Color Option Problems in LLD V4

[TK502]

Just downloaded this today and have had a great time. One big problem is part# 41770 left plate 2x4 w/angle color: 208 light stone grey and the right plate #41769 (same color), are supposedly not available. I know these are made because I own several and I need more for this model. Should I keep checking to see if I can buy the model, do they have periods where some colors are not available, any thoughts? Thanks for you help

Chris

[Aanchir]

Just downloaded this today and have had a great time. One big problem is part# 41770 left plate 2x4 w/angle color: 208 light stone grey and the right plate #41769 (same color), are supposedly not available. I know these are made because I own several and I need more for this model. Should I keep checking to see if I can buy the model, do they have periods where some colors are not available, any thoughts? Thanks for you help

Chris

Well, the reaoson for this is because Bricklink's Light Bluish Gray (the color I assume you're talking about) is actually not 208 Light Stone Grey but rather 194 Medium Stone Grey. 208 Light Stone Grey is equivalent to Bricklink's Very Light Bluish Gray, a more obscure color used primarily in Knights' Kingdom II, Mindstorms, and a couple BIONICLE sets.

When you say "not available", are you talking about availability for purchase through DesignByMe mode? In that case, even if a part exists in real life, it might not be available for purchase. DesignByMe mode has a very limited parts palette, which is the same as that of the online Pick-A-Brick. If every part that was available in real life, the packing of DesignByMe purchases (which is done by hand) would be even more inefficient and probably terribly expensive.

In other modes, like LEGO Universe mode or LDD Extended mode, there are no limitations on which colors you can use for parts, although naturally some color-and-part combinations will not exist in real life and thus you cannot make purchases through these modes. Forum Moderator Superkalle has developed a tool called LDD Manager which can convert an LXF file into a Bricklink wanted list (and tell you whether or not a part you used in one of these modes exists in the appropriate color in real life). I recommend downloading LDD Manager not just for this feature (which I never use personally) but also for its Color Reference, a chart that cross-references Bricklink names for the various colors with the official LEGO names used on LDD, which can prevent a lot of confusion regarding color names like Light Stone Grey and Medium Stone Grey.

And just a word of advice: generally, any MOC you make in DesignByMe mode is cheaper to buy through the online Pick-A-Brick than through DesignByMe, since DesignByMe costs an additional $10 US for any one purchase and up to 25% more for each individual piece. These premiums help pay for the custom-printed box and building instructions, things which AFOLs rarely care about (since you can just as easily generate the same building instructions through LDD, and the box is merely a novelty once you've built the model).

[TK502]

Thank you very much, that clears up some questions I had.

Chris

Well, the reaoson for this is because Bricklink's Light Bluish Gray (the color I assume you're talking about) is actually not 208 Light Stone Grey but rather 194 Medium Stone Grey. 208 Light Stone Grey is equivalent to Bricklink's Very Light Bluish Gray, a more obscure color used primarily in Knights' Kingdom II, Mindstorms, and a couple BIONICLE sets.

When you say "not available", are you talking about availability for purchase through DesignByMe mode? In that case, even if a part exists in real life, it might not be available for purchase. DesignByMe mode has a very limited parts palette, which is the same as that of the online Pick-A-Brick. If every part that was available in real life, the packing of DesignByMe purchases (which is done by hand) would be even more inefficient and probably terribly expensive.

In other modes, like LEGO Universe mode or LDD Extended mode, there are no limitations on which colors you can use for parts, although naturally some color-and-part combinations will not exist in real life and thus you cannot make purchases through these modes. Forum Moderator Superkalle has developed a tool called LDD Manager which can convert an LXF file into a Bricklink wanted list (and tell you whether or not a part you used in one of these modes exists in the appropriate color in real life). I recommend downloading LDD Manager not just for this feature (which I never use personally) but also for its Color Reference, a chart that cross-references Bricklink names for the various colors with the official LEGO names used on LDD, which can prevent a lot of confusion regarding color names like Light Stone Grey and Medium Stone Grey.

And just a word of advice: generally, any MOC you make in DesignByMe mode is cheaper to buy through the online Pick-A-Brick than through DesignByMe, since DesignByMe costs an additional $10 US for any one purchase and up to 25% more for each individual piece. These premiums help pay for the custom-printed box and building instructions, things which AFOLs rarely care about (since you can just as easily generate the same building instructions through LDD, and the box is merely a novelty once you've built the model).