VUE, PlantFactory and PlantCatalog are now free to use

Dear e-on customers, partners, and resellers:

For over 27 years, e-on software products have served the media and entertainment industry, and we couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve have achieved with your ongoing support and passion for our tools. Since Bentley Systems acquired e-on in 2015, these products have been used in other Bentley solutions and by valued partners all over the world.

As Bentley continues to grow, however, we realized the need to reevaluate our product portfolio to strengthen our business. For over 39 years, Bentley’s main focus has been to serve engineers and other professionals responsible for designing, constructing, and operating sustainable infrastructure, essential to the quality of life for everyone, everywhere.  

To ensure we can continue driving towards that mission, Bentley has made the difficult decision to end sales for and the further development of VUE, PlantFactory, and PlantCatalog products. In addition, support for these products will be limited to critical security patches only going forward.

Though we will no longer be allowing the purchase of new licenses, we want to ensure that you can continue using all the e-on products and technologies you’ve come to rely on over the years. Therefore, we are pleased to announce that VUE, PlantFactory, and PlantCatalog are now free to download and use. By downloading these perpetual builds, you will acknowledge the new end-user license agreement (EULA) and agree to use the software without support.

To learn more about this decision and how to continue using these products, we have created an FAQ section you can review.

Great news for us users who didn't have the money to use the full version. Probably bad news for the ones who own a paid version and now are left without support and updates.
But I'm downloading PlantFactory 2024 for Windows and the PlantCatalog Collections. It takes time because of a slow server and big files but hey, it's free! And I'm Dutch ;-)

I commend Bently for the compassionate release, however I wish the patient could have been saved.  Is there a possibility for the source or API to be opened to the community for further development and content store integration?

Maybe someone could suggest it. But corporations frequently don't like to allow assets they have paid for to be let loose into the wild like that. Who knows? Maybe they are willing to do it!

I'm looking forward to creating new content for Vue - especially as there may be many more users now it's free.  It was out of reach for many, certainly for me after 2015.

We had intended to open source the software initially, but because there is still code in there which is used in other Bentley products, we unfortunately can't. So this is the next best thing we could do.

If the code situation ever changed in the future, my colleagues and I would love to go back to this discussion and ask Bentley to open source the apps. But for now, I am afraid it's not going to work.

I'm looking forward to creating new content for Vue - especially as there may be many more users now it's free.  It was out of reach for many, certainly for me after 2015.

Precisely.  It would also boost Poser user creativity and content sales since they integrate so well.

It's the end of an era, really. 

I still have the Vue 4 install media and serial.

Just DL'd EVERYTHING on that DL page. I used Vue (10, I think) back in the day, and loved what I could create with it. Hated it when they went the sub-only route.

From what I've read elsewhere, the 2024 versions of both Vue and Plant Factory are actually BETA versions, although still stable. The 2023 versions were the last production versions. I grabbed both.

 Probably bad news for the ones who own a paid version and now are left without support and updates.

Also, you can use your old files in the new version, remember those locked files from Cornucopia?  You can request a key file that will let you use all of those.  It will also unlock TPF files from older versions of Plant Factory.  I've been able to access all of mine.  They are only offering this until August if I read it right.   Full details are in the FAQ on the download page.

AndyWelder posted at 10:01 AM Mon, 6 May 2024 - #4484371

 Probably bad news for the ones who own a paid version and now are left without support and updates.

Actually, it's good news for them too: For the last several years Vue has been sold on a subscription basis ($200 a year). Up to now, when the sub expired, they had 2 choices: fork over another $200 or stop using it completely. But now when their current sub runs out, they can keep using it and save the $200 to spend on something
else.

A bit like what Planetside did with Terragen... When they started their subscription system for TG4 I said goodbye  and kept using TG3...

I got the mail today also.  BUT a friend dropped a bomb on me two days ago, and I found it is TRUE!   Bentley did open Vue and Plant Factory and tons of content for both to us for free.  Thanks Bentley!   I swept up everything on that page too.   I bought Vue 6 Infinite a long time ago, and never could afford later versions, and I refuse all subscriptions.  

The new version id's itself as Vue9?   But above that it says 'Release 2024'.  Runs great on my rig!   And it also handles all my PZ3's through P11 Pro fine.  

Now I got to work on installing and unlocking that tons of content!  :D

I don't know for sure that Vue 2024 was a Beta, but may well be as it got new features 2023 didn't.   I dl'd both, installed 2024 and the rig loves it.  And it loves the rig!  Lots and lots of tinkering and playing with yet to do!  Woohoo!

R9 was the internal name of the 2024 version. When the software was kind of "rebooted" with a new UI in 2018, we started counting from Release 1 again internally.

And yes, the 2024 version is a beta and it does still have bugs in it which would normally have been fixed before the release, but it is definitely usable. In any case, because of its beta state, we also offer the 2023 release as a fallback. But personally, despite the remaining bugs, I could not go back to 2023 after having had 2024 for more than a year now. 

Keep an eye on our YouTube channel over the coming days, as I am gradually uploading the tutorials about the new features for VUE and PlantFactory 2024 that were still finished in time.

Also, you can use your old files in the new version, remember those locked files from Cornucopia?  You can request a key file that will let you use all of those.  It will also unlock TPF files from older versions of Plant Factory.  I've been able to access all of mine.  They are only offering this until August if I read it right.   Full details are in the FAQ on the download page.

I got the mail today also.  BUT a friend dropped a bomb on me two days ago, and I found it is TRUE!   Bentley did open Vue and Plant Factory and tons of content for both to us for free.  Thanks Bentley!   I swept up everything on that page too.   I bought Vue 6 Infinite a long time ago, and never could afford later versions, and I refuse all subscriptions.  

The new version id's itself as Vue9?   But above that it says 'Release 2024'.  Runs great on my rig!   And it also handles all my PZ3's through P11 Pro fine.  

Now I got to work on installing and unlocking that tons of content!  :D

So it's possible to import Poser PZ3s into Vue still? I had an old version of Vue (v.4 or 6 Infinite, I think) and was able to import Poser figures/scenes into Vue then, and if my memory serves me right, I could also pose the figures within Vue for further refinement. Is that still true too? Is the import procedure still the same as well?

I no longer updated and therefore remained with an old version - Vue 10 Pro - For me, annual subscriptions are an excessive expense (for all software). I started downloading the 2023 version, since 2024 is considered a Beta. I will also download other components and then put everything on an external disk and a DVD. My iMac has - for my reasons for work -  a system that is not too new - and I will have to ask my trusted technician what is best to do.

I'm downloading everything I can before it's too late.

I have a question about TPF catalog : when using TPF, many species are marked as downloadable, but I can't find the right files... Did someone know how to find them ?

Apart to this, I have really mixed feelings. I used Vue since version 3, I updated quite regularly until the subscription only scheme. I paid hefty amounts supporting Vue before Bentley, as a hobbyist I couldn't reasonably afford to pay indefinitely.

Honestly, the render engine really shows its age, so do the interface.

Thanks to Bentley for giving away Vue, even if I suppose quite a few people will be out of job.

I'm too pessimistic to think this somewhat sad end will be a wake-up call for other software providers.

McGrandpa posted at 6:21 AM Tue, 7 May 2024 - #4484408

I got the mail today also.  BUT a friend dropped a bomb on me two days ago, and I found it is TRUE!   Bentley did open Vue and Plant Factory and tons of content for both to us for free.  Thanks Bentley!   I swept up everything on that page too.   I bought Vue 6 Infinite a long time ago, and never could afford later versions, and I refuse all subscriptions.  

The new version id's itself as Vue9?   But above that it says 'Release 2024'.  Runs great on my rig!   And it also handles all my PZ3's through P11 Pro fine.  

Now I got to work on installing and unlocking that tons of content!  :D

So it's possible to import Poser PZ3s into Vue still? I had an old version of Vue (v.4 or 6 Infinite, I think) and was able to import Poser figures/scenes into Vue then, and if my memory serves me right, I could also pose the figures within Vue for further refinement. Is that still true too? Is the import procedure still the same as well?

Anim8dtoon posted at 9:13 AM Tue, 7 May 2024 - #4484416

McGrandpa posted at 6:21 AM Tue, 7 May 2024 - #4484408

I got the mail today also.  BUT a friend dropped a bomb on me two days ago, and I found it is TRUE!   Bentley did open Vue and Plant Factory and tons of content for both to us for free.  Thanks Bentley!   I swept up everything on that page too.   I bought Vue 6 Infinite a long time ago, and never could afford later versions, and I refuse all subscriptions.  

The new version id's itself as Vue9?   But above that it says 'Release 2024'.  Runs great on my rig!   And it also handles all my PZ3's through P11 Pro fine.  

Now I got to work on installing and unlocking that tons of content!  :D

So it's possible to import Poser PZ3s into Vue still? I had an old version of Vue (v.4 or 6 Infinite, I think) and was able to import Poser figures/scenes into Vue then, and if my memory serves me right, I could also pose the figures within Vue for further refinement. Is that still true too? Is the import procedure still the same as well?

**Yes you can import poser scenes still. It even has a cycles render engine. I haven’t played much with it to have any details**

Red, that is FREAKING awesome! I did not know this about the Cycles render engine in Vue. Whoo hoo! 

This is great news. I'll start offering new products for Vue as well. 

Just incidentally, I started working on a large project that will fit into Vue well. This is a new part of my Ancient Persians sets that focuses on the Harbor for the major river the historical city lies along. (Mostly this is an excuse to make a bunch of models of very old-style dhows and fellucas, something I've wanted to do for a long time.) Was going to vend all this at Artstation Marketplace, when it is finished in a month or so. But now, I'll offer portions of this bunch here at Rendo in Vue file format as well. Not trying to flog this to potential buyers. But I am looking forward to setting this up in Vue, with its ability to make great landforms and water.  Here's a link to the very early work-in-progress stage. 

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/YB3VmX

Just to note, there are a lot of items in this set, so I'll be breaking it up into a two or three packages. So far, I have six detailed (historically accurate) ships in various stages of development, and eight background people, plus the buildings and cargo and docks. I'll investigate the possibility of animating the people in Vue, as they are already rigged in Maya and capable of a lot of animation. If anyone has anything special they want created for this project, please let me know. I'll try to pick out stuff for the first package that makes at least a basic scene.

Now to find out where to extract all the extras so they are accessible to the e-on programs. 

They supplied a legacy key with the perpetual copy of Vue 2023 & 2024. This allows your CD3 purchases to work without having to ask for another key. When I installed the new version and opened it up, I was advised to copy the legacy key for future use. Those keys won't be available much longer on the Bentley site.

ArtByMel posted at 7:57 PM Tue, 7 May 2024 - #4484457

They supplied a legacy key with the perpetual copy of Vue 2023 & 2024. This allows your CD3 purchases to work without having to ask for another key. When I installed the new version and opened it up, I was advised to copy the legacy key for future use. Those keys won't be available much longer on the Bentley site.

Thanks for any "Tips"

In the FAQ it gives an email address to email and request the legacy key.

Can I just say that after spending months on making sure that ALL questions are answered in the FAQ, I am actually annoyed that people don't take five minutes to read, even when something is given away for free? :(

Daniel1705 posted at 7:23 AM Wed, 8 May 2024 - #4484473

Can I just say that after spending months on making sure that ALL questions are answered in the FAQ, I am actually annoyed that people don't take five minutes to read, even when something is given away for free? :(

I downloaded the whole PlantCatalog, I'm having encrypted files (_~~.tpf) with a link going to the main DL page. Did I miss something ?

Regards,

Yves, from France

How to use PlantCatalog - Introduction (youtube.com) :)

I'm not good at following along on instructional videos, so I decided to try to figure it out for myself. Here's what I found:

To use the tpf plants in the plant catalog: In Plant Factory in the File menu, select "Open", then when the open browser thing appears, select "Plant Catalog". It contains all your installed Plant Catalog stuff.  Navigate to the plant you want to use and click on it.  Once it loads, in the file menu select "export to Vue" and you will be able to export it as a vob, which you can then load in Vue.

There is no point in exporting a plant as vob to VUE. You will gain nothing and lose all procedurality. VUE can read all PlantCatalog and PlantFactory plants natively. It's been like this since PlantFactory was introduced as the SolidGrowth successor file format in 2013!

OK, I didn't know that. I've never used Plant Factory or the Catalog before.

I went looking for information on how to get my old version of Vue Infinite to install on my new computer, and found it's not necessary. Wow. The end of an era indeed.

Very decent of Bentley to make the software free. I'm an engineer in my day job, and have been using Bentley's Microstation since it was Intergraph Microstation. Always had good experiences with Bentley. Best of luck to them.