Equilibrium

@Zerobricks Yes, I'm using imported LDraw models. Then doing all the necessary changes, collisions and connections myself. I wouldn't be able to model them on my own since I don't have these parts to take measures, etc. @BrickWild Thanks. Not yet, I'm going to add pneumatics and I'd like to release first update. @jamesster I saw that thread while I was checking if someone did this already, before I started. @pagicence I have those. Their author(s) manualy edited saved scene file with different coordinates for parts of an assembly. While shock are correct, LAs are extended (one row) beyond their real bricks counterpart limits. I'm basically letting you do the same through LDD with a disadvantage of being able to disconnect parts and requiring to group them for moving as "one piece". Can I somehow make a poll on it in this thread? I'd rather include this but maybe most wouldn't like it. Anyway, I got sick so not much have been done. Added possibility to connect these pieces: Added pneumatic switches: Also, if someone has this mast piece (from 70810 MetalBeard's Sea Cow), could make such assembly with real bricks? Put 2l axle at the bottom as deep as possible, a plate with holes and half-bushing. And let me know if an axle sticks out of the bushing or it's the other way around. I'm asking becouse it's not possible to place 32l long axle in this model in LDD and I could fix it if it's masts fault.

But these are not entairly separate parts. This is just the same as in current LDD verison but you can move each subpart (or part piece) individually. So ability to move them as one single piece is traded for an ability to adjust them. I wouldn't call this a code I can use parts that I made no problem (since I don't think Lego will bother changing file formats or something like this).

@Zerobricks Knowing my luck, Lego will release an update adding 10 times more bricks within a month after I post this update rendering most of my work obsolete @MatthewRC That's something I haven't thought about. That'd be very unfortunate turn of the events to say the least... Anyway, I think I've found a way to patch everyones db.lif. I have to test it on my 2nd PC just to be sure but it seems to be working great (on windows at least). It should also work on linux and mac but I don't know basic command lines of these systems (patch starts through a .bat file on windows). I have edited hub a bit so it acts as assembly. Scrapped my wheel arch panel and used LDraw ones, also added smallest one: 3 small system bricks (red, yellow and green ones): I've also made a kind of workaround for adjusting shocks/LAs/any other pistons (it seems like LDD just misses some "move inside assembly" tool): It has a downside of being able to disconnect assembly parts so if one would like to move them all bricks would have to be selected. Rotating works fine, parts stick to each other. Deleting any part of an assembly deletes whole brick. It seems to be backward and forward compatible - saved files wise. Should I stick to it? Pneumatics can also be made that way.

Ok. I've successfully added (manualy so far) additional brick to db.lif. Both Blueprint and Bluerender work just fine:

@Zerobricks Thanks :) I know about CV joints, but I'm asking about an ordinary axle. New hubs have "two stages"; one where you can slide slighty an axle and it will slip on it (kind of illegal connection) and one fully connected where you can rotate hub by axle. Since older hub doesn't have an axle hole I assume it cannot accept an axle as rotation input. You can click on pictures to open them in a new tab where it is possible to enlarge them (all are in full hd). Or should I post them somehow differently if there's a trouble viewing full picture?

@pagicence I can't share it yet due to what I wrote above your post and one other thing. @Scrubs, @SylvainLS Thanks guys I didn't know that! With this in mind I tried adding the wheel hub. I had to edit part model a bit, split it into two pieces (in order to be able to rotate it freely - just like newer hubs) and fix some errors but everything worked out pretty nice btw. I don't own this part, so: it is not possible to insert an axle there (where CV joint connects), right? And maybe a bit silly question, but is this enough regarding part copyright (bottom left corner)?

Yes, having these bricks would be nice. I could do the tire but it goes with a different rim so it would also have to be made. And as I wrote yesterday I want to avoid modeling parts myself. I looked over LDraw license and from what I understand I could use their parts (with all due credit). I'd add collisions and connectivity options myself. This would speed and ease the process. However, there are some issues that I haven't thought about before (if we ever get to the sharing part). Current way of adding new bricks/fixes breaks Bluerender and Blueprint completely (don't know about POV but probably also). I'm using unpacked db.lif (so it has to be renamed or moved somewhere else so LDD uses folders instead) while these programs require it to run. So in order to use them db.lif would have to be patched with new bricks. While I know its structure, writing a patcher is beyond me I'm afraid. Compatibility issues with other programs. I can't number pieces using official Lego codes becouse if I'd do this and an update for LDD would be released with these bricks, chances are official bricks could have different initial position in 3D space which would result in missplaced/deleted parts upon opening saved file. Also importing an ldd file into other programs would result in these parts missing. So yeah... I don't know. I'll try to use LDraw parts for few of the parts above, will also have to rewrite/update scripts and we will see how it goes I guess.

Thanks :) Arch angle is probably not correct but anyway: @M2m I don't really intend to model everything myself, that would be an incredible amount of work! So far I did the "fast" ones. Cutting panels ~1h, scaling wheels ~10min each. And I'm still unsure where this thread might lead or end up.

Ok, let's do this. Inspired by @M2m thread I've started wrting a 3D Studio Max script that allows importing, editing and exporting LDD brick geometry and their XML data. They are rough, some geometry data is unknown (this doesn't have any visible or noticable impact so far) but it works and here's the result (click for bigger pictures): Fixed connectivity issue of 90 deg tube (pretty popular piece for 2018/2019 technic sets): Custom 3x5x2 panel that I saw in one of the Chinese custom (not copied from Lego) models: I was curious how my MOC would look like with more realistic, narrow tires so I shrinked Unimog tire to fit on 42029 rim. Dimensions: 81,6 x 30: For the tractor enthusiasts - how could a Class tire look like on an Arcos rim - also that Chinese model. Dimensions: 64,2 x 20 (I've made is slighty bigger than original tire): Moved some parts around and fixed default orientation of some of technic panels:

Nice work. And even though I'm not using any of these programs it inspired me to create such thing for a 3D Studio Max. So I wrote an importer and exporter for the geometry and since I was at it I wrote an XML import/export. So... the next logical step was to create a custom brick and test if it would work in LDD. But I'm not sure if I can post the result.

@Cumulonimbus Yes, I know. That's why I based the length on the small side shoot on the bottom right corner. It looks like the space between front and 1st rear axle, could fit 3 wheels one next to eachother. Main picture was only for the panels reference. And now that I'm looking at it some more I think the side panel should be the 11 studs long one (with many pin holes).

I was also trying to build it in LDD (figuring dimensions and front mostly). Here's what I came up with so far: That 90deg tube pointing down should be pointing back but it interferes with small panel so this is probably not how it's done. Front wheels might be one stud to the back, hard to tell. And one of the side panels might be 11 studs instead of 7.

@Paknaloid Looks like You didn't connect wheel hubs at all, light grey part (above red marking) and dark grey (the one with brake disc) should be pushed inside untill they click and become extremely hard to take apart using hands.

Mhm, I thought it's the same thing but with nicer GUI. I haven't been here for a while. In that case I can upload "bublible_sunflow_20160717-win" and ~300 pages pdf of sunflow wiki from 2016.

It looks like Bublible is still working on his mod. You can download it from his website http://lego.queryen.com/?s=busufl&j=en.