Suggestions for a change of the sticker specs

[Max Martin Richter]

Hej,
as there was upcoming discussion about our sticker specs in this thread: [http://forums.ldraw.org/showthread.php?t...16581]Link to the original discussion[/url], I feel, that this topic needs an own thread. So here it is.

Here is a short summary of the content:
a) There was a discussion about conditional lines (condlines) for formed Stickers.
Actually our spec is a bit unclear about handling condlines. They are not forbidden like edges are, but it is not allowed to use colour 24 in a sticker.
Magnus Forsberg requested to change the specs in a way that condlines could be used for bent/formed stickers. Furthermore he asked for handling condlines in general:

And how about divided cond-lines along a straight ridge? A minifig head, for instance.
Many short cond-lines gives a better rendering, than one long cond-line across many vertices.

b) The second discussion was about the origin of formed stickers.

Is it ok to place a sticker so that it is easy to place it on its brick, as long as it has (Formed) at the end of the description?
Even if it is a flat sticker?

Does it make sense to have a formed sticker standalone in the library? If the sticker is formed (bent) then there is pretty much only one place where it can fit, on the part it was supposed to go. In my view a Part+ Formed Sticker combination would be enough.
Either this way or e.g. If it is a sticker is a stand-alone part, e.g. for the curved Wedge, it would make sense to have the sticker in its proper position when the co-ordinates of (the formed) sticker and the parts are the same.

If the sticker is just rotated, i.e. a sticker on a slope, the (relative) position for the part where it is supposed to go could be in the helpline. E.g. the Stickers for the 45° Slopes could then just be rotated 45° and positioned . In this case especially easy as all the center coordinates are full LDU values (0 10 -20)

About the formed versions: I would like to see, if we can find an agreement, that the formed (bent not rotated) sticker is using the base coordinates of the brick, where it will be applied. (Or a moved centre coordinate if it is not applied on brick's centre.)

c) The last fact is how we handle stickers which needs to be formed. Create just the formed version or the flat and formed verision?

I have looked at many of complete sticker sets we have in the library.
Many of them have 1 or 2 formed stickers, but no flat version of that particular sticker.
Look at 4544258 for instance. We have all the sticker needed for that set, but no flat version of the formed f and g sticker. Why?
Must there allways be a flat versions of a formed stickers?

I don't think the flat version shall be mandatory. Usually the flat version is where you (at least I) start from when designing a new one, so uploading it would not be too much of a hassle then. You then have the possibility to use it on other places as well.

About the flat stickers: I would prefer, that we have a flat version of each sticker in our library. (Who tells, that nobody wants to use such a sticker on a MOC?)

Please feel free to discuss this further.

/Max