LDRAW - Virtual Legos.

[Acid X]

Hey.. Didnt know what forum to put this in but i found this a while back and i thought it was pretty cool.

The program LDraw (ldraw.org) is basically virtual Legos.. You can build anything you can think of with an unlimited amount of parts from any set you wish... Theres probably over 6000+ parts to the program and theyre all organized and easily accessible.

If you like Legos and just cant afford to go out and buy some, then get this program and play with Legos straight on your computer. There are alot of tools to make the program easier to use, they are listed under the Download section... Theres instructions on how to install the program on the website under the download section. I use this program alot and its very easy to make Lego models.. Ive made alot myself.

What i usually use is the main LDraw program and the add-on program MLCad (available under the windows area under downloads) which is much easier to use than LEdit (the editing program that comes with the install.) You can edit your models in 3D, just like in any other CAD/3D art program.

I suggest you check it out.. I like it alot.

(Oh and heres a little something i made when i got bored.. A semi truck [Note: you can make much much more complex models than this.. this is just something simple. If you've heard of Lego Technics, you can build those in here too.])

(Oh, one more thing.. The Legos dont look like this in the program.. I used L3P to convert the model to a format that POV-Ray can read and render the high quality 3D image.. Its really not as hard as it seems.)

 

[-Fred-]

looks cool, i'm d/ling it right now...

is it really hard to understand at first?

 

[ALPHA]

That is sooo cool!

Thanks so much 4 telling me!

 

[Acid X]

Well, if you follow the install directions correctly then you'll be fine.. I suggest downloading MLCad from the downloads section. Its really simple to use, then once you get sed to it you can get further into professional building.. (Such as the smallest graph setting for getting those pieces in their perfect place.. It sure can be a pain in the ass)

If you dont understand the install directions, just do this:
1. Make a new directory on your C: drive called Lego
2. Save the install programs (2 of em, LDraw.exe and Complete.exe) to that folder.
3. Click start >> Run, type c:\lego\ldraw.exe -y
4. Once thats finished, go start >> run again and type c:\lego\complete.exe -y
5. Go to LDraw.org and get MLCad from the windows section of the download area and install..

After that, open MLCad, set everything to the correct directory and you should be on your way! It should as where the LDraw installation is and you just select c:\lego\ldraw

Not too hard..

 

[Acid X]

Originally posted by gigo
That is sooo cool!

Man Loud thanks for tellme!

Loud? ...im not LoudMusic.

 

[-Fred-]

damnit, how long will i have to overwrite .dat files after i clicked on "complete.exe"?

 

[Acid X]

Haha, you should have just did what i said with the start >> run, complete.exe -y

thing.. It would have been alot easier. Now you have to sit there hitting y for a while

 

[-Fred-]

ahh, finally. i'm up to try that out!

 

[Acid X]

Heh, dont forget to get MLcad or you dont know wtf your doing.. lol

 

[ALPHA]

SOrry I was looking at different post of louds........

 

[Acid X]

Its alright gigo.

 

[Acid X]

If you still need help and you have AIM, go ahead and send me a message.. Especially you PR

 

[ALPHA]

No problem and if your really smart you say my name like gigabyte except with then o sound........

 

[-Fred-]

hey, this is fun!

 

[Acid X]

You figured it out, PR?

 

[ALPHA]

I am still dowloading the models..............

 

[-Fred-]

yeah! i'm building a small car!

didn't figure out how to increase the size of the editing window, however...

 

[Acid X]

Screw around with stuff. Just dont kill the program.

Glad you figured it out, dude

 

[-Fred-]

i'm gonna send that to my brother, i'm sure he'll have a blast!

 

[ALPHA]

Still downloading on a 56k *yawn*

 

[Acid X]

Lol, poor you gigo..

 

[LoudMusic]

That is really freaking cool ...

~LoudMusic

 

[Acid X]

Isnt it?

Ok well hey all im off to bed.. Good luck Gigo and hopefully you can figure it out without me bieng here.. Laters all!

 

[LoudMusic]

I assume Lego (C) uses something like this to make the instruction books. The images even look like the low-quality drawings that are in the program.

~LoudMusic

 

[ALPHA]

The instructions are more like vector based images...........

 

[vat_man]

I can not wait to get home from work and try this.

I lost a VERY large part of my childhood to Lego. My Lego collection is consuming the lives of my young nephews even as I speak.

 

[ALPHA]

I need help! gt2_gs how do I render in full 3d from MLCAD in POVRay? - I tell you Vat_man do a tutorial when you learn and and you will get the hang of it!

 

[vat_man]

The actual modelling seems pretty straightforward - this'll be nice to tinker, I think.

 

[Pupik]

This looks like a neat idea!

Now why in the heck do the windows close when you download a file...darnest thing i've ever seen. Oh well, maybe I'll email them about it.

 

[LoudMusic]

Originally posted by vat_man
I can not wait to get home from work and try this.

I lost a VERY large part of my childhood to Lego. My Lego collection is consuming the lives of my young nephews even as I speak.

Well I'm a mean uncle - my nephew isn't allowed to touch my legos ... not yet anyway.

I was a big Castle Lego guy. Maybe I'll build some castle designs with this app.

~LoudMusic