AutoDesSys, has announced on their news page, that the company is now seeding a beta version of formZ 8.
There is a PDF document available on their website dealing with the formZ 8 beta and discusses features in-depth but here is a summary.
formZ 8 Beta
formZ 8 includes major improvements to the OpenGL based interactive display modes (Wireframe, Shaded Work and Shaded Full). Shaded Full display mode has many new features including soft shadows, multi-sampling, bump mapping, and even real-time ambient occlusion.
These new improvements in formZ 8 do require more advanced OpenGL technology and therefore a user must have hardware with GPU and OS support for OpenGL 3.2 or later. Many older Macs and PCs will therefore not fit the bill for benefitting and experiencing these new features.
01 – formZ 8 beta is now available.
Interface improvements were largely handled in the major new update in version 7. However, new improvements continue including modernizing the materials palette including the Materials Groups. The Components Manager now has a list mode to show components by name. The graphics of a number of palettes have been improved including more compact group hierarchies in the Objects and Lights palettes.
formZ 8 includes a new feature to publish your models to the web using Sketchfab. formZ 8 beta is currently built around the Spatial ACIS kernel at release r24 and supports the r24 SAT file format. Users of formZ 7 use their registration code to register and run this formZ 8 beta.