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LEGO Digital Designer vs LDraw, and why I dislike both...

Phoenyx

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UPDATE: It turns out that LDCAD is actually what I'm looking for, believe it or not.

While trying to design a 1997 UFO themed MOC, I ran into an issue. Particularly, the fact that LEGO Digital Designer is missing several parts needed for the build, such as the 14x14 quarter-saucer segments that make up the hull of the Alien Avenger and the prow of the Interstellar Starfighter. I can't even begin to understand why TLG doesn't include older bricks in LDD. I know LDD is intended for designing models to then purchase the parts for and build, but the thing is a lot of old parts are still available on the resale market.

So, I did what any sensible person would do and downloaded the full LDraw suite... only to rediscover why I don't use LDraw. Pretty much every CAD program that uses LDraw is either broken (I might address that in a future entry) or has a very clunky interface that I can either barely use or can't use at all (if there is an LDraw program that lets me move and rotate bricks without having to constantly switch between tools, please let me know). I really don't get why software developers pay so little attention to the usability of the GUI. I'm not talking about GUI complexity, and I don't care how many widgets are on the toolbar. What I take issue with is when you're forced to use every single tool and option to do something as basic as placing something in the workspace. EAGLE, a program for making circuit schematics and PCB blueprints, doesn't force you to do this. Autodesk Inventor doesn't force you to do this. Sony Vegas doesn't force you to do this. So why do the developers of LeoCAD, MLCAD and LDCAD think it's ok to force the user to go through the entire interface in order to get anything done?

My bottom line is that there isn't a LEGO design program that can really be considered a viable option, at least for me. I'm sure that other people can relate.

  • Ben24x7 and le717
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Arthuriel

Yeah, I can relate to this issue.

(A LEGO design program (LDCAD), that I never heard of? Maybe I try that to finish my L.M.S. Explorer MOCs^^.)

I agree on the usability, although in my opinion LeoCAD is somewhat usable (but still no comparison to LDD), while MLCAD is, uhm, just pain (in LeoCAD you could work at least directly in a 3D window. In MLCAD: apparently not so much). About the tool switching: when it came to moving the bricks, I only used the copy and paste command, the (precise, but really slow) moving tool and the rotation tool, if I remember correctly. The camera view was more annoying: In LDD you just right click and use the movement of the mouse to reposition the camera. In LeoCAD: Nah, screw that. Let's have several options to make it a challenge.

I guess, that the only advantage is the more precise movement and rotation of a brick (like placing stuff in a barrel in an irregular pattern), but even for that you can (probably) find a workaround in LDD. (If LDD had more older parts, an option/program to make good renders and the ability to support bigger models etc. (maybe 64-bit could help), other programs would become quite useless^^).

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le717

Bricksmith is no better.

Neither is the pay-for SR3D Builder. I totally relate with you, Phoenyx, and I would be interested ing your reasons why all of the editors are broken. I do not understand either why the developers have to do it so weirdly.

EDIT: The IP.Board v4 editor is horrible on mobile. :/

Edited by le717
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Phoenyx

Phoenyx 193

Posted (edited)

Yeah, I can relate to this issue.

(A LEGO design program (LDCAD), that I never heard of? Maybe I try that to finish my L.M.S. Explorer MOCs^^.)

I agree on the usability, although in my opinion LeoCAD is somewhat usable (but still no comparison to LDD), while MLCAD is, uhm, just pain (in LeoCAD you could work at least directly in a 3D window. In MLCAD: apparently not so much). About the tool switching: when it came to moving the bricks, I only used the copy and paste command, the (precise, but really slow) moving tool and the rotation tool, if I remember correctly. The camera view was more annoying: In LDD you just right click and use the movement of the mouse to reposition the camera. In LeoCAD: Nah, screw that. Let's have several options to make it a challenge.

I guess, that the only advantage is the more precise movement and rotation of a brick (like placing stuff in a barrel in an irregular pattern), but even for that you can (probably) find a workaround in LDD. (If LDD had more older parts, an option/program to make good renders and the ability to support bigger models etc. (maybe 64-bit could help), other programs would become quite useless^^).

LDCAD is one of the programs that comes with the LDraw automatic installer. Its interface is easy to get started with (you can actually click and drag bricks) but incredibly ugly and not that easy to navigate.

As for working around part rotation, you can use the hinge tool and a 1x1 round plate to get around the 90 degree lock.

I may try starting the build in LDD and then switching to LDCAD for finishing work. Most of the parts needed for this project that LDD doesn't have are large external plates and slopes, particularly the 14x14 quarter saucer.

Bricksmith is no better.

Neither is the pay-for SR3D Builder.I totally relate with you, Phoenyx, and I would be interested ing your reasons why all of the editors are broken. I do not understand either why the developers have to do it so weirdly.

Actually, SR3D is one of the programs that won't even work for me. It keeps giving me a syntax error message on load. The other one is LDGlite (I honestly don't even know what that program does), which loads a blank window. When you click on it, it crashes.

Edited by Phoenyx
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