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Author Topic: Designing tools  (Read 842 times)

vagel7

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Designing tools
« on: August 25, 2009, 11:52:16 am »

I'm currently designing to megaprojects and would like some programmes for help,one will be carved from a mountain with a philosophers tower on top and the other will be an underground temple.

Could somebody suggest something that would help me with these(programmes if possible)
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smjjames

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Re: Designing tools
« Reply #1 on: August 25, 2009, 11:58:23 am »

I've heard that some people use MS Paint to help.

A 3D visualization tool such as 3D Dwarf or the newer Visual Fortress can also help you see what exactly is going on. The scale seems a bit off, but you can set down landmarks (colored walls, bits of flooring...) if you're having trouble with that.

Although Visual Fortress doesn't have the models for furniture, bridges, and some other things, they are coming. The walls and floors are there.
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yaklin

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Re: Designing tools
« Reply #2 on: August 25, 2009, 11:59:27 am »

I've heard that some people use MS Paint to help.

holy shit i was just about to say that word for word
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vagel7

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Re: Designing tools
« Reply #3 on: August 25, 2009, 12:08:45 pm »

i have heard of some lego programme in which I'm able to make things out of lego blocks.

also anything in 3D is of help
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That last gobbo would stand there, missing an arm, punctured in a kidney, liver, and spleen, fading in and out of consciousness at the far end of where the drawbridge would go, and his last sight would be the drawbridge dropping down and smashing him like a bug.

God DAMN I love this game!

Kidiri

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Re: Designing tools
« Reply #4 on: August 25, 2009, 01:08:37 pm »

i have heard of some lego programme in which I'm able to make things out of lego blocks.

also anything in 3D is of help

BlockCAD. It's free too.
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Albedo

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Re: Designing tools
« Reply #5 on: August 25, 2009, 03:08:47 pm »

Only one choice: Lego Digital Designer. "Blocks" ftw.

http://ldd.lego.com/
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smjjames

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Re: Designing tools
« Reply #6 on: August 25, 2009, 04:59:08 pm »

Cool, I love legos, played with them alot when I was younger. I think the lego one would be a good one to use since each 'block'  in DF is of equal size.
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MC Dirty

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Re: Designing tools
« Reply #7 on: August 25, 2009, 05:06:44 pm »

The problem with Lego programs (as far as I know) is that a floor supported by a pillar of some sort that is much smaller than the floor would be impossible to design because it's simply not possible with Lego.
For example: You can't floor over the entire map with Lego blocks.
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Albedo

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Re: Designing tools
« Reply #8 on: August 25, 2009, 05:59:28 pm »

That's hardly "a problem" - 1 square lego = 1 tile, and you're good to go.  Design programs are for building 3-D shapes with square blocks and for color layout, not blanketing the floor.
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G-Flex

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Re: Designing tools
« Reply #9 on: August 25, 2009, 06:01:35 pm »

The thing is that if you're using a design program that only has solid blocks, you can't represent flooring. For example: A balcony overlooking stuff, or a bridge.
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Itnetlolor

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Re: Designing tools
« Reply #10 on: August 25, 2009, 06:18:43 pm »

That's hardly "a problem" - 1 square lego = 1 tile, and you're good to go.  Design programs are for building 3-D shapes with square blocks and for color layout, not blanketing the floor.
My system I used for the Bloodfist was 2 2x2 square bricks (one atop another) and a flat brick equals 1 DF block + Floor.

Only thing that bugs me about the lego method is that you can't count/coordinate as easily. If you build anything, be sure to have key points or something, otherwise construction may go awry.

MC Dirty

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Re: Designing tools
« Reply #11 on: August 25, 2009, 06:35:48 pm »

That's hardly "a problem" - 1 square lego = 1 tile, and you're good to go.  Design programs are for building 3-D shapes with square blocks and for color layout, not blanketing the floor.
I don't think you quite get my point. What if you want to build something like this:
Code: [Select]
Z-level 0
.....
.....
..|..
.....
.....

Z-level +1
|||||
|||||
|||||
|||||
|||||
with . being open space and | being a wall. That's very possible with the way DF-supporting works, but impossible with Lego blocks. Okay, maybe 5*5 works with special "floor" blocks, but what if you extend it to 9*9 or even 25*25?
I don't know exactly how those Lego-programs work, but as far as I know you can't "build" unsupported blocks because those programs are based on real Lego.
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Itnetlolor

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Re: Designing tools
« Reply #12 on: August 25, 2009, 06:40:02 pm »

Suspension is actually possible, but it's tricky.

What I usually do is I establish a height, place a really wide flat brick, and build on top/below it and then remove the support and/or flat panel. Coordinating it is the tricky part.

Neyvn

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Re: Designing tools
« Reply #13 on: August 26, 2009, 05:11:24 am »

PC Powerplay Australia (September) came out with a copy of LEGO Digital Designer on the CD, I nearly laughed my head off at the fact that I was going to download it a while back and would have taken ages to get...

If your a Aussie it also comes with a ton of Rouge Games, DF included...
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