What is LDD? What is LDraw?

Subject: What is LDD? What is LDraw? Sat Sep 17, 2011 1:30 pm

What is LDD?

Quote :: LEGO Digital Designer, or LDD, is a free computer program produced by the LEGO Group as a part of LEGO Design byME. It is available for Mac and Windows platforms. The program allows users to build models using virtual LEGO bricks, in a computer-aided design like manner. These can be uploaded, along with instructions and a box design, to the LEGO Design byME website, from where the models can be ordered for delivery as a real, packaged set. Users can also take "screenshots" of their models and store the models on their computer in a .LXF File

(from Wikipedia)

You can download LDD 4 from here.

What is LDraw?

Quote :: LDraw is a popular system of free software tools for modeling Lego creations in 3D on a computer. The LDraw file format and original program were written by James Jessiman. He also modeled many of the original parts in the parts library that is central to the programs and is under continuous maintenance and extension by the LDraw community. In 1997, Jessiman died.[1] Since then, a variety of programs have been written that use the LDraw parts library, and file format. LDraw models are frequently rendered in POV-Ray, a free 3D ray tracer.

(also from Wikipedia)

You can download LDraw from here.

Basically they are programs where you can design LEGO sets "in the computer".

In this forum, you can share creations you have made using LDD or LDraw.

Enjoy!

Ben

Subject: Re: What is LDD? What is LDraw? Mon Sep 19, 2011 12:55 pm

I find LDD useful but (start Darth Vader voice) "I find its lack of bricks disturbing".

I downloaded LDraw because that has a bigger selection of bricks but I can't open it on my computer Scared

I'll just stick to regular bricks for now....

Subject: Re: What is LDD? What is LDraw? Thu Sep 22, 2011 11:19 pm

Most of my work is LDD, and I am constantly amazed by the number of "This is good, but it's not real bricks!" comments I get. Why are people so against using LDD? I find it to be an amazing tool, with a much larger variety of options than you can get with real bricks. Also, people love stuff by Pixar and Dreamworks, which is digital, but they don't like LDD over real legos. Just so confusing.

Subject: Re: What is LDD? What is LDraw? Fri Sep 23, 2011 1:45 pm

BiO.Andrew wrote:: Most of my work is LDD, and I am constantly amazed by the number of "This is good, but it's not real bricks!" comments I get. Why are people so against using LDD? I find it to be an amazing tool, with a much larger variety of options than you can get with real bricks. Also, people love stuff by Pixar and Dreamworks, which is digital, but they don't like LDD over real legos. Just so confusing.

Well, think about it this way.

LEGO originally and still is an actual toy. Its a physical object, not just a computer image. It does not require much talent to build with LDD, but to build with real LEGO is like your actually doing something... please don't be offended but that is what I think.

Subject: Re: What is LDD? What is LDraw? Sat Sep 24, 2011 7:37 am

I'm not offended, but I don't agree. I think it takes the same amount of skill to build with LDD as it takes to build with real legos. Still, I'm planning on posting a few real creations soon, just to see if it gets more of a reaction.

Subject: Re: What is LDD? What is LDraw? Sat Sep 24, 2011 9:05 am

Building with LDD is, if anything, harder than with real bricks.
For one thing, the interface is a pain in the arse.

Subject: Re: What is LDD? What is LDraw? Sat Sep 24, 2011 9:49 pm

Once you get used to the interface, it isn't actually that bad. Though, when they start changing the brick locations around on you... > Sad

Subject: Re: What is LDD? What is LDraw? Sat Oct 01, 2011 7:51 am

George G. wrote:: "I find its lack of bricks disturbing".

Ha, you got that right!! I once tried to open LDD, but my computer CRASHED!!! I tried it again for 8 or 9 other times, but still, I CAN'T GET IT OPEN that day. I can get it open now, but LDD is gonna haunt my computer....

Guest

I love LDD i created a crab droid in there and a battle suit

Subject: Re: What is LDD? What is LDraw? Sun Dec 18, 2011 5:08 am

Austin Durick wrote:: I love LDD i created a crab droid in there and a battle suit

I'm sorry, but I hate LDD with a burning passion. It sucks that there's no "Creative" connections whatsoever, hence the term "illegal connections." However, you can do Lego CGI!

Guest

How is there no "creative" connection? Yes, you do have unlimited bricks but, you have to design whatever you feel like building.

But a bad thing about it is you can't use peices in ways you can in real life. Like the snap together hinge peices, people somthimes attach them for joints on mechs and stuff.

Subject: Re: What is LDD? What is LDraw? Sun Dec 18, 2011 11:18 am

Austin Durick wrote:: How is there no "creative" connection? Yes, you do have unlimited bricks but, you have to design whatever you feel like building.

But a bad thing about it is you can't use peices in ways you can in real life. Like the snap together hinge peices, people somthimes attach them for joints on mechs and stuff.

Well, you don't exactly have unlimited bricks. You have an unlimited QUANTITY of LIMITED types of pieces. There's no "creative" connections because TLG Has to figure out how many POSSIBLE connections you can make with 1000-ish different pieces.