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+--- Thread: Complex Figures (Duplo/Technic/Fabuland) (/thread-29363.html)
Complex Figures (Duplo/Technic/Fabuland) - Chris Böhnke - 2026-02-01
I came across this while trying to look for colour errors in the Fabuland Figures.
How shall complex figures be handled in the library?
Note that this is not something exclusive to a much older age, since the Duplo figures are still current. Also I am aware that many examples have not yet been done (and are unlikely to appear soon), but we do have examples already.
To explain what I mean with "complex figure", here's a (probably incomplete) list:
-in general, not meant to be disassembled; more than 5 (?) subparts
-Fabuland figures (1979-1989; including those 1986 Basic odd ones)
-Technic figures (1986-2000)
-Duplo Figures (2004-now)
-Duplo Figures (1983-2003)
-Belville, Scala etc.
Technically, these are "assemblies" yet not "true shortcuts", since they come as one single piece outside a sealed box.
A few issues here:
- File Number - usually this should be the Element Number, but not all of the older ones are known. The xxc0y format likely shouldnt apply here
- Base Colour - which to pick? This is often not that easy to determine, since some have every part coloured differently and an "official" version is not known
- Assemblies not always the same - Duplo hats/Fabuland heads - should these get the same "Shortcut Link", so you see all Duplo figures listed there?
- Some Fabuland figures are currently listed as "Physical Colour Shortcut" which feels wrong
- A few issues with the Duplo figures seem present as well
Any thoughts on this?
RE: Complex Figures (Duplo/Technic/Fabuland) - Rene Rechthaler - 2026-02-01
What about the simple 2x2 square duplo figs?
https://rebrickable.com/parts/dupfig0009pr0002/duplo-2-x-2-x-2-figure-brick-early-short-spiky-hair-red-nose-freckles-print/
https://rebrickable.com/parts/2327c01pr0001/duplo-2-x-2-x-2-figure-brick-spiky-bangs-black-hair-striped-overalls-big-eyes-freckles-on-nose-print/
are these parallel to the normal figs? how are the normal figs separated? (early/late or Type1/Type2?)
There is now exactly 1 Technic fig assembly (uncolored/unprinted): https://library.ldraw.org/parts/2971
should we also include the "most common" figs which can be done from the existing parts?
https://rebrickable.com/parts/2698c01pr0003/technic-figure-white-legs-white-top-with-red-stripes-print-blue-arms-skier/
https://rebrickable.com/parts/2698c01pr0011/technic-figure-blue-legs-red-top-with-zip-blue-arms-black-hair/
https://rebrickable.com/parts/2698c01pr0028/technic-figure-red-legs-red-top-with-black-print-black-arms-brown-hair/
For the coloring, I would set the torso as base color (like the minifig torso shortcuts)
RE: Complex Figures (Duplo/Technic/Fabuland) - Magnus Forsberg - 2026-02-01
(2026-02-01, 0:20)Chris Böhnke Wrote: Any thoughts on this?
We made all the Fabuland figures because it was fun to have a complete set of the all characters, but when we started adding the Friends characters it pretty soon became impossible to keep up with all the releases of figures/clothes/pattern.
This burst of complete figures lead to the decision to stop making complete figures and eventually abandon all the physical coloured parts.
However, it is still possible to make one complete shortcut, only using the uncoloured base parts. See it as a template.
Inline it, to add the prefered patterns, and reshape it into the position you want.
RE: Complex Figures (Duplo/Technic/Fabuland) - Hageta - 2026-02-01
Maybe a meta command for remapping colours could help in some cases. Instead of creating a new file everytime you need a new colour combo, you could have a command that remaps colours. But this could get complicated if you allow nesting.
RE: Complex Figures (Duplo/Technic/Fabuland) - Orion Pobursky - 2026-02-01
(2026-02-01, 13:59)Hageta Wrote: Maybe a meta command for remapping colours could help in some cases. Instead of creating a new file everytime you need a new colour combo, you could have a command that remaps colours. But this could get complicated if you allow nesting.
While new commands seem tempting, they are effectively useless unless the major LDraw editors (including Studio) supported. Getting the Studio team to do anything community minded (even officially communicating with the community) is effectively impossible
RE: Complex Figures (Duplo/Technic/Fabuland) - Chris Böhnke - 2026-02-01
(2026-02-01, 13:45)Magnus Forsberg Wrote: We made all the Fabuland figures because it was fun to have a complete set of the all characters, but when we started adding the Friends characters it pretty soon became impossible to keep up with all the releases of figures/clothes/pattern.
This burst of complete figures lead to the decision to stop making complete figures and eventually abandon all the physical coloured parts.
However, it is still possible to make one complete shortcut, only using the uncoloured base parts. See it as a template.
Inline it, to add the prefered patterns, and reshape it into the position you want.
We are still adding Torso/Leg shortcuts for Friends figures.
A complete Friends figure (Legs+Torso+Head+Hairpiece) is something different than the Fabuland Figures IMO. A complete Friends figure is more akin to a complete (regular) Minifigure, which I would call a "sub-build" rather than an "Assembly". An Assembly is something that gets pre-assembled in the factory.
"Shortcuts" (in the more narrow concept) fall in-between as more of a convenience thing. Yet I don't think Fabuland/Technic/Duplo figures fall in that category either (except Technic figures with helmet, but that's a different topic).
@Rene:
Not counting in animals, large scale and special stuff like Little Forest Friends, Winnie the Pooh (1999) and Little Robots, there are 4 Main Types of Duplo figures:
Block Figures 1 (1977-1990): 2x2 Base, usually White heads with Stud on top. 3 Pieces.
Block Figures 2 (1991-2000): 2x2 Base, flatter than previous one, Yellow Heads, no Stud on Top. 3 Pieces.
Regular Figures 1 (1983-2003): Movable Limbs, mostly Nougat Heads, 9 Pieces. 2 different types of children exist.
Regular Figures 2 (2004-now): Movable Limbs, dual-molded (?) Hands. I think the only type currently in the library.
I didn't include the Block Figures yet because I thought they are simple enough to not cause issues, but they're probably the same. There are those "Finger Puppet" Figures from Basic 1981-1992 too, which work basically the same.
I would agree on picking the Torso colour as the "neutral" one.
RE: Complex Figures (Duplo/Technic/Fabuland) - Chris Böhnke - 2026-02-17
This is actually what I had in mind:
- includes the (up to 27) different combinations, for easier download and quicker implementation into models. It also would allow to use the "correct" external references, since other sites don't split these apart (unlike Minifigs/Minidolls!)
- Using correct Lego Assembly ID, should make it also easier to browse all the figures in the library from the Pattern link
- changed the T-pose to a more natural and "compact" default position. I know it's common for 3D models to have this, but I think in an LDraw use-case, this is more desirable. It also is more in line with the way these figures were originally packaged and displayed in instruction callouts.
- changed origin from bottom of the torso (which is obscured in the assembly anyways) to top of the feet (so it acts like a tile/plate would, which these are a bit similar to). Yet again I think this is more practical for use