Hi Leigh Hogan,

Glad to know that you mastered Punch!

Yes, indeed, any Punch program of the nexGen series will open your Platinum V12 files and the floorplans will be exactly the same, with the same walls and angles, windows, doors, roofs, etc

Of course, if you customized your Platinum program with Custom textures, or Custom Templates, for example, you'll need to install them in the new program

Notice that, after you save the file in the NexGen version, Platinum will not open the files elaborated with the NexGen programs
The Punch programs' compatibility works following the ascendant version number (the sw industry standard). This means that old files are compatible with new versions but this doesn't work backwards
Therefore, a file elaborated with V14 can be opened with V15, for example, but a file elaborated with V15, for example, will not open with V12

Patricia

Hi Mark,

With the new versions you will feel a great difference, in special regarding the rendering
After V14, the Punch programs are NexGen versions, so they are a little different. They work in the same way (as always you set walls, floors, roofs and you can see them immediately in 3D) but some tools are different. The render quality is incredible
Check my galleries to see images developed with the new programs
http://www.punchhelpers.com/galleries00.html

Another big difference is the capability of importing objects in other formats, so it will be easy for you to import your travel trailer object. There are many websites offering free objects
You'll find lots of links for free resources in my Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/punchhelpers.links

I'd say that in your case, you should go for Architectural Series or Black (PRO)
Check this comparison table
http://www.punchsoftware...ion-is-right-for-me.aspx

Computer specs: In my experience, for intensive rendering use, just a good video card doesn't solve the issue--> you'll need a good "render set"--> good processor (2.8 GHz or up)+ plenty of memory (4 Gb or up) + a good video card (512 Mb or up with dedicated memory).

Now, if you wish to go to better levels, say RAM= 8 Gb, notice that not all the OS are able to handle this, so you'll need a 64 bits OS

Video Card--> I'd recommend ATI Radeon (512 Mb or up)--> The ATI Radeon cards manufactured by HIS have a double deck cooling system and it works like a charm. The new NVidia cards work fine, however, not all of the models work with full accelerations
Currently, I am using an AMD Radeon 6900 with 2Tb

Video cards are mainly designed for games, and games require speed: if you need to kill the Mars warrior (in your game, of course ) you should kill it fast and you don't care about the thickness, height or specs of the wall behind the Mars warrior, right?. So, in a game speed comes first and precision after. In Punch is different, the walls' specs come first (precision) and this takes a toll in the speed.
This is why, for some issues, we recommend to run Punch with less acceleration in order to improve the precision and quality
However, most ATI cards (not all) have a driver called Catalyst. This driver seems to balance speed and precision.

Patricia

Hi Mark,

Well, thank you for your concepts!!! :-)

I am glad to know that you will upgrade and if you have questions, as always, I will be glad to help

If you or your son have questions regarding the new computer, feel free to email me

Patricia