How do you make Shader Model 3 (or newer) work in Parallels?

My company is looking into purchasing a license to a software called Lumion (http://lumion3d.com). It is a 3d modeling and presentation program.

I just downloaded the lengthy install and excitedly clicked on its icon and quickly got a message box that says it needs a graphic card that will support a minimum of shader model 3. Then the program closed without any other possible action on my part.

I currently use Autodesk's Revit and Acad programs and they work very well.

What work arounds are available that would allow this shader model 3 to work?

 

Parallels Desktop supports Shader Model 3 since version 5.

From the spec page the software requires at least 1 GB of video RAM, so be sure you have assigned at least that much.

 

I have the video memory pegged @ 1gb, all 4 cpus active and memory pegged @ 8gb and still get the error message saying i need a graphics card that supports shader model3 minimum. I checked the forums at Lumion and they say it will run with Parallels but recommend boot camp for more speed.

I want it to run with Parallels and not mess with the other. Any Ideas of what I should do different?

I have tried restarting, reloading Parallels Tools, reactivating Adaptive hypervisor and enabled 3d acceleration.

 

The only difference (in graphics) under Parallels is that the graphic card is emulated and appears to the system as Parallels Graphic Card or something similar, but if Lumion says it works under Parallels that means there's no issue with the Parallels Graphics Driver, so be sure you have Parallels Tools installed, and if you do, re-install them and check the Device Manager and see if the graphics card appears as Parallels <something>.

 

Thanks for the replies.

I upgraded my graphics card to the ATI HD 5770 from the Apple Store and all is well now.

 

I am having exactly the same problem on a 2014 MacBook Pro RETINA. In my case I'm trying to run eve-online. It can an error panel that reads:

"Shader Model 3 (SM3) support is need to run this program."

Does Parallels 9 support SM3 on a retina MacBook? If so, how do I activate it? If not, what if I upgrade to Parallels 10?