Custom LDD bricks and fixes

[Equilibrium]

@Stephan

I think it's more of knowing what kind of mesh Polymaker's Brick Studio needs to produce nicer outlines rather than modeling skill itself. I'll try to make some example later.

New update based on your newest one:

• 19086 - Category change only; moved to technic beams category
• 32523 - Fixed 3D model decoration surface normal (ugly "seam")
• 39369 - Category change only; moved to technic beams category
• 67139 - Category change only; moved to technic beams category
• 70644 - Category change only; moved to technic transportation means, vehicles category (technic axle pin icon)
• 71708 - Moved to technic beams category, slighty changed collisions once more (some had negative scaling, g file just in case)
• 73507 - Improved outlines
• 78267 - Fixed collisions (did not work becouse of negative scaling)
• 80267 - Improved outlines and collisions
• 80268 - Improved outlines and collisions
• 80286 - Moved to technic beams category, improved 3D model and collisions
• 98107 - Added collisions
• 426502 - Fixed 3D model, collisions and connections (it's already incorporated)

Download Link

78267 collision didn't work becouse they were turned inside out, found same faulty collisions in 71708 and 80286.

 

Edited February 27, 2022 by Equilibrium

[M2m]

On 2/27/2022 at 2:26 AM, Stephan said:

Aaaand another color has been revealed: 370 Medium Brown. Expect it in the next update. 

Fun fact: 1st part for the next update is already finished :)

Thanks Stephan for all the hard work !

[Equilibrium]

To @Stephan and anyone willing to make better outlines:

So there are two main factors (+ minor one) that determine how Brick Studio generates outlines:

1. Angle between neighbouring edges (I don't remember exact number and my understanding is probably simplification of how it actually works).
2. Groups of polygons that are welded together (that is when you grab a single polygon/triangle it resizes/moves neighbouring ones not only itself alone). Outlines will be generated for their borders. In 3D Max there's an option to select by "Element" which selects the ones welded together. Don't know about Blender.
3. Also some space is needed between edges to display an outline.

 

 

If outline in question doesn't generate nicely only due to 1st point then it can be fixed with rather simple Brick Studio trick:

Let's take 73682 brick, it appears that model mesh is ok but outline wasn't generated as we would expect:

So, we open Brick Studio, select brick mesh and click on "Separate meshes". This will allow us to move groups of polygons that are welded together:

Then we move one of the surfaces somewhere up/down/to the side and click on "Calculate outlines" after that we move that element back in place by setting its position to 0:

We export the brick and we're done :)

 

 

Now, regarding 2nd and 3rd point:

Let's see how I improved outlines of 73507:

First left circle. There was not enough space between edges to generate outline so it was possible to fix by simply removing one of the edges (on the left) and connecting vertices differently (on the right):

Now right circle. There were 3 different, not welded/connected together surfaces at which border Brick Studio was trying to generate outline:

By cutting one of the polygons (to get 3 vertices) and welding them together we achieve one surface:

 

And one more brick 73109:

Two not welded surfaces:

We move and weld some vertices to get one surface:

And we can check end result:

[M2m]

1 hour ago, Equilibrium said:

1. Groups of polygons that are welded together (that is when you grab a single polygon/triangle it resizes/moves neighbouring ones not only itself alone). Outlines will be generated for their

 

First of all thanks for the great tutorial !

Regarding Polygon welding in Blender: I think Blender only assumes 2 Polygons to be connected when these use the exact same vertices of an edge.

Example in 2D. Lets say you have these 4 vertices:

• v1 (0,0)
• v2 (1,1)
• v3 (0,1)
• v4 (1,0)

And these 2 polygons:

• p1 (v1,v2,v3)
• p2 (v1,v2, v4)

Blender will only regard p2 and p2 connected at edge (v1, v2) because the exact same vertices are used.

Now if we have the following setup:

• v1' (0,0)
• v2' (1,1)
• v3' (0,1)
• v4' (0,0)
• v5' (1,1)
• v6' (1,0)

And these to polygons:

• p1' (v1',v2',v3')
• p2' (v4',v5', v6')

Blender will not regard p1' and p2' being connected, because even so the edges defined by v1', v2' and v4', v5' are the same coordinates they are different vertices.

You might try the "Merge by Distance" tool as part of the "Vertex" menu to merge vertices of a certain distance.

 

 

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by M2m

[Stephan]

3 hours ago, Equilibrium said:

And one more brick 73109:

I tried the same method for the top stud and the inside of the brick, which worked, but the stud now became shiny. How could I fix this? My normals were correct.

[Equilibrium]

6 minutes ago, Stephan said:

I tried the same method for the top stud and the inside of the brick, which worked, but the stud now became shiny. How could I fix this? My normals were correct.

Sounds like you welded top with sides. Can you post a picture?

[Stephan]

Added fix version 20220228: LINK.
 

Updated original parts:
• Updated decoration surface: 3297, 32523
• Updated collision data: 6190
• Updated assembly: 61927, 92693

Updated custom parts:
• Updated category: 19086, 39369, 67139, 70644, 71708, 80286
• Updated collision data: 71708, 78267, 80267, 80268, 80286, 426502
• Updated outlines: 27448, 73109, 73507, 73682, 80267, 80268
• Updated 3D model: 80286, 426502
• Added collision data: 27448, 98107
• Updated connections: 62233, 426502
• Updated assembly: 40918, 43097

Added missing files:
• 3297, 9488, 9489, 9559, 19859, 37091, 37092, 47157, 62271, 62273, 62274, 62275, 65834, 69729, 76110, 30680, 86876

Other notes:
• Added decoration: 301002
• Updated 2020NewPreColoredParts palette with: 1x 3010 [3010001]

 

This fix should address all of the afore mentioned missing files and other errors.

---

9 minutes ago, Equilibrium said:

Sounds like you welded top with sides. Can you post a picture?

Blender --> Brick Studio --> LDD

Edited February 28, 2022 by Stephan

[Equilibrium]

There's definitely something wrong with that spot, either bad normal or something welded there.

[Kuramapika1]

38 minutes ago, Stephan said:

Blender --> Brick Studio --> LDD

I have little knowledge using Blender, but try to smooth the stud. Then export to ldd.

Edited February 28, 2022 by Kuramapika1
Change add to ldd

[suenkachun]

2 hours ago, Stephan said:

This fix should address all of the afore mentioned missing files and other errors.

EDIT: all fixed.

Edited February 28, 2022 by suenkachun

[Stephan]

18 minutes ago, suenkachun said:

Not only did the Decorations of 3297 fail to render or be selected, the main slope surface has now become Transparent after inserting the Brick and in the selection menu.

You forgot to include the 3297.g1 file.

[suenkachun]

Just now, Stephan said:

You forgot to include the 3297.g1 file.

Thanks, trying the Dropbox version now, seems to be working.

[marcuslfalk]

Hi, 19859 seems to crash the programme when searching/viewing it in the parts menu.

Edited February 28, 2022 by marcuslfalk

[suenkachun]

38 minutes ago, marcuslfalk said:

Hi, 19859 seems to crash the programme when searching/viewing it in the parts menu.

EDIT: all fixed.

Edited February 28, 2022 by suenkachun

[Stephan]

48 minutes ago, suenkachun said:

First, both 62273 and 62275 were removed from the file again when I first opened it.

Both are in the rar file.

48 minutes ago, suenkachun said:

Second, I think you forgot to assign the new Decoration 301002 to the front vertical surface of Brick 1x4 in the DecorationMapping.xml

301002 is on the 3rd row from below in DecorationMapping.

48 minutes ago, suenkachun said:

Not only did the Decorations of 3297 fail to render or be selected

All files for 3297 are included in the rar file.

19 minutes ago, marcuslfalk said:

Hi, 19859 seems to crash the programme when searching/viewing it in the parts menu.

Yes, g files are now added to the rar file.

Edited February 28, 2022 by Stephan

[suenkachun]

21 minutes ago, Stephan said:

Yes, g files are now added to the rar file.

Thanks for replying, this seems to be what caused LDD to crash on my end, everything is working now! The only remaining issue is with Parts 37091 and 37092 but as I said more investigations are needed before moving forward with a solution.

[Stephan]

3 minutes ago, suenkachun said:

The only remaining issue is with Parts 37091 and 37092

I wish I could help you there, but I don't know what is causing that. @polymaker, do you know why this only happens for these two parts for suenkachun? I think it might be a GPU rendering issue.

[suenkachun]

7 minutes ago, Stephan said:

I wish I could help you there, but I don't know what is causing that. @polymaker, do you know why this only happens for these two parts for suenkachun? I think it might be a GPU rendering issue.

Just checked and the following issue still exists, unless nothing is supposed to connect underneath there at all. EDIT: such connections are used in real life.

On 2/27/2022 at 6:27 AM, PicnicBasketSam said:

The only error I can find with the parts that are here is that the City Stuntz ramp doesn't have proper antistud connectivity on the bottom of the 1x6 plate that sticks out the back, everything else seems to be working fine.

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by suenkachun

[Stephan]

9 minutes ago, suenkachun said:

Just checked and the following issue still exists, unless nothing is supposed to connect underneath there at all.

Forgot about that. Fixed.

2 hours ago, Kuramapika1 said:

but try to smooth the stud

I can't get it to work.

[Equilibrium]

18 minutes ago, suenkachun said:

The only remaining issue is with Parts 37091 and 37092 but as I said more investigations are needed before moving forward with a solution.

These 2 bricks look completely normal for me.

@Stephan Regarding that brick. Can you upload .g file so I can check it?

[Stephan]

1 minute ago, Equilibrium said:

Can you upload .g file so I can check it

The 'updated' version or the original?

[Equilibrium]

Just now, Stephan said:

The 'updated' version or the original?

Updated :)

[Stephan]

1 minute ago, Equilibrium said:

Updated :)

LINK

[Equilibrium]

Just now, Stephan said:

LINK

Ok, I know what's up. You have free-lying vertices that aren't part of any polygon/surface.

[Stephan]

1 minute ago, Equilibrium said:

You have free-lying vertices that aren't part of any polygon/surface.

How do I find these? And how can I fix that :P