Vector Works or WYSIWYG

[foeglass]

This coming year I will be transfering to a new college. I do not know what they have in way of design software for lighting so I was looking myself into what would be the best program to learn on if I had to propose my own.
At the school I attend now WYSIWYG is used, and I had always been rather impressed with it. However recently I was introduced to Vector Works Spotlight which is an equally impressive program.
They both seem to have good rendering capability and an extensive fixture library.
So the question. Which one should I get and why? or perhaps you know of a different program I have not found yet.

[Radman]

Go with both! Both are used extensively!

[SteveB]

Ditto Ryans idea, get both !.

VW is not as good a rendering program, WYG is not as good a drafting program. That's my take, so it depends on what you find yourself doing.

I personally love the drafting and paperwork I get out of Vectorworks and Lightwright and found WYG very limiting and not as functional.

I will find myself on WYG a great deal when we get our Emphasis upgrade, but am certain that VW will still be my primary program

SB

[jonhirsh]

I own Wyg it was through a process of seeing whats out there and trying differnt softwares that i decided upon it.

1. its used widely and its accepted.

2. i do lighting not as much set design i usualy get a design drafted in cad from a set designer which i import and then add the lighting to so the set drafting capabilites are not important to me but if you plan on drafting sets wysiwyg realy is not for you.

there are other one such as Martin Show Designer which is very easy to learn i was given a demo and was up and designing in minuets. its not bad its almost the mid point between the two softwares you list.

its not great at lighting and its not great at drafting but it does both. its perfect for the set designer/ lighting designer.


JH

[foeglass]

I found out the school I am transfering to uses Spotlight and they said they would look into WYSIWYG when I get down there so YAY! I get to learn both!!!

[poleyman]

I use both vectorworks and WYSISYG.
Vectorworks is beter, if only for the fact, Wys asks you to upgrade your license what seems like every 3 months.

[Radman]

Yes I draft the set in AutoCAD and import it to Wyg, where I do the lights. I don't have Vectorworks full, just the trial.

[jonhirsh]

wyg has a yearly subscription but its not necesary you need it for updates but if you decided not to get it wyg will still function like normal.


plus you get your first year of subscription for free.


JH

[jfbach]

I want to buy wyg design educational edition... my parents think it's crazy.... any highschool students out there bought it? How much did you pay?

[propmonkey]

i was leaning towards buying the student version of vectorworks. i just dont need it right now. ive only drawn up a few plots and i like doing it by hand...then again the ones i make are in class on notebook paper. but hey it still works.