minchellabrick

Future of LDD: Next Lego Digital Designer Update?

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I too am frustrated there appears to be a complete lack of LDD updates this year, I have many ideas that involve using 2015 parts (for example, I'm trying to plan a mechanism that can fire 7+ gatling guns at once, but it's much harder without the necessary gatling gun pieces, 2 2015 parts, in LDD).

But I had a bit of a worrying thought. What if LDD updates have been put on a back burner due to LEGO Worlds, pretty much a Minecraft-meets-LDD building game being released? I know, probably unlikely, but that's the only reason I can really think as to why LEGO have been putting off LDD updates. Maybe they are integrating the next release of LDD into Worlds, like how LDD had "Universe mode" that integrated somewhat with LEGO Universe? (though I am hoping this is not true).

Or maybe we're just not going to see anything until Autumn, after all the Summer waves come out, then we have a brick update that encompasses the vast majority of 2015 moulds. Honestly, I'd take anything at this point!

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I too am frustrated there appears to be a complete lack of LDD updates this year, I have many ideas that involve using 2015 parts (for example, I'm trying to plan a mechanism that can fire 7+ gatling guns at once, but it's much harder without the necessary gatling gun pieces, 2 2015 parts, in LDD).

But I had a bit of a worrying thought. What if LDD updates have been put on a back burner due to LEGO Worlds, pretty much a Minecraft-meets-LDD building game being released? I know, probably unlikely, but that's the only reason I can really think as to why LEGO have been putting off LDD updates. Maybe they are integrating the next release of LDD into Worlds, like how LDD had "Universe mode" that integrated somewhat with LEGO Universe? (though I am hoping this is not true).

Or maybe we're just not going to see anything until Autumn, after all the Summer waves come out, then we have a brick update that encompasses the vast majority of 2015 moulds. Honestly, I'd take anything at this point!

I think I can safely say that Worlds is doing the opposite of putting LDD on the back-burner. There are plans to allow users to import LDD creations into Lego Worlds as pre-assembled structures that can be placed wherever you want on the map. That kind of tie-in could presumably mean that Lego Worlds will provide an actual revenue stream for LDD, for the first time since the Design-by-Me service ended.

In fact, it's entirely possible that Lego Worlds IS responsible for LDD being late, but for the opposite reason you suspect. LDD being used in a major gaming project like this would likely provide a new impetus to move forward on the next core version of LDD, as opposed to a simple brick update like we have been getting for the past few years.

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I just saw the trailer for LEGO Worlds and I must say that I am beyond impressed! I don't believe this will hurt LDD at all since LXFs can be imported into the game. If anything, LEGO will improve LDD as much as they can because they'll more than likely see a large wave of downloads for the program.

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I think I can safely say that Worlds is doing the opposite of putting LDD on the back-burner. There are plans to allow users to import LDD creations into Lego Worlds as pre-assembled structures that can be placed wherever you want on the map. That kind of tie-in could presumably mean that Lego Worlds will provide an actual revenue stream for LDD, for the first time since the Design-by-Me service ended.

In fact, it's entirely possible that Lego Worlds IS responsible for LDD being late, but for the opposite reason you suspect. LDD being used in a major gaming project like this would likely provide a new impetus to move forward on the next core version of LDD, as opposed to a simple brick update like we have been getting for the past few years.

Ah, I hadn't had time to fully read into LEGO Worlds, but I had the suspicion that Worlds was probably to blame for the delayed brick update ever since we first learned of Worlds. Nonetheless, you're probably correct, thinking about it, and it'd be a nice surprise if LDD finally gets upgraded to LDD 5 with vastly improved features thanks to Worlds. Well, one can hope anyway! As long as LDD itself stays free to use, I'm not complaining.

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the concept both excites and infuriates me.....I want any new potential features....but I don't wanna wait for em.....TLG kinda spoiled us with those regular updates twice a year

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As long as LDD itself stays free to use, I'm not complaining.

Well, that's exactly the main point for most of us I guess almost like "be or not to be" (that is a question...) :sceptic::look::devil:

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I gave Lego a call. And the person I talked to said that Lego Worlds isn't the reason that LDD hasn't updated. But she did say she would pass on that I'd like for an update to happen.

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I'm not sure why the delay is happening either. I'll try to find out some more.

In the meantime, I'm starting to think that the best thing to do is what Takanuinuva did - call Customer Services and let them know we are looking forward to the next brickset. I'm thinking it can never be wrong to give the Brickset developers at LEGO a bit of support.

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In the meantime, I'm starting to think that the best thing to do is what Takanuinuva did - call Customer Services and let them know we are looking forward to the next brickset. I'm thinking it can never be wrong to give the Brickset developers at LEGO a bit of support.

I wrote them expressing much the same - support and desire for continued LDD updates. How important they are to the community as a whole.

I'd love to see minifigures. Yeah, we have some basics, but as the models are in there one would *think* it would simply be a matter of applying the right color definitions to the complete figure parts and something akin to a decal-like overlay to any given part (using the artwork they already have for printing) to add any figures from any line into the system. Easier than modeling a new part shape I'd think, although I'd love to have the new parts in there as well.

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I'm just hoping that they will drop the update this week, seeing as one of TLG's major projects will be released on the 12th.

:classic:

Edited by Jason C. Hand

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at this rate we'll get the update in July....makes me wonder if instead of doing two smaller updates a year they're going to one massive one or maybe upgrading to LDD 5.0 after all

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Ehm, I do not know but today I opened my LDD 4.3.8 and it immediatelly installed new updates, my actual brick version is 1564.2 - is it that update we were expecting or is it just me who did not updated his LDD long time ago? :look:

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UPDATE:

2607 MAGNET HOLDER - at least, wow! :thumbup:

...but still no 3298 decoration option :sceptic:

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Ehm, I do not know but today I opened my LDD 4.3.8 and it immediatelly installed new updates, my actual brick version is 1564.2 - is it that update we were expecting or is it just me who did not updated his LDD long time ago? :look:

Pretty sure it's the latter. Dangit, you got my hopes up!

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Pretty sure it's the latter. Dangit, you got my hopes up!

Here are some new parts I noticed...or at least I did not noticed them in previous release.

ldd15642.png

Edited by bublible

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They aren't new, unfortunatly

Well, my latest bricks build I was using was 1264 so for me they are deffinitely new, like those plates 14418, 14419, tile 15535, 2607 magnet holder etc. :wink: If there were any update in between and you have installed it then for you it is not new, of course.

That said it may mean that there actually is not that long awaited update, it may be just me who updated my LDD only now...I do not know (therefore there was my question in one of my previous posts) :grin::look:

Edited by bublible

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nah you just got last fall's update...but that coulda been them forcing updates on people who didn't have it so they could release the next one?

Sorry, did not know that... :hmpf_bad:

Thanx for clarification. :wink:

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I'm noticing this year's redesigned tile+clip 15712, was it there before? (maybe I just hadn't noticed it)

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I'm noticing this year's redesigned tile+clip 15712, was it there before? (maybe I just hadn't noticed it)

It was.

I was hoping the update would come today... but at this point it looks like it won't update until July at the earliest, and might possibly be delayed until around the time we normally get the FALL update. I hope the content of this update justifies the long wait...

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