Possibilities of Importing New Elements Into LDD Without Angering Lego

[Plokman]

Ok I know I'm most likely beating a dead horse here but I want to see what everyone else has to say.

I am currently designing a set in LDD to submit to Lego Ideas and for it I want to design three new head elements much like the Battle Droid heads. I know importing decals isn't that big a issue over there but from what I have read around the net implementing new elements into LDD is a bit unwelcome.

Does anyone know if it is possible to add such a piece and if Lego would get angry with me submitting such a design when my intention is to help them out if the model gets approved.

If this isn't possible can anyone direct me to alternatives that I can take my built set from LDD and Import it to that I can add custom elements to?

Sorry if this is a bad topic and I hope I'm not asking anything against the rules.

Take care everyone and thanks.

[___]

Ok I know I'm most likely beating a dead horse here but I want to see what everyone else has to say.

I am currently designing a set in LDD to submit to Lego Ideas and for it I want to design three new head elements much like the Battle Droid heads. I know importing decals isn't that big a issue over there but from what I have read around the net implementing new elements into LDD is a bit unwelcome.

Does anyone know if it is possible to add such a piece and if Lego would get angry with me submitting such a design when my intention is to help them out if the model gets approved.

If this isn't possible can anyone direct me to alternatives that I can take my built set from LDD and Import it to that I can add custom elements to?

Sorry if this is a bad topic and I hope I'm not asking anything against the rules.

Take care everyone and thanks.

1. NOT POSSIBLE (at least there is not any known option tho we know the extension of their geometries - it is their own TLG custom file so there is no way how to create or moddify them no rimplementing into LDD!)

2. TLG WOULD BE 100% ANGRY! - you are even not allowed to talk about it here (you are risking being banned, beware!)

Edited November 2, 2015 by bublible

[Plokman]

1. NOT POSSIBLE (at least there is not any known option tho we know the extension of their geometries - it is their own TLG custom file so there is no way how to create or moddify them no rimplementing into LDD!)

2. TLG WOULD BE 100% ANGRY! - you are even not allowed to talk about it here (you are risking being banned, beware!)

Ok ok point gotten. Mods feel free to take care of this thread if it will cause me more harm than good. I am not getting banned over a simple question. I will drop it completely if it's gets me in trouble.

Guess I would have to just put up a screen shot of my proposed head element made in blender alongside the Ideas post. That wouldn't be any harm would it?

Please I'm sorry. I didn't see the rule before my post. I am kinda running off little sleep. I just don't want to be banned I like this forum.

Edited November 2, 2015 by Plokman

[ReplicaProfile]

I understand you can't do it but why is it such a taboo subject, Bublible?

[Plokman]

I understand you can't do it but why is it such a taboo subject, Bublible?

I would expect becuse if you get the models out you could feasibly copy them and make molds and thats no bueno. Like I said I had no intention on breaking the rules. I just want to present a set to Lego for them to review and help them out a little.

[AndyC]

If you're looking to play around with custom pieces, you may be better off with one of the LDraw based tools. They're often not quite as easy to get into as LDD, but the file format is open so you can add custom pieces as required.

[Plokman]

If you're looking to play around with custom pieces, you may be better off with one of the LDraw based tools. They're often not quite as easy to get into as LDD, but the file format is open so you can add custom pieces as required.

I guess I could look into it. Like I said all else fails I just give a screen shot of the Render of the new piece concept on the Lego Ideas post. I'm also going to try Bluerender for the final render. Don't want it to look bad and those renders look awesome. (not dissing LDD's picture mode but the prerendered back grounds look miles away from the model.)

[Umbra-Manis]

Just to let you know, including a new piece will pretty much get you automatic rejection when your project is reviewed before being published.

[CM4Sci]

Just gonna have to wait until 2035 like the rest of us for the next update.

[Superkalle]

I understand you can't do it but why is it such a taboo subject, Bublible?

It's not a taboo subject to talk about if you can or can't add geometries. The issue comes when you slip into talking about how to do it.

So why is this? Let me discuss this, not adressed to you Trenton, but to everyone reading this:

First of all, LDD is a proprietary software that opposed to Ldraw for example, is not meant to be open for tweaking or adding bricks. One of the problems with adding custom bricks and decorations is if you decided to share the MOC, custom bricks inside it will not be seen by others (you'll get the dreaded "X bricks removed from the model"). Sure, you could share the tweaked brickset also then, but there is not "central point of update" as with Ldraw. For personal use this may not matter (i.e you never intend to share the LXF-files and hence not the brickset), but the risk is always that you eventually start sharing your files anyway. Also, since LDD is not meant for adding custom bricks, the built in update functionality will overwrite any custom bricks. Sure, that can be worked around too, but you get the point. And no, I'm not trying to be a judge over what people can and can't do in a free world, just pointing out some core issues and that LDD is not open-source, but owned by TLG. It might be worth more for the community of LDD users are such to just be content with the bricks that are in side LDD, so that we can all rely on a common platform/standard.

Secondly, and most importanly, since LDD is proprietary, we in the community don't want to alienate us with TLG. This is the standpoint from both EB as a whole, and this subforum. We have a good relationship with the guys in the LDD Team, for example that they add legacy bricks and take up requests for new bricks. To be honest, this forum is the only on the internet (besides LEGO's own for children) that deal with LDD on this scale and that the LDD Team uses for reference, so I think it's more worth that we play by the rules, then to start talking about cracking the software.

And finally, we want to avoid that this forum to turn into a hang-out for people that are more interested in the challenge of software cracking then they are in actually designing/building/rendering with LDD/LEGO/Ldraw.

Having said all this, I don't mind talking about these standpoints above, so if you have any comments, please post!

But, to conclude, at EB and in this forum please don't:

• Ask for how to crack LDD or add custom bricks
  
• Link to cracked version of LDD or articles of how to crack LDD.
  
• Discuss how to get around copy protection or using LDD restricted in any way by the LDD EULA (End User Licence Agreement).
  

[Plokman]

But, to conclude, at EB and in this forum please don't:

• Ask for how to crack LDD or add custom bricks
  
• Link to cracked version of LDD or articles of how to crack LDD.
  
• Discuss how to get around copy protection or using LDD restricted in any way by the LDD EULA (End User Licence Agreement).
  

Well said indeed. I fully didn't want to mess up the relations with TLG or the LDD team. I only wanted to know if it were possible and I made the mistake of misreading the rules. Both here and over on Lego Ideas. (Didn't see that rule about no custom pieces my first read through)

I never even thought of the implications for the sharing thing. I mean if I put a set up for Lego Ideas and it made it to the review stage but couldn't be approved at that point I'd definitely want to share the file with the forum and community so they could build it for themselves. After all I enjoy giving back to those who help me and this forum is honestly a great one.

May I ask one last question? I just want to be sure on this but adding custom decals and Pallets into LDD is that frowned on? If doing so as of now is frowned upon I think I have a suggestion to pass on to the LDD team for a new feature.

Anyway Thank you Superkalle for not Banning me. I'll make sure to read the rules thoroughly next time I post.

Edited November 3, 2015 by Plokman

[___]

Well said indeed. I fully didn't want to mess up the relations with TLG or the LDD team. I only wanted to know if it were possible and I made the mistake of misreading the rules. Both here and over on Lego Ideas. (Didn't see that rule about no custom pieces my first read through)

I never even thought of the implications for the sharing thing. I mean if I put a set up for Lego Ideas and it made it to the review stage but couldn't be approved at that point I'd definitely want to share the file with the forum and community so they could build it for themselves. After all I enjoy giving back to those who help me and this forum is honestly a great one.

May I ask one last question? I just want to be sure on this but adding custom decals and Pallets into LDD is that frowned on? If doing so as of now is frowned upon I think I have a suggestion to pass on to the LDD team for a new feature.

Anyway Thank you Superkalle for not Banning me. I'll make sure to read the rules thoroughly next time I post.

Well, I only say that actually adding custom decorations to LDD is technically possible but we do not speak about it here cos as @Superkalle told you it would mean "hacking" the soft thus this kind of debate is prohibited.

BUT you can of course do that very easily during render with my MODs for BlueRender, I think I gave you link to my EB topic somewhere else.

Edited November 3, 2015 by bublible

[Plokman]

Well, I only say that actually adding custom decorations to LDD is technically possible but we do not speak about it here cos as @Superkalle told you it would mean "hacking" the soft thus this kind of debate is prohibited.

BUT you can of course do that very easily during render with my MODs for BlueRender, I think I gave you link to my EB topic somewhere else.

Right right no worries I was just wondering on it is all. wasn't sure if it was hacking now I know. Heh.

Oh that is a true thing. I hope it would be simple to do as well. I'll go check it out. Oh that reminds me got to upgrade Java.