I started a thread on the Blender forums about how to create roads that follow the shape of a spline.

http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthre...s-a-spline

I'm still not sure how to get the object *back* into LDraw format. Converting the geometry should be simple as long as you can export to STL. But what about the colors? Is there a good converter that can be used that preserves the colors?

I was wondering if anyone had experimented with making parking lots for Lego cars. I am looking for some on-street parking to adapt for Datsville. Compatibility with Mike Gallagher's SNOT roads is important.

http://gallaghersart.com/gallery/view/category/roads

This is my first build - and brings my childhood memories

I used awesome editor LDcad 1.4b (still a bit rusty with it, I need lots to learn)
only official parts used,
models are simple and should be 1:1 identical

Note: I skipped the last model which should be combined with the accumulator set





Enjoy!
Chopper file is in the next reply due of to reaching max attachements.

Attached Files

  8020 - A - Van.mpd (Size: 5.33 KB / Downloads: 9)
  8020 - B - Jeep.mpd (Size: 4.45 KB / Downloads: 8)
  8020 - C - Truck.mpd (Size: 4.57 KB / Downloads: 9)
  8020 - D - Dozer.mpd (Size: 4.59 KB / Downloads: 8)
  8020 - E - Windmill.mpd (Size: 2.86 KB / Downloads: 8)

I am noticing that some of the parts I am adding to my model are mirrored so that text appears backwards. But I can't figure out how to un-mirror them in MLCad. How is this accomplished?

[updated]

I've been experimenting with terrain again for Datsville. The idea is that if the slope of the terrain is lower than a certain value, studs should be applied (currently, 1x1 plates). If the slope of the terrain is greater than that value, the mesh remains smooth and un-studded. The results are interesting, but don't look all that great. I could make better use of World Machine's terracing feature.




You can download the files here:

https://www.mediafire.com/?9j8xdyn8ex8qa94

The file "mesh_wrapper.ldr" is the one to look at in LDView.

[edit]

The project is on GitHub now.

https://github.com/mjhorvath/Datsville

And I wrote a wiki article.

https://github.com/mjhorvath/Datsville/w...ld-Machine

Still a very complicated process however.

1. Travis, could you maybe add a "Walk mode" with standard first-person shooter controls? You could maybe replace the "Fly-through" mode since it's not quite as useful.
2. The "w" key in "Fly-through" mode is way too sensitive when viewing large models. If you just tap it it jumps waaay far ahead. Could you set it to a fixed speed regardless of size, or make it adjustable? (Also see number 4.)
3. Please, please, please add an option to zoom all the way in to the center in "Examine mode".
4. Could you make it so we can adjust the camera speeds ourselves? This would sorta be like adjusting the step sizes in MLCad.

So much thanks!

[edit]

5. Allow us to plug our own camera and light positions and save them to a "Preference set".
6. An Orthographic mode.
7. Could you please add some crosshairs to the center of the screen so we know exactly where we're aiming the camera?

Can anyone think of a decorative way of attaching a vertical technic axle to a baseplate? I am using it for a street sign. The only method I could think of is a round 2x2 brick, but that is pretty ugly. I'm guessing there are other ways to do it.

I noticed LDraw hasn't have very 'official' mimetypes yet. It's only mentioned on a page from the old site:

http://www.ldraw.org/reference/specs/mimetypes.shtml

And the mpd one is different from the one the Linux version of LDView defines. This while the LDView package (I assume) is more common then the suggested Apache settings.

I think we sould therefore make the LDView ones official and maybe add one for the dat's although .dat is a very commen extension.

This gives:

ldr -> "application/x-ldraw"
mpd -> "application/x-multipart-ldraw"

Or should we go with a single mime type e.g. "text/x-ldraw" as the extension alone does not determine the nature of a LDraw file anyway. This would break the LDView packages though but I think it's the only software out there using it at the moment.

edit: Might be better to go just with "application/x-ldraw" for all extensions and 'depreciate' the "application/x-multipart-ldraw" one.

Does anyone know of any heightmap to LDraw brick converters? I know MLCad can create fractal terrain, but I could have sworn someone had written a converter at some point. Thanks.

I'm trying to create some text using txt2dat and this font:

https://github.com/sammdot/roadgeek-fonts



The characters are not curvy so there's something going wrong here. Does anyone have advice on how to get better results? Here's my command line: