreement. After that you will see the actual files isted. Left click on them to download.
That's what I did. Downloads are saving as .jpeg files. AntiVirus is giving them the all clear. Renaming to Zip worked.
are all those extra content files accumulative or different?
Do they all work with the 2024 version?
Odd. All mine downloaded properly. Maybe some quark in your computer is causing zip files to have a lpeg extension???
alrite then + glad it's workin'g
+ 1 _ thought this also + Thanx
They're not all the same - I unzipped them all and dropped them into the oldest directory proceeding from old to new and I ended up with 11+ GB of content. I have not grabbed all the plant catalogs as they require actual installation. I just downloaded the newest one and called it a day. They should all work in Vue 2024, though I;ve not had time to try them out.
All that being said, there could be some repeats depending how they're packaged in sub-directories. That's something else to check. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The buyout was some years ago, before they went subscription-only. Bentley released several updates.
LOL will download all though my E drive my downloads are on is showing red so full, can always delete duplicates afterwards
not going to install it all yet as not enough room on my C drive for Poser 11 even let alone Vue, will just hang onto it
WOW
My3D journey pretty much started with Terragen and Vue 4. I abandoned Terragen when it became expensive, and I quit Vue when they went subscription. I'm in the process of downloading everything. It's like coming home in a way. Even if I moved out of there a long time ago and redecorated with Blender and Studio ;-)
I've used Vue 6 infinite and Vue Studio 2015 off and on through the years. Also tried their subscription service in 2019 for a year, then quit. It was just too expensive for the amount of time I actually used it. Glad it's free now!
I downloaded all of it, actually 46 gig, then moved it to an external drive. According to the website, downloads should be available until August 2024.
Installed and opened the 2023 version for now, and just beginning to check it out.
Many thanks to @bytescapes for alerting us to this giant sized freebie!