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Custom Bricks for LDD


polymaker
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POLYMAKER YOU ARE MY NEW BEST FRIEND NOW.
Sorry Larry.

 

Edit: Wait, nevermind. You don't use per-pixel shaders or AA in LDD so we can't be friends.

Alright Larry, you're still my best friend now again!

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Now that I can actually see the images...

 

 

LDD is missing a LOT of pieces simply because TLG doesn't seem to want to let you use discontinued bricks and elements. This is definitely going to help to fill in the gap.

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  • 4 months later...

The last part I was working on got added in the last LDD update...-.- So now I'm working on this one:

YA6OJRj.png?1

 

The models are almost finished (I convert LDraw files to obj but they have a lot of gaps and need cleaning-up).

For the collisions and connections I haven't started yet, I'm still working on my software to help create the xml file and I don't feel like doing this one by hand.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Just a quick update, aside from creating custom bricks, I'm also looking on modding LDD in general.

Here is my latest achievement :

6vDHB6u.png?1

 

I am able to mod the LDD brick palette. I can add (or 'unhide') missing parts, like the 9-11 linear actuator (only visible on Mindstorm or Extended).

For the loose parts like the ones in the screenshot, it is a little more complicated. LDD cannot load a part that is referenced by an assembly. (pre-assembled bricks, like minifigs and shock absorber) Just adding a line for the part in the palette list does nothing and if you set verbose=1 in the preferences.ini you will see in the output that LDD fails to load the part.

The workaround? simple, create an assembly for each part with only the part inside.

 

My software for modding LDD is doing well and will soon have an alpha release. You can follow my progress on https://github.com/Polymaker/ldd-modder

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  • lol username featured this topic
On 6/18/2016 at 5:48 PM, Terrev said:

Question - have you worked out how to make pieces that support decals?

Yes I have, and it is relatively simple. You may already know that the 3D data for the bricks are contained in the ".g" files, and if you have extracted the db.lif, you may have noticed this pattern: "XYZ.g", "XYZ.g1", "XYZ.g2". The main mesh data is in the ".g" file, and each ".gX" contains a textured surface that can have a decal. Now you are surely thinking (like me) about making existing brick "decal-able". That should not be very difficult, but there is one thing left that I must work out. There is one section of data in the LDD brick files that I know has to do with the outlines on the brick. I fiddled with it and I noticed changes in the outline, but I have not yet figured how it works. I know however how the outline is linked to the triangles and I have a general idea on how to split the data so I think it should be doable. 

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You may already know that the 3D data for the bricks are contained in the ".g" files

nope

if you have extracted the db.lif

nope

you may have noticed this pattern: "XYZ.g", "XYZ.g1", "XYZ.g2".

nope

 Now you are surely thinking (like me) about making existing brick "decal-able"

and nope

 


l405G.jpg

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4 hours ago, aidenpons said:
Quote

You may already know that the 3D data for the bricks are contained in the ".g" files ...

if you have extracted the db.lif ...

nope  l405G.jpg

 

Well I had theses assumptions because it is here on this forum that I first discovered that it was possible to extract the db.lif and that someone successfully extracted the 3D data from a ".g" file (The post in question). And that what's actually started my quest to mod LDD.  :)

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  • 5 months later...
Monkeyjay2003

Do you plan on sharing these bricks? LDD is being discontinued, so we need our help to mod LDD with the newer parts. I already know how to fit the bricks into palettes, but all I'd need are the brick .xml's and .g files. Do you think you could manage?

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  • 4 weeks later...
YellowMonkey123

It's  interesting. But how do I find that program in the 1st picture calls "Frm BrickEdit" and How to open the program you uploaded in github?:)

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  • 4 weeks later...
On ‎18‎/‎12‎/‎2016 at 11:29 PM, Monkeyjay2003 said:

Do you plan on sharing these bricks? LDD is being discontinued, so we need our help to mod LDD with the newer parts. I already know how to fit the bricks into palettes, but all I'd need are the brick .xml's and .g files. Do you think you could manage?

So what you're saying is they are not bringing in any more bricks? Aw, I wanted to see some bricks that date back to the Late 90's or Early 2000's. You know the ones I mean, like those Pull Back Motors:

s-l225.jpg

41857c01.png

2658932296_968b7c846f.jpg

 

I also noticed they haven't got that Technic Pull Back Motor from 2013

 

motor.jpg

 

Are there any other bricks I might have missed out on?

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It seems they changed their mind on discontinuing LDD as some more patches have happened after the supposed final one. There's still plenty of old bricks that are unlikely to be added officially though (like those pull-back motors).

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  • 1 month later...
  • 8 months later...

So I was doing some googling, and came across this topic and forum. I'm very interested in doing the same stuff with other parts. I was wondering if you could point me in the right direction. I'd love to help bring a bunch of new pieces to LDD and get a true mod/patch program created so that other people out there looking for just the right piece (that they know very well exists) can do just that and get to the next level with MOCs and engineering projects. 


I've been working on a pneumatic truck (Huge 18 wheeler) and want to actually engineer the working parts as well as the cosmetic ones. I've been working on this for a bit over five years and its just drives me nuts that I have no way of even using the pistons I actually need to make this work. I've been stuck making ones that don't do anything but just fill the mechanical details and limitations of the actual pieces. 

Thanks ahead of time!

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  • 11 months later...

Hi everyone,

I'm terribly sorry for the long absence. I recently stumbled upon this thread again and I see that a lot of you guys are interested by my work.

To do a long story short I kinda assumed the forum was dead and I also lost interest in the project.

But as you might have guessed I'm writing here because I've recently started working on the project again.

 

Currently, I'm still far away from having a functional tool to edit and create custom bricks. 

Recently I've been more focused on a tool that creates custom palettes (aka lego set) for LDD.
If you didn't know, LDD has an undocumented feature to have a defined inventory of bricks with quantities (instead of an infinite number of all possible bricks) and tracks the quantity remaining of each bricks, which basically sums up to virtually building a lego set.

This tool is mostly done and only requires a little more error checking and a nicer user interface.

Once this is finished I will get back to develop an application for creating and editing custom bricks.

 

I'll keep you updated of my progress.

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  • 1 year later...
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