Esri CityEngine 2012, the latest version of Esri's software to create smart 3D city models, is now available. Esri improved CityEngine with a new graphic user interface and refined workflow designed to speed transformation of 2D GIS data into smart 3D cities. In addition, 3D city scenes can be shared directly through custom URLs, in ArcGIS Online, or on web servers of private organizations.

Easy-to-use editing tools are now integrated into the CityEngine interface, providing more immediate visual feedback. Esri also simplified the workflow for creating 3D city scenes. From starting with a 2D building footprint to being fully finished, creating highly detailed 3D city scenes now only takes five steps.

"For CityEngine 2012, we focused on improving the key workflows in GIS, urban planning, and entertainment production," says Pascal Mueller, director of Esri R&D Center Zurich. "We developed new tools for the 3D editing of buildings, introduced 3D zoning techniques for better urban design, and made CityEngine fully compatible with ArcGIS."

Sharing 3D city models is also easier than ever via the new CityEngine 3D Web Viewer. Three-dimensional models can now be exported as URLs that display in a browser-based viewer. This greatly expands CityEngine sharing capability because scenes can be opened independent of CityEngine on any Internet-accessible device.

"Smart cities of the future will be designed more transparently, and the design process will engage citizens," says Esri president Jack Dangermond. "With CityEngine 2012, smart city scenes can be published directly on ArcGIS Online for sharing new developments, design proposals, and before-and-after-comparisons with nontechnical decision makers and the public."

CityEngine is available for the Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms in Basic and Advanced versions. CityEngine Advanced is available with single or concurrent use licensing and comes with all features, including Python and advanced import/export format support.

For more information and a free 30-day trial with full export capabilities, visit esri.com/CityEngine.

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