Superkalle

About a link between LDD and PickABrick: Yes, that would be nice. As I understand, the reasons it could not be done up until now was that TLG was more interested in the concept about a custom building experience, and wanted to wrap that up in a complete product (the DbM box). This would signal a complete LEGO product (with everything that it stands for). PickABrick is more aimed at single bricks, and connecting LDD with PaB would create another product offer. However, with DbM now gone, I personally hope that TLG can re-consider linking together LDD with PaB. Technically, we're just talking about populating PaB from an LXF-file - nothing needs to be changed at PaB at all. About LEGO Universe: When LEGO Universe came out, my kids (two boys in the TLG target age) where playing Maple Story, LOL etc. I.e micro payment games. Download of internet (no CD), play for free, and then pay small sums to purchase upgrades, clothes etc for. And if they weren't playing that, they where playing some independent low priced games like MineCraft or cheap 1 buck IPod games. Sure, they are playing "full priced" games too, but a majority is low-priced games. Everybody at their school are playing these sort of games too and there seems to be a word-to-mouth phenomena here. I heard that the reasons TLG couldn't take LEGO Universe into this type micro payment is that TLG cannot be associated with product where you charge kids small amounts of money - there could be all kinds of implications (nagging parents about money, lost control about what games their kids play etc). And when you think about it, all other game producers don't have the same kind of ultra-strong brand name as LEGO that is associated with creativity, safety and responsibility. TLG wants to come across as trustworthy from a parents perspective. One consequence was for example the very limited chat functionality in LEGO Universe where kids couldn't even write numbers (which could be used to give out phone numbers to each other, and thus also to potential pederasts and child molesters). The result was of course a very dull interactive experience. I'm not expert, but I think other games producers are not limited by these sort of restrictions.

That was a standard corporate answer you got there Toa_of_justice. Interesting though that they direct you to LDraw. Anyway, I got some info yesterday from "a very reliable source in TLG" (anyone who's been in this forum for some time know what that means ). The message was as clear as could be: LDD is NOT going to be shut down. There will be an update in January that will remove DbM and LU-mode (which comes as no surprise). These modes will be replaced by something else. Extended mode will still be around, possibly now even out of the box. A pretty extensive brick update can be expected. Well, that was pretty much what I was told. Feels reassuring to me at least

Really cool ideas with the marble runs. When TLG can spend money on developing all these one-off molds for Collectible Minifigurs, why couldn't they produce these marble run bricks in a small series

Hold your horses now everyone. LDD is not being shut down and there are no indications the software will not be updated (the DbM palette will not however, that is true). And TLG have not lost interest in LDD. Why should they? Also, LDD will most likely never become open source, for reasons discussed several times here in the forum. And even if the software became open source, it's the steady flow of new bricks that is the crucial question.

I second what Lyichir wrote. Problem is also that both DbM and LEGO Universe paied for the production of bricks being added in LDD. Who will fund that now? That is most worrying as I see it. But concidering the money TLG is making, I hope they can find some money for this. In my mind TLG is with LDD on the road to a new way of designing and building with LEGO - let's hope they have the stamina to carry on. One positive side of the DbM/Universe closing is that LDD is now finaly free of all the chains and can release new brick updates as they please (at least theoretically) and add features that are more interesting for us actually designing with LDD. Anyway, next step I guess is a maintenance release mid January 2012 where they will remove DbM and Universe Mode. I wouldn't expect any new features, but hopefully a bunch of new bricks.

Sign-up for the 4th EB RCB Sign-up for the fourth Eurobricks RCB (Relay Community Build) is starting today. This time it's a Pirate theme and it will be co-coordinated by non other then PirateDave84. So if your interested in joining up and creating a massive Pirate fort using LDD, head over here

Yes - really nice... Can you make it a tiny bit smaller, just a tad - perhaps just cropping out some of the blue background to the top left. (I don't think avatar small however, since animated avatars arent allowed on EB anyway)? And perhaps with a few more steps for a smoother animation. And a little slower zooming. And just a bit smoother surfaces on the minifig

The marble run thing is kind of interesting since I think it was one of the early toys of the LEGO founder Ole Kirk Christiansen. (PS: I'll change the topic name to "Ideas for new part design", just to avoid confusion - since your models bbqqq are so extremly realistic )

That's the spirit

Welcome to the forum. Look really cool. Not only the background, but also the hedgehog you've done. I haven't seen that before. The sunflower is really nice too. And I like that you've decided to realize the model in physcial bricks. That's worth an extra score point just there

Yeah, that was something like that I was thinking. Maybe a rendering at just a few "zoom levels" if necessary. I would love to put that on the frontpage. It would drive people nuts

Cool, LEGO like a Mandelbrot set. Who would have thought Thanks for sharing! PS: Can you make a video of it....eternal zoom-in?

Good find. It seems LDD is fooled into this by the first plate you position. Funny thing is too that you can't place a half-beam on the peg.

Ah, you found this old topic Blondie-wan. Good, because it's defintely relevant now. How ironic that the "?" in the topic name now could be changed to "!". For LDD users, the questions is how this will affect us. For example we have the LU Mode in LDD, and up until now, Lego Universe game development has paid for many of the bricks we have in both LU Mode and even Extended Mode.

Welcome to the forum. However, please note your question should not have been posted in the "LDD 4 Bugs and brick errors" - this topic is for explicit bugs or errors, not general questions. Thanks.

Hi there Please note this is a forum for AFOLs. We expect a certain level of posts here, including using capital letters when starting a sentence and proper punctuation. Thanks

Even though off-topic I can't help but to ask - anyone know why it is not?

That would be cool, I agree The thing is though that TLG likes to maintain control, both over the program and the bricks, because then they can ensure quality and features so it fit's the target group (which is children, and in turn their parents). Also, TLG wants to be perceived as safe, not only the products themselves, but also any digital experience. We've seen it in LEGO Universe, where players couldn't even use numbers in the chat-window - just because they shouldn't exchange phone numbers (something sick pederast could use to get info). Now, I'm not saying there is anything risk like that in LDD, but at least this is what I think is the reason TLG will not make it Open Source, at least not for some time. If you allow people to create their own bricks and decorations, it can lead to many strange things. For Lego Universe I think TTP was a few days.

I made a small (well not so small ) error in the excel file. Fixing it now.

I love it.

That is really cool. I think however this should go in the Technic section. I'll move it there. Hope that is OK?

Unfortunately it's not possible in LDD. There are few extra decorations however that can be accessed though copying and pasting. Read more here. The file to download, which has the complete set of available decorations, is then here

Here's an excel file I made that will give you all possible distances and angles. You can also enter the maximum tolerance you can accept without stressing the bricks too much. (TLG uses 0....or rather they are supposed to ) If you find any errors or enhancements, let me know EDIT: Removed the file temporarily - updating it.

I honestly have no clue. But you are right, there is usually some kind of update late fall each year. If there is not a new release, hopefully there can be a brick update though.

Sounds like a cool project. Look forward to what you can come up with