LDD 5, what features do YOU want?

[Masta' Blasta']

I see what you mean. I suppose I prefer outlines for two different reasons - one being that it's easier to discern the different pieces from one another while in building mode. The other being that it looks sort of like a fancy version of the graphics from official instructions when you output a screenshot.

It doesn't really bother me when in building mode, only when I'm sharing it... because the model loses that sleek look found in LEGO bricks.

[Calabar]

Some colouring options;

1) Colour all blocks that are of a specific colour. When a selection is made before using this option, it is only applied to the selection.

2) Colour this block and all connected blocks with the same colour.

Did you try to hide other "blocks" using the Hide tool before selecting?

The only solution to this I found is to create a new group out of selection and apply the paint bucket to the group (directly to the thumb image of the group). All group members will be recolored. Not very comfortable, but better than using a text editor.

Very good Hint, I didn't know it. So groups can be coloured directly with the paint bucklet, very interesting.

I see what you mean. I suppose I prefer outlines for two different reasons - one being that it's easier to discern the different pieces from one another while in building mode. The other being that it looks sort of like a fancy version of the graphics from official instructions when you output a screenshot.

I agree with you for the same reasons, especially the first one. I find very difficult to build a set without the reference points provided by the outlines of the bricks.

[Shroud]

Just a few from me that have been mentioned:

1. Use Nvidia/ATI hardware for better performance

2. 64 Bit compatability

3. No brick limit (Currently closes with a high brick count)

4. Wireframe mode for large builds lowering CPU usage

5. Mirror mode (Select bricks then click 'Mirror' creating a mirror image group)

6. Actual colour mode so you can just use RL bricks availible if you wish

7. Multiple instances of the program with the use of drag and dropping selected items (great for multiple monitors)

As DesignByMe was designed to be simple (and now not used) there isnt a reason why it cant be more detailed now. I realise that its freeware and the developers are taking time away to create this which really doesnt add any revenue but who knows where it could lead to?

We do love the developers too

[Phoxtane]

How about...

- Anti-aliasing options, please!

- More flex elements to use. There are quite a few flex elements listed in the parts list, but only four or five are actually able to be used with the flex tool!

- A better flex tool. I'm thinking of a thing where you can choose what "hole" you want to thread the flex element through, which could act a lot like choosing two holes/pins for the Hinge Align tool.

- More stock backgrounds, or the option to use custom backgrounds. Both would be the best-case scenario I imagine!

[Lego Otaku]

Fully multi-core/threading and 64 bit to take advantage of extra ram.

This. A thousand times this. When my $2,000 desktop performs about the same as my $200 laptop while handling really large LDD project, something's not right. My desktop rig has dual XEON (12 cores total, 24 processes with hyperthreading), plus 24GB RAM currently installed and yet I start getting slow down at about 100k bricks and rarely can do anything at over 500k

If LDD was properly multicore capable I should be able to handle a few million bricks on my desktop before I start getting slowdown.

PS yes it's overpowered for LDD but I do use my desktop for other 3D stuff. Plus I know people that has more power than my desktop. quad Optron and even octo socket 1567 XEON populated with 10 core CPUs for example.

[Calabar]

@Lego Otaku

As LDD has not "physics", I fear that the bottleneck is not the CPU but the Video card.

LDD surely need a huge optimization, but I think that change the graphic engine is much more than TLG wants to reserve for LDD, that at the moment is provides for fans, because there is not a business related to it anymore.

I think that a simple and not much realistic "outline bricks" function (that works with old video cards too) would be appreciated from those that have performance problems but find very useful this function to build their creations.

[Alcom1]

I want a better field of view!

Because this is a screenshot of an entire room that is 63 studs long, and the camera is backed up against the wall.

Edited January 27, 2013 by Alcom1

[Masta' Blasta']

There was recently a Pick a Brick update. Could this possibly indicate a LDD update coming soon?

Edit: The part of this post I deleted probably didn't make since before. What I want is a tool in view mode that will create a selection (Like in build mode), but zooms in on that area, like a cropping tool.

Edited February 2, 2013 by Masta' Blasta'

[krispy]

This. A thousand times this. When my $2,000 desktop performs about the same as my $200 laptop while handling really large LDD project, something's not right. My desktop rig has dual XEON (12 cores total, 24 processes with hyperthreading), plus 24GB RAM currently installed and yet I start getting slow down at about 100k bricks and rarely can do anything at over 500k

If LDD was properly multicore capable I should be able to handle a few million bricks on my desktop before I start getting slowdown.

PS yes it's overpowered for LDD but I do use my desktop for other 3D stuff. Plus I know people that has more power than my desktop. quad Optron and even octo socket 1567 XEON populated with 10 core CPUs for example.

So jealous right now....

On topic: it has not been mentioned often, but I would definitely like some sort of connection analysis tooling or something to get an idea of model sturdiness/stability; like what Calabar said at the start of the topic (shake the model and stuff). For example: I would like to see which pieces are connected by only one or two studs or perhaps more relevant which pieces are connected by only 10% of their studs.

Right now it's really difficult to judge if your model is stable let alone sturdy. I sometimes end up rebuilding the model from scratch because I forgot that one 3x12 wing was only connected by one stud.

[Toa_Of_Justice]

I'd like to be able to adjust the connection/snap radius while building. Sometimes, I try to connect one element on top of another, and it ends up underneath the other element or somewhere else I did not intend for it to go.

-Toa Of Justice

[Takanuinuva]

Rather than asking for parts that have probably been listed. I want some new features added to Ldd.

1. 
   A search system that is based on the one from Lego Universe. Most of us dont' know a bricks exact name. But we know what shape it is and what connections it has. Having the search function Lego Universe had would make building easier. The search in Ldd is broken .When I search tree. It gives me parts that have nothing to do with tree. Like windscreen.
   
2. 
   Add a second button to clone called Mirrored clone. It will clone a brick but it will appear as a mirror image of the brick you cloned. It can help for those balljoint bricks that you got alligned perfectly on one side and have to do the same on the other side. A flag facing left will be cloned to face right.
   
3. 
   An option to make a brick no-collide with another brick. Used to attach bricks that you know attach together in real life but refuse to attach together in Ldd. The bricks would connect together but parts that would collide would go through each other.
   

Edited May 9, 2013 by Calabar
: If you don't want to ask for parts but features, there is a specific topic. Post Moved there.

[Aanchir]

A search system that is based on the one from Lego Universe. Most of us dont' know a bricks exact name. But we know what shape it is and what connections it has. Having the search function Lego Universe had would make building easier. The search in Ldd is broken .When I search tree. It gives me parts that have nothing to do with tree. Like windscreen.

The reason for this is that the LDD search function allows a difference of one letter between search terms and search results. This is an invaluable asset IMO, as some parts include typos in their official names, and others use a Danish term in place of a more familiar English term. This helps to correct for that.

As an example, one Lord of the Rings part that comes up if you search "shield" is titled MINI SHILD NO.1. There are problems this cannot correct for, though, such as if the "i" and the "e" in "shield" are transposed. Searching "sheild" brings up one shield element from the Hero Factory theme as well as MINI SHILD NO.1, but not any of the other shield elements.

[Saberwing40k]

I'd kind of like a wire frame view, to save processor speed, a method of camera navigation, similar to the one implemented in autocad, some sort of automatic gear alignment tool, an animation console, so that model functionality can be tested, physical constraints to test models, and, more technic parts.

[pbat]

In LDD 5, the chrome and metallic colours should look more realistic, particularly regarding reflection and mirroring of surrounding elements.

One feature I quite miss is the ability to tag parts with a custom string: If I enter this string into the search box, the part list should be filtered to show only the parts tagged with that string.

I'd pretty much appreciate a mode, where you can place and rotate any part in a free manner, so that you can easily put a fish and a banana into a dustbin without scaffolding (take a look at this picture to see the expected result).

In addition to the printed bricks currently supported, LDD 5 should support stickers, too: At least the official stickers you get with almost every set nowadays, but more preferably custom decorations as well.

Another wish of mine are enormous improvements to flexible elements: LDD should not only support these few flexible chains and hoses it currently does, but also flexible strings (including nets, winches and reels), cloth (including sails and capes) or rubberbands. Bricklink currently finds 344 lego "cloth" parts, 130 "string" part, 78 "sail" parts and 73 "rubber" parts; LDD on the other hand has as little as 11 flexible elements. LDD 5 thus should focus on material properties such as elasticity and flexibility.

Really cool would be a physics engine with gravity, collision detection and rotation calculations, in combinantion with some sort of storyboard or timeline: Build at least two scenes and let LDD 5 animate the transitions between them automatically, resulting in some nice ragdoll animations or even whole brickfilms. Eventually, it should be possible to make a film like this entirely in LDD 5. If we get a 4th dimension "time", then we need the ability to set a path for the camera to allow dolly shots, pan shots, crane shots and so on, too. Multiple light sources and their adjustability over time make this feature round.

And as a cherry on the cake, I yearn for working springs and dampers, spur gears and tooth wheels, pneumatic and electric parts such as light bricks or train engines.

[Calabar]

I only want to remember you guys that LDD is in a sort of maintenance mode after the closure of DBM e LEGO Universe.

The LDD Team will provide us new bricks, will try to fix bugs and maybe will add some "lightwave" feature, but not heavy changes such as a physics engine.

[pbat]

I only want to remember you guys that LDD is in a sort of maintenance mode after the closure of DBM e LEGO Universe.

The LDD Team will provide us new bricks, will try to fix bugs and maybe will add some "lightwave" feature, but not heavy changes such as a physics engine.

You are absolutely right. And I too doubt any of the points I mentioned will be implemented somewhen soon. But as this thread is called "LDD 5, what features do YOU want?", I dare to dream.

Who knows, as there are already game engines handling bricks and their physics quite nicely, we might get some byproducts back to LDD...

[Calabar]

Obviously nothing forbid us to "dream", I only wanted to suggest to focus requests on more realistic matters.

Maybe a good idea could be received from the LDD Team and all we could enjoy of it.

[legolijntje]

I'm not really a LDD user, I mainly use it to only view models. But I would like something that you can move the "camera"/viewing point. So not only zooming in/out or turning the camera, but also move it. I know I can do this by right-clicking a part, so the camera centers to that part, but I want to be able to freely move around with for example the left and right mouse button pressed while dragging the mouse, just like in SR3D Builder.

It's also possible that I'm just missing something and this was possible already a long time ago...

I hope it's understandable

[Calabar]

@legolijntje

Maybe is the SHIFT+Click what you are looking for?

[leoparder]

I would love to be able to export the files in any format that is useful in other softwares. .3DS, .igs, .stp, .obj, anyone !

It would help the community do beautiful renderings and would really be a good thing for the people who maybe don't have the money to get the models in real pieces, to have some beautiful visuals.

It would also really help in terms of movies and animations, like A LOT.

[kangmingjie]

It would be nice if a game engine could be added. Then users can create their own worlds and walk around as a minifig. That's a tad on the unrealistic side though, so I'm going to stop there.

[DraikNova]

It would be nice if a game engine could be added. Then users can create their own worlds and walk around as a minifig. That's a tad on the unrealistic side though, so I'm going to stop there.

That's what LEGO Universe, a now discontinued game, was, so I highly doubt they'll ever add that to LDD.

Edited May 25, 2013 by DraikNova

[reibuehl]

A possibility to restrict the "Export BOM" function to the current selection would be very useful.

Also a new tab with the Bill of Materials/the list of currently used and/or selected bricks would be very useful.

For Technic models, it would be great if the gray base plate layer could be switched of to better view models from underneath.

Empty groups should be deleted automatically.

[Takanuinuva]

Here is a another feature I'd like added. When trying to attach a techinc beam to multiple pins at an angle. The piece should automatically align with all the pins on that angle. Rather than having to manually rotate it to fit.

[___]

Also I would suggest to implement 2 new functions:

BRICKS SUMMARY REPORT:

Primary I am using LDD as a development tool for my own Space sets intended as "a building plans/test platform for multifunctionality" for real LEGO assembly when I buy needed bricks in LEGO store later, but it is real pain to count all needed bricks and their color mutations used in actual model "by hand", not saying I can always miss something etc., so from this point of view it'd be really really great if something like "bricks summary report" exist in LDD - one would "press a button in menu" and new window would appear with let's say 5 options:

- PRINT: report direct output to printer

- TXT: simple text report output, every brick on new line

- HTML: report output with little photo of the brick, pics stored in subdir in the root of the .html file

- PDF: complete report in .pdf format

- JPG: output report as .jpg pic (70% compression would be enough for this kind of stuff)

SCENES:

Add simple scenes exactly as in Google SketchUp - picture would "morph" between actual position and next scene after the respective scene is clicked, with ability to set morph time for every scene + in FILE MENU add option to output this as a simple movie (one could set appropriate codec in user system form a simple dropdown list)