Pathfinder 2013.1

What's New

This version adds support for textures, one-way doors, flow rate limits in steering mode, occupant-specific output data, and better 3D results performance.

This version of Pathfinder uses version 1.6.0_45 of the Java VM.

Major changes since Pathfinder 2012:

• Pathfinder now supports materials (color or texture data) for imported geometry. PSM and AutoCAD DWG files import as-is. Revit users must first export to FBX, then use - AutoCAD to create a DWG from the FBX file. Additional information can be found in Chapter 3 of the Users Guide.
• Door flow rates can now be explicitly limited in steering mode.
• Added optional occupant-specific output and a summary file for all occupants' exit time, active time, and jam time.
• Added a Find option to the Edit menu to search for occupants, rooms, and other simulation objects by name.
• Added support for AutoCAD 2013 DWG and DXF files.
• Doors can now be set to permit only one-way flow and can be scripted to open and close at specific times.
• Speed modifiers can now be set on rooms, stairs, and ramps. This makes it possible to model moving walkways and escalators as well as slow down movement in specific areas.
• In the wayfinding algorithm, the variables used to estimate path now accommodate custom, occupant-specific weights on certain parameters (e.g. queue time, travel time, and global travel time). For more information, please review the Pathfinder Technical Reference.
• Occupants can be customized to avoid stairs.
• Occupant acceleration has been slowed down (from 0.5 seconds to full speed down to 1.1 seconds to full speed) . This change makes steering mode defaults more closely resemble measured data. For more information, please review the Verification and Validation document.
• Added new 3D models for first responders, children, elderly, medical personnel, and additional cultures.
• Improved the performance of 3D Results on multi-core machines and with graphics cards that support shaders.
• In the 3D Results, it is now possible to view the navigation mesh and imported geometry simultaneously.
• Improved the camera movement model in the results view for models that span large areas (stadiums, city blocks, etc).
• Collisions are no longer supported in SFPE mode. Pathfinder 2013 will issue a warning when loading models from prior versions that used SFPE mode with collisions, change the simulator mode to steering, and enable door flow rate limits.
• When using the SFPE mode, maximum door flow rates will now be calculated from the density of the entering room by default. Previously, the default was to always use the maximum specific flow.
• The wayfinding algorithm has been updated to take into account observed door flow rates instead of using a calculated flow rate.

Changes since Pathfinder 2013.1.0925 (Beta):

• Improved formatting in the simulation summary output file.
• Fixed a bug that prevented the rectangular occupant group tool from adding occupants to non-level rooms.
• Fixed a bug that caused occupants to sometimes stay in a door queue when they should have re-routed to a nearby door.
• Updated the Technical Reference.