Some LDD Questions from a Newbie

[Hod Carrier]

Hello,

First time poster but lifelong Lego fan.

I've downloaded LDD as a tool to help design a project that maybe one day will see the light of day. I've been using this in conjunction with a box of old Lego and Technic parts to help prototype some aspects. As a result of my tinkering with real bricks I've come up with a way of joining some of the major parts together, but this technique appear not to be supported by LDD. This is to join a brick horizontally to a Technic piece by joining the knobs on the top of the brick to the holes on the side of the Technic piece. Sadly there is no other way to get around the issue due to limited space. I've proved that this method works experimentally but can't seem to persuade LDD of this which is throwing something of a spanner into the works. Has anyone else come across this issue or a way around it?

Also, is there any way that LDD can generate a parts list?

Ta!!

HC

[Classicsmiley]

Putting a brick's studs into the holes in a Technic brick is considered an illegal building technique by the LEGO Group, and so is not supported in LDD.

For a parts list, just go to File > Export BOM.

[Hod Carrier]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I'd always thought that Lego was about creativity and innovation and wasn't aware that there were such things as illegal building techniques. As a kid I'd always made the tail fins of Lego airplanes by wedging plates edge-on between brick studs because it worked and looked better than trying to build them up. I expect that officially this would be frowned upon also. Still, at least it explains LDD's reluctance to see the world my way.

HC

[Gnac]

On the plus side, clearly defined limitations can bring out innovative new ways to create in those who are prepared to try. If it's really important to make illegal (and even impossible) connections, then perhaps MLCad might be more your thing.

[Nachapon Lego]

You can use 1x1 plate to simulate -- to join a brick horizontally to a Technic piece by joining the knobs on the top of the brick to the holes on the side of the Technic piece.

Capture by Nachapon S., on Flickr

There is a smell gap between long Technic and long normal brick.

6q by Nachapon S., on Flickr

Edited March 30, 2015 by bbqqq

[Superkalle]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I'd always thought that Lego was about creativity and innovation and wasn't aware that there were such things as illegal building techniques. As a kid I'd always made the tail fins of Lego airplanes by wedging plates edge-on between brick studs because it worked and looked better than trying to build them up. I expect that officially this would be frowned upon also. Still, at least it explains LDD's reluctance to see the world my way.

HC

Well, this is a topic that is always bound to open up discussions.

Just to add to what's been said, "illegal" has to do with how LEGO designers are allowed to construct models in official sets, to ensure that bricks are not deformed, bent or lose clutch power over time. Putting a single stud in a single Technic hole is allowed sometimes, and you will see that LDD support the "approved" cases. But the general rule is that it's not considered a good technique in official sets because the studs squeeze in really hard and can be difficult for kids to take apart. The tight fit also risk deforming the plastic of the stud or the hole. With more studs being connected (e.g. in a row), then the fit becomes even harder. Also the connection is not tested in terms of clutch power to be used for "construction" purposes.

Naturally, all the above is nothing any LEGO builder have to care about...we can do what we want with our bricks. But LDD only support the "official" LEGO building methods and we LDD users either live with it, or work around as bbqqq has shown. Some of us has even adopted the "legal principles" as yet another boundary that is a challenge to work around, i.e. to design LEGO models in the same way and under the same restrictions that real LEGO designers have to.

I see you are new, so welcome to Eurobricks by the way