[CHIEF]

Hey guys,

I need some help, I have been doing all my designs by hand and want to get a cad program. I am trying to decide if I should go with Dynascape or Pro Landscape. Is Dynascape worth it even though it's twice the price, has anyone used both? From the websites the plan views look similar Dynascape looking a little better, but there are hardly any samples of color output on the Pro Landscape site I am thinking there is a reason for this. Also the 3D or front elevation view on PL look pretty bad does Dynascape do better?

Thanks for any info, Nick

[tjl]

Nick, I thought I would enter my opinion for you.

First let me say that I have never used Pro Landscape and that I am an experienced designer using DynaScape Design, Quote and Color. Before I purchased the full version of DynaScape, I purchased the paving edition which is not available now (that was back in 2004). I was impressed with the symbols and hatches available to the designer, and especially a landscape designer. DynaScape is by far the most professional design software I have seen and I recommend it highly.

From what I saw on the website of Pro Landscape, the symbols look like a kids drawing instead of a professional design. Yes, you can produce a 3D design and thats great, however, in my opinion, it does not hold a candle to what I can produce using DynaScape.

Even though the software is expensive, I have literally paid for this in 1 year of design fees.

Not to mention how transferring data from design to quote to my estimating software is fast, easy and with less mistakes.

Hope this helps.

Tom
Milestone Landscape

[CHIEF]

Thanks Tom,

That's what I thought, from the respective websites dynascape looks much better. How long did it take for you to become proficient with Dynascape, I tried a demo from Dynascape I don't know if it was the full featured version you get when you buy it or if it was a scaled down version anyway it was a 30 day trial and I was very busy at the time an didn't get that much time to really put it through it's paces. The time I did get to spend trying it out it seemed difficult, although I have had zero CAD experience.

[tjl]

Nick, if you want I can take a few minutes to discuss this over the phone. You can call me at 540-947-2981 and I can answer any questions you have.

Tom
Milestone Landscape

[Tanner]

Having used both Dynascape (student edition) and Pro Landscape (currently using for business) I can weigh in on a few things.

Dynascape is really unmatched in end results. It creates beautiful designs. It's shortfall is it's a bit clumsy to work with. The delete key doesn't delete, the scroll wheel doesn't zoom in and out of a drawing as you'd expect, etc. In many ways it's counterintuitive to the way you'd expect to use a computer. I think they're working on changing that. For me, until the zoom thing and a few things are fixed, I think I'll stick with Pro Landscape.

Pro Landscape--they would want to focus on 3d. It's amazing to me that they show some of the designs they do in their manuals and on their website when it comes to 2d. It does look like kids drawings--as an earlier poster said--but the software is capable of much more than that. With proper use you can create a very nice drawing in Pro Landscape. You just have to use the CAD tools more than the "canned" tools that they have. They put in a drainage tool to put in downspouts, for example, and it's a solid line. I would have made that a double etched line. It's not something you want to have prominent in your design. It's sloppy thinking. They need to hire a few designers like Dynascape did to polish the 2d look. Same goes for the paver tools, etc. They also still don't have a good representation for a border course or interlocking stone steps.

Dynascape has some of the best 2d symbols you could imagine. You can tell they were done by designers and meet design specifications. They don't pack 5000 plant symbols into their software but let you use the symbols you feel are appropriate and name the plants using horticopia. The symbols are much nicer and cleaner. Pro Landscape tried to come up with colors and symbols for each plant resulting in many symbols looking "off". They also don't have anywhere near the 2d symbols in volume and quality that Dynascape has. The pool houses, pergolas, waterfeatures all stand out in Dynascape. Pro Landscape--not so much. Unless you're in 3d. That seems to be their focus.

The 3d I never use. We do larger jobs, mostly, and for me to take a picture of the house from half a dozen angles to draw my plan in 3d just doesn't work. You can't get a full back yard in a drawing in many cases unless you had a dslr with a fish eye lens. It's good for doing gardens and front yards and the odd back yard when you can get the whole yard in the photo without standing on the roof, but 3d to me isn't there yet. My customers also understand a drawing when I show it to them.

If I could take the ease of Pro Landscape and marry it with the outstanding output of Dynascape I'd have a hell of a winner. A software program that could really become "THE" industry standard.

Pro Landscape--ease of use. Too much focus on 3d.
Dynascape--Absolutely beautiful design output. Somewhat counterintuitive.

Hope that helps.

Tanner