Vue and PlantFactory may be going open-source
An image created in Vue 2024, the final version of the software. Bentley Systems is now considering making the environment-creation tool available open-source.
Bentley Systems is considering making its digital nature tools, environment-creation software Vue and plant-creation tool PlantFactory, available open source.
Although the software is already available for free, open-sourcing it would ensure that both products remain compatible with future versions of other DCC applications.
According to Bentley, there are no legal obstacles to releasing the source code, but it wants to gauge user interest before committing to an open-source release.
A potential open-source alternative to commercial games and VFX tools
The move would give Vue and PlantFactory an unexpected new lease of life, after development was stopped last year, and the final editions made available for free.
An open-source release would ensure that the software’s integrations for 3ds Max, Cinema 4D, LightWave, Maya and Unreal Engine could continue to be updated.
Releasing the source code would also enable studios to add their own new features, creating an open-source alternative to commercial VFX and games tools like SpeedTree.
No legal obstacles to an open-source release
Open-source releases of former commercial applications are rare, in part because many use third-party software libraries to which the original developer doesn’t own the rights.
According to Bentley, the “legal obstacles for releasing the source code [to Vue and PlantFactory have] been cleared”.
The firm is now looking to gauge interest before committing to an open-source release.
As well as developers willing to maintain the software, it wants to hear from ordinary users who would support open-sourcing – presumably to see if there are enough of them to justify the time needed to get the code into a state where other people can contribute to it.
Contact Bentley to make an open-source release more likely
The announcement was posted on a number of community forums and social media channels at the end of last month by Bentley Systems staff.
Below, we’ve reposted the version that was shared on the official PlantFactory Facebook group, but you can find a bit more detail in this post on the BlenderArtists.org forum.
At the end of the post, you can find a link to contact Bentley Systems to express interest in an open-source release – the more people that respond, the more likely it is to happen.
Bentley Systems’ public announcement:
A few years ago, Bentley Systems made VUE and PlantFactory freely available to our user community. Today, we’re exploring an even bigger step: making the source code of these products available under a free software license, sponsored by the Academy Software Foundation.
Before we move forward, we want to hear from you — the creators who have kept these tools alive and thriving.
Would you support this initiative?
Would you or your organization be interested in contributing to maintain and evolve these tools as part of an open-source project?
Your feedback is critical. This decision will shape the future of VUE and PlantFactory, and we want to ensure it reflects the needs and enthusiasm of this community.
Please send a message to eon-questions@bentley.com. If you’re interested in actively participating, let us know! We’d love to identify individuals and organizations ready to help lead this exciting new chapter.
We need your input soon — your voices will guide whether we take this step forward. Let’s make something amazing together!
Contact Bentley Systems to support an open-source release for Vue and PlantFactory
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