Why the disparity?

[LegoFranks]

Hi all,

Forgive me if this has been mentioned already, but I thought I'd build the Green Grocer in LDD, so that I could tweak it and add/remove elements as required. Imagine my shock when I did a price check after getting this far...

[Shadows]

Everything in LDD ends up overpriced, it's the nature of the system.

Picture it this way: When you buy a set in a store or from S@H, you're one of many many thousands to buy it. TLG can literally set the machines for the run and off they go. Boxes are printed, parts are all going in predetermined bags, bags in the boxes, sealed, packed, gone. Automation and careful set design makes the price per piece low (or at least lower).

Now, you make a set in LDD. Parts have to be manually collected together from your specifications that may be completely unrealistic, one of this, one of that, 47 of something else. Even if you don't do that and literally copy the official instructions exactly, the price per piece has already been preset to make up for the people who don't stick to those standards. Accordingly, each piece is more expensive, driving the total cost up.

Ultimately, it's cheaper to buy a set that contains 80% of what you need and fill in the rest from Bricklink or Pick a Brick directly than it is to hand select what you want through LDD.

[LegoFranks]

The worse thing about LDD is the fact you can't really print out a list of parts so that you know how much of each you need in order to buy from Bricklink/Ebay...

*sad*

M.

[sarabob]

The worse thing about LDD is the fact you can't really print out a list of parts so that you know how much of each you need in order to buy from Bricklink/Ebay...

*sad*

M.

Sorry (new here) - can you confirm that there's nothing that will convert LDD into a bricklink wanted list? It should be really easy - an ldd file is just a zip file containing an xml file, with a Part line for each brick. It's pretty trivial to write a converter...

[UniqueBuilder]

Sorry (new here) - can you confirm that there's nothing that will convert LDD into a bricklink wanted list? It should be really easy - an ldd file is just a zip file containing an xml file, with a Part line for each brick. It's pretty trivial to write a converter...

*Looks at Sinner* :-P

Welcome. :-)

[Shadows]

Sorry (new here) - can you confirm that there's nothing that will convert LDD into a bricklink wanted list? It should be really easy - an ldd file is just a zip file containing an xml file, with a Part line for each brick. It's pretty trivial to write a converter...

Problem is, TLG uses a very specific numbering system for their parts, one that relates to physical location and colours and such. No one else, Bricklink or Peeron, uses a system like it, and at this point, no one has ever managed to create a cross-reference list. Heck, even Peeron and Bricklink can't always agree on their own numbering system (which, at least, is based on the # printed on most parts as opposed to the seemingly fabricated system TLG uses).

So, good luck with that.

By the way, welcome to EB! How's life treating you in Paris, or did you end up back in Eerie eventually? ;-)

[sarabob]

Problem is, TLG uses a very specific numbering system for their parts

Ah. 'Nuff said. Sorry if I made it sound easy :-) Do you know if there's anyone working on it?

By the way, welcome to EB! How's life treating you in Paris, or did you end up back in Eerie eventually? ;-)

D'you know that's the first time anyone has known where the nick is from since I started using it online in 1993? Maybe I can finally retire it now - everyone thinks I'm a girl...

--

Adam

Edited March 14, 2008 by sarabob

[LegoFranks]

Ah, all I want is a simple list of what bricks were used in the model!

ie. 4 Dark Orange 2x4 bricks, 2 Dark Green 1x2 brick, etc...

Just so I know how much to order on bricklink!

And I knew I'd heard Sarabob from somewhere! :'-(

M.

[sarabob]

Yes, that's what I thought. Not a full ldd to ldraw converter or anything, just a simple brick counter. Even if it just did the ldd factory palette it would be pretty useful?

Edited March 15, 2008 by sarabob

[xenologer]

Packaging overhead aside.

I think another reason cost goes up is the digital brick pallate making it so easy to go way overboard and put too many bricks into a MOC.

If you look at official designs, they often utilize hollow spaces, large bricks, technic beams, etc to give their models volume in few bricks, with the smaller expensive detail bricks only where they count.

Most of the expensive LDD MOCs people make, dont seem to prioritize this kind of construction.

Anyway, I've been messing with LDD for a while and am Tolerant of the increased price. I'll often take the time to optimize my models to get them as cheap as possible while maintaining the design I wanted.

you notice useful things: like a 1*3plate is the same prices as a 1*2plate, a 2*3inverted slope is Cheaper?? than a 2*2inverted, a 5.5stud standard rod is Much cheaper than a 4stud lightsaber blade, etc

I'll place a few bricks then check the price, then try replacing them with a different set of bricks to make the same shape, seeing which combo is cheaper

Once you get into that mindset it doesn't seem that bad.

[WetWired]

This isn't perfect but I'll run through what I did to get my parts list from LDD to bricklink for my batmobile

In LDD Go to FILE> EXPORT MODEL

then in the pull down menu switch the format to LDRAW FILES (*.ldr) type in a filename of your choice and click OK

open brickstore (download link)

Go to FILE > IMPORT > LDRAW MODEL

Select the file you exported from LDD and click OK

Now here's the hard part, 99% of the time for me it comes up with an error saying "incomplete item" so you either have to click fix and see if you can find out what the ldraw ID number is and then try and figure out what pieces are missing judging from the description and quantity it gives you or or click delete and then try and figure out which pieces are missing by looking at the list and comparing it to your file in LDD

and then once that's all sorted, select all your pieces in brickstore (CTRL-A) and go to FILE > EXPORT > BRICKLINK WANTED LIST TO CLIPBOARD which you can then paste into bricklink

On a large LDD file like the green grocer I'm guessing there will a be a lot missing :/

[Nabii]

The worse thing about LDD is the fact you can't really print out a list of parts so that you know how much of each you need in order to buy from Bricklink/Ebay...

*sad*

M.

There's a new set that you like, but you're not going to buy it even though it's currently available, but instead buy second hand LEGO, pay a lot of money in shipping, and use the instructions without paying LEGO a penny? I think if you like what LEGO are doing you should buy the set to encourage them to continue, or at least don't moan that TLG don't make it easy for you to steal their design and use it to buy from their competitors. Bricklink is great for discontinued sets or parts you need for MOCs, but to buy entire set inventories for current sets from there seems to me to be just disrespectful and dishonest. (This could be interpreted as infringement on copyrighted designs.)

Of course you can do what you like, I just think it's a bit much.

Cheers,

Mark.