Recommended Posts

May be a compromise will perform the best: use 2D thumbnails and load 3D data only when user attempts to rotate the brick.

I perfectly agree, that's a thing I ever thought about this feature.

The only problem would be the delay necessary to load the lxf file on the fly.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I perfectly agree, that's a thing I ever thought about this feature.

The only problem would be the delay necessary to load the lxf file on the fly.

Originally I thought only about those small thumbnail size images of bricks in the palette. So when the user expands some brick category, only 2D images are loaded. When he does not attempts to use given brick or rotate it in palette, 3D data will not be loaded.

On the other hand, it is quite tricky, to have 2D images of bricks in so many colors and switch from 2D to 3D will be probably noticeable since visual appearance (mainly shading) of a brick would change.

As it was mentioned many times, multithreading and usage of more processor cores LDD could possibly help also with this.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm also looking at preparing a number of LXF files with some different variations (this is basically using the function for "color warnings" that allready is in LDD Manager). For example a LXF with all bricks where "Lots for Sales" > 5 AND "Known Colors" > 0. This means you can see directly in LDD which bricks exist in which colors. It is basically the same as "LDD" mode, only that this is based on bricks that are actually available.

How about also a file for bricks in colors avaliable through PAB?

3x3 plate, and inverted 2x2 tile.

Dumb question, but where are these parts in LDD, I can't seem to find them...

Sal

WFB, WI

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Leave it up to Lego to add color to the Panaka Hat and not the Stormtrooper Helmet. I'm also disappointed that they've abandoned all classic minifig faces and decals.

The multicolor option tends to be somewhat haphazard, but usually newer parts have a greater tendency to have it than older parts, perhaps because it's easier to program that sort of thing from the ground up than to apply it to an already-existing render.

Also, it should be noted that the multicolor surfaces usually take the place of decoration surfaces. Since the stormtrooper helmet's mouth and eyes are probably printed all in one go, that means that if the multicolor option were available then it would likely only paint the whole front of the face black, and nobody wants that.

Also, not sure what you mean about abandoning classic minifig faces and decals. Many classic faces are still available on LDD extended mode with the decoration tool (unless you're clicking on the wrong side of the minifigure head), as well as in the basic LDD mode (which is usually more reliable, since you can pick them directly from the scrollable parts palette rather than limiting the options to what can fit in the non-scrollable decoration palette). As far as I know, no minifigure faces were removed in this latest update.

Dumb question, but where are these parts in LDD, I can't seem to find them...

Sal

WFB, WI

The 2x2 inverse tile is in the modified plate category (the one labeled with a 1x1 plate with clip). Its Design ID is 11203 and it only appears in LDD Extended mode.

The 3x3 plate was in the basic plate category, but it has since been removed.

Edited by Aanchir

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The 2x2 inverse tile is in the modified plate category (the one labeled with a 1x1 plate with clip). Its Design ID is 11203 and it only appears in LDD Extended mode.

The 3x3 plate was in the basic plate category, but it has since been removed.

Thank you

Sal

WFB, WI

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

212 new bricks.

118 bricks had one or more bug fixes.

9 new decorations.

@Superkalle et al.: has anyone got a list or lxf-overview of the new and/or fixed parts and decorations? I would very much like to see if I can (further) update my lxfs that are in the 'Official Sets' thread. THNX!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@Superkalle et al.: has anyone got a list or lxf-overview of the new and/or fixed parts and decorations? I would very much like to see if I can (further) update my lxfs that are in the 'Official Sets' thread. THNX!

I usually get one from the LDD team to post here, but because of some of the bricks was added by mistake (like the 3x3 plate) in I was asked to wait a while 'til all is sorted out. :classic:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The multicolor option tends to be somewhat haphazard, but usually newer parts have a greater tendency to have it than older parts, perhaps because it's easier to program that sort of thing from the ground up than to apply it to an already-existing render.

Also, it should be noted that the multicolor surfaces usually take the place of decoration surfaces. Since the stormtrooper helmet's mouth and eyes are probably printed all in one go, that means that if the multicolor option were available then it would likely only paint the whole front of the face black, and nobody wants that.

Also, not sure what you mean about abandoning classic minifig faces and decals. Many classic faces are still available on LDD extended mode with the decoration tool (unless you're clicking on the wrong side of the minifigure head), as well as in the basic LDD mode (which is usually more reliable, since you can pick them directly from the scrollable parts palette rather than limiting the options to what can fit in the non-scrollable decoration palette). As far as I know, no minifigure faces were removed in this latest update.

First of all, I'm having no luck with even remotely understanding your explanation.

Secondly, you misunderstood what I meant. I know that no faces were removed from LDD. I'm talking about the faces from the '90s to early '00s. Most of the faces in LDD have more complex faces, with things like eyebrows and expression lines.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yesterday I was looking through my Roaming files and found something called "MissingPartsDump" in my LDD files. Clicking on it, I found out that it is an LXF full of models that had incorrectly placed parts. This isn't overly strange, but the weird part was the fact that everything was converted to bright yellow instead of keeping the original colors.

Also, if you didn't catch it, I posted an updated LXF of decorations in the LDD Reference Topic.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yesterday I was looking through my Roaming files and found something called "MissingPartsDump" in my LDD files. Clicking on it, I found out that it is an LXF full of models that had incorrectly placed parts. This isn't overly strange, but the weird part was the fact that everything was converted to bright yellow instead of keeping the original colors.

This is a standard behaviour. When model is opened and some brick cannot be loaded/placed, this file is created. All bricks are in yellow, problematic bricks are in red color. You can open the file in some text editor and examine it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

First of all, I'm having no luck with even remotely understanding your explanation.

Secondly, you misunderstood what I meant. I know that no faces were removed from LDD. I'm talking about the faces from the '90s to early '00s. Most of the faces in LDD have more complex faces, with things like eyebrows and expression lines.

OK, gotcha. The way you phrased it it sounded like you were complaining about older faces being removed. Most of the faces on LDD are indeed complex, with the exception of the classic minifigure face and classic skull. Still, this is generally fine by me since I've grown to love the modern-day standards of eye sparkles, eyebrows, and varied expressions.

Most of my favorite faces to use on LDD are minor variants on this theme like this one (brown eyebrows and classic smile), this one (stubble/dual expression), this one (full beard), this one (faint lipstick, eyelashes), this one (the same with red lipstick), and this one (the same with dual expression). With these faces you can keep to a certain look but vary it based on age and how the character grooms him- or herself.

Edited by Aanchir

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

id like to know when they are going to add all the star wars decorations to the minifigs and so forth? do you knw how to get them from like ldf files or something to that matter?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yesterday I was looking through my Roaming files and found something called "MissingPartsDump" in my LDD files. Clicking on it, I found out that it is an LXF full of models that had incorrectly placed parts. This isn't overly strange, but the weird part was the fact that everything was converted to bright yellow instead of keeping the original colors.

Where/how exactly did you find this file? I just opend a model I made quite some time ago, and it had the message "some bricks could not be placed" or something to that effect. If it created a file like you mention, that would be useful.

Thanks,

Sal

WFB, WI

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Where/how exactly did you find this file?

You can find the UnplaceableBricksDump.lxfml file inside the LDD profile folder.

The placement of this folder depends on the operating system you are using (it is where the profile folders of other installed software are placed, anyway).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

This is a standard behaviour. When model is opened and some brick cannot be loaded/placed, this file is created. All bricks are in yellow, problematic bricks are in red color. You can open the file in some text editor and examine it.

Strange, the problematic parts had been removed instead of being recolored. Funny I hadn't noticed this file before.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Strange, the problematic parts had been removed instead of being recolored. Funny I hadn't noticed this file before.

Yes, for the user the part is removed from the original LXF. At the same moment this file is created with good bricks in yellow and problematic in red. This file should some help to find which brick was removed from problematic model. But this file cannot be opened directly, since the red bricks are still considered being problematic and will be removed so user will not see them.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, for the user the part is removed from the original LXF. At the same moment this file is created with good bricks in yellow and problematic in red. This file should some help to find which brick was removed from problematic model. But this file cannot be opened directly, since the red bricks are still considered being problematic and will be removed so user will not see them.

Exactly.

Even if coloured in red, these bricks are problemetic yet, so it is impossible to display that... at least in the present version of LDD.

Opening the file with the previous version of LDD, probably will allow you see the image with the red bricks inside.

Probably it would be useful if LDD would have a "no-collision" mode: that would allow to open the UnplaceableBricksDump file to detect the red bricks and avoid conflicts with problematic files.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Adding to the wize words allready said, there are (at least) two ways to view the "red bricks" in UnplaceableBricksDump:

1) Unzip the LXF and then view the LXFML in a text editor and search for materialID 21

2) Import the file into LDD Manager and look at bricks that are red

Sure, these will not tell you where the offending bricks is, but at least you get to know which bricks were removed.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Sure, these will not tell you where the offending bricks is, but at least you get to know which bricks were removed.

You surely know the lxfml structure better than me.

Do you think it is possible to easily remove, for example with a regular expression and a text editor, all the yellow bricks and leave the red bricks only?

If there are not conflicts among red bricks, you could then open the file with LDD and see where the problematic bricks are placed.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If there are not conflicts among red bricks, you could then open the file with LDD and see where the problematic bricks are placed.

Good idea :classic:

My spontenous solution would be to just do a "search and replace" for materials="21"> and replace it with something like materials="2121"> (i.e. a non-existing color) and hope that LDD would remove it. But that didn't work - the bricks are still in the scene, only that they become invisble. (which I knew, now that I think about it :tongue:)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hmm, are the two new colors added with 4.3.5 (330 Olive Green and 329 Glow White) available naturally in any of the 'themes', or do you have to do something else to get them?

You have to input the Material IDs (329 and 330) into the brick definitions in an LXFML file (the filetype you get when you unzip an LXF file). You can then copy the parts into any LXF you want and use the eyedropper tool and paint bucket tool in LDD Extended mode to paint other parts those colors. They do not appear in the default color palette of any mode of LDD.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

How do you mean? They are in Extended Mode, aren't they?

Yes they are there. 330 is in the second row, second column, 329 is third row, fifth column in Extended mode color palette.

Edited by hrontos

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.