Future of LDD: Next Lego Digital Designer Update?

[Zerobricks]

I'm also a passionate user of LDD and I just love the program. Having said that I'm also worried about its future, the lack of updates is getting more and more apparent...

I totally agree about collecting data, we could start with a simple poll:

How are you satisfied with LDD and are you worried about the future support:

And have various answers, like:

1. Very satisfied, very worried, would pay for an update

2. Very satisfied, very worried, wouldnt pay any money for update

3. Not really satisfied

4. I use a different program

5. Dont really care

etc...

Also contacting Lego as a group is a great idea, its more effective than a few single individuals IMO.

Edited December 30, 2015 by Zblj

[garethjellis]

I would be very saddened if LDD was not supported any longer. And support the group contact to Lego. I would say that a large majority of the AFOL community use the software.

[Superkalle]

Merged two topics and updated topic title

[Dornbi]

@Superkalle: thanks for merging.

The first question: am I paranoid? I do not remember LEGO saying that they are not going to support LDD - it's just it seems to be in rather abandoned state (lack of updates).

@Zblj, garethjellis: I think it is hard to measure the impact of LDD by the number of people who use it - that number itself is likely not that impressive. For example my local LUG is organizing an event in a museum where AFOLs and kids can build part of a Roman legion camp (link in German). The entire camp is ~100000 bricks and my guess that it is visited by thousands of people over the whole exhibition. This is likely a few LDD users only, but not having LDD would have made the whole project a lot harder, so impacting all visitors.

A few ideas on how to measure this better:

- Start with people who we know have an impact (certified professionals? LUGs? some magazine contributors, like HispaBrick)?

- Ask participants to estimate the number of people (views, visitors, etc.) who would be impacted by the lack of LDD? Although I am not sure how this could be made more trustworthy than just tossing numbers around.

[Ordinareo]

Me being a user who uses LDD to make custom characters, themes and sets, it would be a real shame if it was not supported anymore. I need the new parts that were released for some of my custom minifigures and models.

[StarWars8Spoiler]

I don't know if this was already mentioned or not, but would it be possible for someone to create the new pieces we are missing in some sort of modeling program and add them to LDD? I know it's possible to do that with prints, so is it a similar process?

[anothergol]

The thing that makes me think that the LDD won't be abandonned: aren't Lego's designers using it?

I mean, you can do so much more & so easier using the LDD, the only reason I could imagine Lego ditching it, would be that Lego's own designer switched to one of the other alternatives.

[phaelon]

As others have noted, LEGO-emplyed modelers HAVE to have some kind of software for their designs, and providing a "lite" version of this to the AFOL community is just good business. My guess is that it's likely being rebuilt from the ground up, and will be offered as either a product or a subscription service.

[Angmarec]

As others have noted, LEGO-emplyed modelers HAVE to have some kind of software for their designs

I am not shure, that Lego designer has special tool for it.

1. For creating parts they use some cad software(i almost shure Autodesk), probably with few their own plugins.

2. Designers create models from real bricks

3. For creating instructions they use some their own software, that, i think use meshes from ther parts devvelopment team, but i think, they are not optimised for tool as LDD.

So there is no

"lite" version

for common users, all their software is only fo internal usage.

And adding parts to LDD, creating models for Lego games is hard and long process.

1. You need to optimase shape for it.

2. Reduce amount of polygons(ldd use 12 for circle,lego star wars 8)

3. Add connection data.

And i think it if they abandoned LDD, it is dead, because there will be no way to add parts to it without tons of problems.

[___]

I don't know if this was already mentioned or not, but would it be possible for someone to create the new pieces we are missing in some sort of modeling program and add them to LDD? I know it's possible to do that with prints, so is it a similar process?

No - it is most definitely not possible as LDD is using some TLG-modified file format not editable by anyone else (as far as I can say).

So until TLG decides to release its internal file format for free for everyone else out there (which is one of the possibilities many of us were suggesting in case TLG abandon LDD so the community can live and develop LDD further without any TLG additional input)...

[xlib]

<skip> aren't Lego's designers using it?

Extremely unlikely. First, LDD, as a CAD program is not very useful for industrial design. But, since Lego don't have shortage of parts - I believe they design their sets physically. The only reason for them to use _any_ CAD program at all is for designs with new parts. And for those LDD is completely inadequate.

Now as LDD reverse engineering suggests, internal parts database seems to have some other uses since it have more information that needed for simple 3D rendering. So maybe there's some kind of CAD program used internally. And maybe it shares rendering engine with LDD.

[Umbra-Manis]

Lego's designer's have a pro "version" of LDD which uses high quality brick meshes, but still the same .lxf format for files. Lyichir mentioned somewhere that at a convention Lego designers had showed some of their program during a talk.

[gedren_y]

No - it is most definitely not possible as LDD is using some TLG-modified file format not editable by anyone else (as far as I can say).

So until TLG decides to release its internal file format for free for everyone else out there (which is one of the possibilities many of us were suggesting in case TLG abandon LDD so the community can live and develop LDD further without any TLG additional input)...

But wouldn't that open up the possibility of copyright infringement? Fully modeled Lego parts designs could conceivably used by someone to create their own injection molds.

[CM4Sci]

Happy New Year!

Still no news, eh?

[xlib]

But wouldn't that open up the possibility of copyright infringement? Fully modeled Lego parts designs could conceivably used by someone to create their own injection molds.

The answer is of cause "No". You _already_ can create bricks fully compatible with Lego. Some Chinese shops have it available: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Sluban-Building-Blocks-Compatible-with-Lego-City-Fire-Station-Truck-Helicopter-Firefighter-Minifigure-learning-Education-toys/32337468015.html

TLG keep selling not because it's somehow illegal to create compatible bricks.

[Alasdair Ryan]

As others have noted, LEGO-emplyed modelers HAVE to have some kind of software for their designs, and providing a "lite" version of this to the AFOL community is just good business. My guess is that it's likely being rebuilt from the ground up, and will be offered as either a product or a subscription service.

I have heard that they used some custom made adobe softwear program,but I can't confirm this.

[legolijntje]

I have heard that they used some custom made adobe softwear program,but I can't confirm this.

I highly doubt they use anything from Adobe for modelling sets. Adobe is more targeted at media production (print and digital). Maybe you mean Autodesk?

[Alasdair Ryan]

Well yes it does seam strange and would not suit modelling.

A lot off companies in the games industry actually write plugins for blender and the like so yes they have probably written there own plugin or using a autodesk program.

I am certified in autodesk invenor and have used autocad too, but using then I do not think Lego would use any of those...

[legolijntje]

Well yes it does seam strange and would not suit modelling.

A lot off companies in the games industry actually write plugins for blender and the like so yes they have probably written there own plugin or using a autodesk program.

I am certified in autodesk invenor and have used autocad too, but using then I do not think Lego would use any of those...

I've seen an image of a Lego employee using Maya, but that's a long time ago (few years I believe).

And, I have no idea anymore what the image was about (a set designer, web designer, manager, minifigure, whatever).

[xlib]

I am certified in autodesk invenor and have used autocad too, but using then I do not think Lego would use any of those...

First, there seem to be a strange assumption that there's one-size-fit-all software. I can bet that internally, TLG people using all kinds of software for different purposes.

* For design of parts itself, Autocad/Solidworks style software is an absolute must. That's industry standard for engineering projects of all sizes.

* There's most probably some computer-graphics software for making all those animations

* All printed materials (instruction manuals, promotion, etc) must be prepared using some Adobe stuff - that's pretty match standard too

* 3D drawing must be photo-realistically rendered

... and I'm sure there are others.

[Takanuinuva]

Perhaps Lego should allow us to add our own parts to LDD. Minecraft allows a multitude of mods. Some that just add stuff. Some that change the game entirely and Mojang and Microsoft have no problems allowing fans to do so.

If Lego did the same thing we wouldn't have to wait as long between updates.

[RoxYourBlox]

There are some indications that LDD as we know it may not be a supported product in the future. What made me thinking: - The LDD El Capitan issue mentioned in this topic. Some users got the response from LEGO that "we do not really support this app any more". - LDD did not receive any updates for a while. The version I use is 4.3.8 and that was released about 2 years ago. This was also noticed in the LDD update topic. It is hard to assess what the actual situations is. There are also some responses from LEGO along the line of "our engineers are aware and working on it". However, the El Capitan problem is known since at least October and nothing visible has happened so far. I personally use LDD almost daily to design my new models, so to me it would be a big blow if I could not use it any more. I know there are other tools like Mecabricks, Bricksmith and so forth, but so far I found LDD the most versatile and easiest to use for my needs. I also think LEGO may underestimate the affect of LDD on the community and the popularity of the product, but I admit I do not really have any data to support this claim. So my question is: am I alone seeing support gone as a big risk? Should we try to do something about it? - Try to collect some data about the effect it would have on the LEGO community? - Try to contact LEGO as a group of builders rather than individuals?

My 2 cents:

• Online petitions or user updates would be a waste of our time.
  
• Speak directly to a "Special Guest" from LEGO at a convention re: the intangibles of LDD (or a successor) in promoting their company brand. To abandon support for LDD must have been a conscious decision of an ignoramus someone within TLG.
  

Hard to post more about this, even though it's constantly in the back of my mind. After all, I've been on LDD nearly every spare minute at night since 2011. I am so upset.

Edited January 5, 2016 by RoxYourBlox

[anothergol]

Extremely unlikely. First, LDD, as a CAD program is not very useful for industrial design. But, since Lego don't have shortage of parts - I believe they design their sets physically.

Why is it unlikely? It's a lot faster to design (or at least prototype) in the LDD, & time is money.

Plus, their marketing clearly uses 3D models (like, this is clearly 3D http://news.toyark.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2014/01/LEGO-Simpsons-House-4.jpg), thus they would need to "build physically" AND then port it to 3D. And that's most likely not without the help of a dedicated tool, because that would be crazy.

[JGW3000]

(like, this is clearly 3D

Its most likely a studio image, if you look closely you can see reflections of the soft box lighting fixtures in some of the highlight areas.

As per LDD - yes, we all want an update, but does anyone know the user base of LDD - its popularity on EB is no measure of how important LDD is to TLG and for supporting sales and marketing. As per LEGO allowing users access to the source code so that we can add new parts - no way this will ever happen, as part dimensions are probably TLG's most tightly guarded IP, even if clone brands make nearly identical parts, we all know that no clone compares with LEGO quality, and for a good reason.

[Scrubs]

The photo linked above is definitely a render made with high resolution part model maybe coming from their cad software (catia or others). Trust me, I know how to recognise it :-)

lighting fixture reflection that you might see comes from the hdr image used for the environment lighting.

About LDD, I don't think they will ever open the software but not for the reason stated above. Parts from LDD can already be exported but they are of no use on a manufacturing point of view. Models are very low resolution and a rough approximation of real parts.

I don't want to scare the fans but unless TLG is slowly working on a brand new version of the software it really looks like LDD is gone...