First sneek peak at LDD 4.0

[Superkalle]

DbM has released a video showing a new, wamped up site layout.

And guess what they also show. LDD 4.0!

EDIT: Summary of what's been spotted in the videos so far:

First video:

0:35 - Flex tool (spotted by SpiderSpaceMan)

0:37 - Modified GUI with possible Brick search field

1:04 - Brick Outlines (gaps between bricks).

Second video (see Zblj's post below)

0:15 - New brick rendering with advanced shading

Video 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Prk5MBaLHcg

[Zerobricks]

Thats awesome! Hope they also improved building intructions engine!

Second video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZIcjii0WYU

Edited August 30, 2010 by Zblj

[roamingstop]

Yeah I can perhaps finish some models.... ;-)

The instructions also looked professional and logical - but then it could also be luck.

However the hover over item and select different colour options (hinge bracket) was nice.

And the quality of the rendering in the second video is also great. Is this the result of example models which TLG requested?

Edited August 30, 2010 by roamingstudio

[Zerobricks]

Odd thing about second video, is, it has LDD 3.0 interface

[pbk420]

Hope i dont have to hold my breath too long in anticipation i might pass out

[EpicXDFail]

Wow! This looks awesome!

Edited August 30, 2010 by EpicXDFail

[prateek]

Pretty cool! I'm really excited to see that new brick renders and outlining. Also, that search function might be useful...

[The Yellow Brick]

I just hope lego have solved the biggest problem, The Prices

[SpiderSpaceman]

lookin' gorgeous, 4.0. this really improved a bad day.

[RaZeR]

Looks good.

And the graphics will be better - looks like they added ambient occlusion or using lightmaps (look at the shadows at the bricks around the studs, etc.)

I hope that this is actual footage, not just the rendering

[SpiderSpaceman]

GOOOOOOOOD YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!

Look what's between the hinge align and paint tools! YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAH BAAAAAAAAAAAABY! :grin: :wub: :wub:

0:35 btw. fullscreen it. i'm pretty sure it's one of these:

anybody wanna place bets on what the last tool is? looks like some kinda fancy location adjustment tool...

Edited August 30, 2010 by SpiderSpaceman

[Superkalle]

anybody wanna place bets on what the last tool is? looks like some kinda fancy location adjustment tool...

Oooh, yes - you're right - FLEX TOOL.

And have you seen the graphics with the reflections in the LEGO-bricks in the second video. Gorgeous.

OK, so we got brick outlines AND new rendering. Nice

Last icon looks like bricks and a dollar sign - probably Replace bricks with buyable ones and Check Price.

[SpiderSpaceman]

Oooh, yes - you're right - FLEX TOOL.

And have you seen the graphics with the reflections in the LEGO-bricks in the second video. Gorgeous.

OK, so we got brick outlines AND new rendering. Nice

I know, I am so pumped. this made my week.

[alienwar9]

As long as the added graphics come with better programming and it can handle large models, I'm sold!

FLEX TOOOOOOL! So cool

it would be amazing if that worked with strings

[SpiderSpaceman]

As long as the added graphics come with better programming and it can handle large models, I'm sold!

FLEX TOOOOOOL! So cool

it would be amazing if that worked with strings

and chains as well but that adds a ton of complexity - plus most of the time you just want those to hang naturally

edit: now what I do have to hope for is tank treads and rubber bands...

Edited August 30, 2010 by SpiderSpaceman

[Randal]

What would help me immensely is that, like with colors in LU for 3.1, if in LU mode you could flex any piece... that would be awesome if I could bend Minifigs any way I needed to... XD

Since we're so close to September, any actual firm date mentioned?

Edited August 30, 2010 by Randal

[Captain Becker]

Cant WAIT until lthe 4.0 version will be launched Flex tool? YEAH BABY!!! THATS what we are talking about, finally we get that tool Im afraid at i am now looking all the time at the calender and keep asking "Is already September?" and "How many days untill it is September?" Cant stay in my pants

Captain Becker

[Tanma Dude]

How about cheaper prices :P Other than that, it looks great! I really should order one of my creations now that I see that the boxes aren't bad like I thought they were...

[Aanchir]

I just hope lego have solved the biggest problem, The Prices

Probably never going to happen. Regular LEGO sets are the price they are because they're mass-produced. This means that the whole production process is the same for every copy of the set. That's not possible with DesignByMe products, each of which has a completely unique package design and requires its own separate production run. It's a lot more efficient to follow the same process over and over and over than to change the process for each separate set that is ordered. This is also the reason that the DesignByMe brick palette is so limited-- placing limitations on the types of bricks that have to be specially packaged for these sets helps to keep production efficient and thus keep prices low.

Perhaps in the future production of DesignByMe sets will be more efficient. That's entirely dependent on what sort of budget LEGO allocates towards that branch of production-- and that in turn is dependent on how profitable the DesignByMe branch is with its current prices and production standards! So it may be many years before we see improvement in that respect. We're just going to have to accept this as the necessary cost for this type of specialized service until LEGO is able to change that.

[legoboy3998]

The Red Brick Posted Today, 11:37 AM

I just hope lego have solved the biggest problem, The Prices Posted Image

Tanma Dude Icon Posted Today, 05:12 PM

How about cheaper prices :P Other than that, it looks great! I really should order one of my creations now that I see that the boxes aren't bad like I thought they were...

Build your models in LDD, group a bunch together, and then use Ldd Manager to get the list of parts and order them through Pick A Brick. Its a little time consuming and you dont get the DBM box but you save on the $10 per model LDD cost plus 99% of the pieces are cheaper though PAB. I will NEVER by direct through LDD, and I save a considerable amount of money. ON 2 rail cars I made the average savings was $20 per car I bought 3 of each thats a savings of $180.

Sal

WFB, WI

[Lavalizard78]

Aw, man. I won't even be able to get anything-my computer is outdated. And the set problobly costs alot of money, too. >:(

[spid3r]

That looks awesome. But i wonder how much that kid got ripped off.

[Ras 74]

I am really looking forward to 4.0 by now.

Have a few things I would like to build in it and see how it comes out.

[BrickWild]

BTW, the music in the video sounded similar to 'Orange Wedge' by the Chemical Brothers.

[Shroud]

I hope they have a mirror tool so you can select objects and create a mirror image of them. would make life sooo much easier