Official Lego sets

[LDDtechnician]

Hello!

My special interest is making official lego sets from the Thecnic theme in LDD - but I post it here because it may concern other themes as well:

Should changes from original models LOOK like the original as much af possible, or should they WORK in real life as much as possible?

cheers!

LDDTechnician

[roamingstop]

Hello!

My sepcial interest is making official lego sets from the Thecnic theme in LDD - but I post it here because it may concern other themes as well:

Should changes from original models LOOK like the original as much af possible, or should they WORK in real life as much as possible?

cheers!

LDDTechnician

I am keeping to both... keep the look as close as possible, and functions as close as possible... but also to 'reinvent' slightly for 2010 (and beyond). So older space models get two versions - those with old grey, and then now light bley. Similarly where possible to keep the shape the same. But clearly not always 100% possible - e.g. the old 851 tractor needed the larger wheels (as you also realised). In this case I kept the model identical but added a 1x6 plate to lift the rear mud-guards to make it work. Of course the front wheels had no friction to the axle

[DLuders]

TECHNIC is more about "function" rather than "form" or appearance, so I would lean towards making your Technic LDD models retain the FUNCTION of the original sets. Of course, this may not be possible in all cases. Zblj has made shock absorbers, clutch gears, and other moving Technic parts using other LDD pieces. Parts cannot "move" in LDD.

I would check Calabar's Official Lego Set LDD Index regularly to make sure that others have not already modeled the sets you want to do. Here are the ones that have been done so far:

Technic

- 8045 - Mini Telehandler - by Toa_Of_Justice

- [Promotional Set] 1237 - Honda Promotional Set (Asimo Robot) - by Randal

- 8022 - TECHNIC Starter Set (Airplane) - by dluders

- 8045 - Mini Telehandler [Vers II] - by JunkstyleGio

- 8290 - Forklift - by ashir

- 8290 - Dragster - by ashir

- 8046 - Helicopter - by BrickWild

- 856 - Front loader - by LDDtechnician

- 8264 - Hauler - by Zblj

[Aanchir]

When I build sets on LDD, I personally am averse to using replacement parts or multi-piece simulations of unavailable pieces. I'm also not a fan of using replacement colors. When I do either of these things, I tend to color any replacement parts and parts with unavailable colors in colors that are certain not to show up in the model (preferably colors that don't even actually exist). Any printed or stickered parts for which the print is unavailable tend to be left completely blank in my models as well.

This is probably an extension of my aversion to using replacement parts in real sets. After all, if you use replacement parts in a real set, then suddenly that part you used is unavailable to you in other sets or MOCs. And while this factor is not an issue in LDD (where your parts inventory is not limited), there is the equally-annoying issue that you might forget to go back and fix incorrect pieces, colors, or prints on the off chance that the part you were missing gets added.

However, I make exceptions. In the BIONICLE set I made several models from, I was satisfied to replace the old-style socket joints (y-joints, as they're frequently called) with the new-style ones. However, I still make a painstaking list of all errors or inconsistencies in the sets I post in the "Official sets made in LDD" topic.

Other people aren't nearly so strict with themselves about this, and as long as you keep a record of what workarounds you've done then any can be considered permissible.

[Calabar]

I think the official sets in LDD should be "usable", so every missing piece should be replaced with something that makes the set complete and good-looking.

So, every time it is possible, we should use pieces as similar as possible and with a colour as matching as possible with that pieces that that pieces should replace.

Replaced pieces and custom bricks should be intended as pieces that designer of LEGO would have used if original pieces would not be available.

[Superkalle]

In either case, I think it's important that your keep a record of which parts in LDD weren't available when you made the model. With LDD 4 out soon, there will be a lot of new parts added, and I think it would be great if we all could go back and update our old models.

So no matter what method you use - replacement parts, omit parts, focus on function or whatever - do keep a record of the parts!

[roamingstop]

With LDD 4 out soon, there will be a lot of new parts added, and I think it would be great if we all could go back and update our old models.

I wonder if Superkalle knows more then the rest of us....

So as they would say on Monty Python

Nudge Nudge, Wink Wink, Know what I mean?...

[Superkalle]

I wonder if Superkalle knows more then the rest of us....

So as they would say on Monty Python

Nudge Nudge, Wink Wink, Know what I mean?...

Just guessin', just guessin'

[Randal]

In either case, I think it's important that your keep a record of which parts in LDD weren't available when you made the model. With LDD 4 out soon, there will be a lot of new parts added, and I think it would be great if we all could go back and update our old models.

So no matter what method you use - replacement parts, omit parts, focus on function or whatever - do keep a record of the parts!

If they're not going to tell us a release date, I'd at least like to hear why it's late and be told something like, "Hey, we hit a wall and it will be a while" or "we're just working on the fine details and it's getting pushed aside because of the LU launch" or "just wait a few more days, weeks, etc...".

I just hate not being told why it's late or not being given a ballpark figure when they know we want to know.

[LDDtechnician]

I prefer functionality over looks ... but a conclusion so far might be that the important thing is to report changes to the original model as accurately as possible ... ?

LDDTechnician