Here's a few suggestions I have for the Workshop, specifically.
- A method to temporarily cut away a section of the model, to more easily access the inside
- An instruction builder, something like Lego Digital Designer or a number of the other 3D modeling programs
- More robust part search. Reference the part number that includes the color to the basic part number already listed. This would be especially useful so that you can search the number in an instruction manual instead of having to go to bricklink, then back to mecabricks. This gets tedious.
- Undo functionality, like CTRL+Z
- It may be beneficial to rework some of the shortcuts to bring them more in line with the shortcuts of major modeling software like Inventor or AutoCAD
- Mirror functionality
- Easy decal/sticker creator, for those bricks that have stickers stuck to them. The bricks that have printed graphics, should indeed be their own brick, but those with stickers should have a way to slap the sticker on and snap to a certain surface of the model.
- In the same token, it would be cool to be able to generate the graphics, brick graphics or stickers, so that someone can print them out and build the model
- Malleable strings/chains/ropes/tubes. It goes without saying, this is a much needed function or else the parts library will be filled with 6-100th generation copies of virtually the same parts. LDD even has it. It would also promote using those elements to make your own designs, and could prove interesting. It should be simple to create 5-10 moveable nodes on each part. You could even introduce a gravitation element so that strings and chains fall as they should.
- Updates to part snapping. I had the most trouble with parts that had holes and I needed things to line up. A shortcut could be introduced to activate "advanced" snapping mode, where each part would have even more snapping nodes, just so that it doesn't get in the way of builds that should remain simple.
- A "parts bucket". Basically, this would be a way that you could select all the pieces you need, to include colors right away, and put them in sort of a tab, that could later be selected and placed. This would be extremely helpfully in finding out what pieces still need to be modeled before publishing. If you had instructions for a set, you would go through and place them in your bucket, find what you're missing, model them, etc... Your bucket is saved when you exit the workshop, so that you can add parts to it. This may also be a good place to be able to pull the parts listing from. It may take some load off the code that extracts that data.
- Orthographic, non-projected view option. When clicking on front, back, right side, etc... it give you a perspective view depending on where center is. A non projected view would be great.
- An official parts/colors section, maybe a tab
- All other/custom parts/colors section, maybe a tab
- A click and drag/snap feature, like LDD
- Addition of "specific to color" part numbers on parts list
- A PDF download option. This could include instructions, but mainly because who uses CSV 😃 unless you code. User friendly would be nice though.
That's a good idea Cole_Blaq!
I'd love that as well. 😃
Nice idea!
Hi Scrubs
Firstly great website works amazingly! You briefly mentioned it before in one of the posts and I understand that it would be really difficult but I think the idea of being able to place a sticker/custom sticker over multiple parts would be a great addition, that could add some custom realism to models. I'm not sure how easy it is but I was thinking something similar to the label function in Keyshot if you're familiar with it. I've tried using blender and setting up planes but I just think it would be easier from a user perspective to do before importing to blender. I understand this is quite a low priority option but worth a suggestion.
Cheers,
Johnny
Hello. For official stickers across multiple parts, the current solution is to create a mesh with the shape of the sticker itself. There is a "Sticker" category in the part library. Technically it would be complicated but feasible to have a deformable mesh but what I don't want to do is to store new meshes when the model is saved. I can't afford that in terms of storage space. This means stickers have to be parametric. This is where it gets complicated.
Recently I was building one of my creations, and I noticed that the piece count was SUPER high, after further investigation I realized that I had accidentally duplicated the walls of my house, but hadn't moved the duplication, so my duplication was buried inside other bricks. If you could fix that so that it tells you if you have pieces inside of each other that would be a huge help, and make building in MECABRICKS more realistic.
(p.s: Great job on MECABRICKS so far, keep up the good work!)
@Jimmy_Bob, There is a already a function to remove doubles. In the "Selection Tools (W)", the arrow icon in the left bar, you can choose "Doubles" and it will select all doubles in your model and then you can just press delete key to delete all and there is only one part left where you had doubles.
Hi all, I came up with an addition to the parts catalogue. How about square tiles with MB logo engraved into them? 1x1, 2x2 and 6x6 tiles, that is.
If this goes against the IP policy or the general philosophy then please disregard my suggestion. Thanks!
Hi,
I was just wondering, do you think it would be possible to add a stretch function to tyre parts for example. So maybe in the part tab where it has the details to do with transformation and colour, there could be a scale button. This would make it possible to stretch tyres over other tyres similar to techniques people use a lot. The scale function could be limited to just use on tyres though, similar to how the bend tool only works on specific parts.
Cheers,
Johnny
Hello,
It would require a good amount of work to make that work but it is something I didn't really think about before. I cannot say that it is on the top of the list right now, but this is for sure something to keep in mind.
I know you are currently overhauling the flexible part function so here goes:
A snap feature for the control nodes. Because the spine is visible through all parts, it tends to be difficult to figure out where exaclty and endpoint is, especially when I'm trying to connect a hose between two points.
Thank you so much for this wonderful website, keep up the amazing work!
@OrionBrick It is planned to be able to snap end points. Besides, I hope to be able to display the new geometry live or almost live without getting out of the flexible mode.
I would like there to be a simple "order now" button. I can't convert the files.
It may actually come soon... Stay tuned.
k thnx
You should make a shortcut that allows us to replace one piece with another. (as a normal part for one with decals)
Just a suggestion. (-;
Hi I have a suggestion for the workshop: i think you should be able to animate your build
my main suggestion (that is actually novel and not something already being worked on) would be a way to search prints/stickers by brick color- ie, 'show all black parts with prints/stickers' - this would make it easier to decorate MOCs with specific color themes.
... a way to make transparent parts glow in renders without a bajillon lights and the hours and hours of setup that needs would also be nice. a 'blacklight' setting for the stuff that glows under that (TRANS NEON ORRRNGGE~) would also be cool.
Hello!
It would be neat to be able to apply more advanced custom settings to the view options in the workshop, specifically to change the color of boundaries/outlines for specific colors of parts.
(For example, so you could set black/other dark colors to have white outlines to make them easier to see.)
It's exciting seeing all the recent changes! Cheers!
@Mechworks, If you use Mecabricks renderfarm you can make transparent parts "glow" by choosing the transparent material you want to edit under Lightning tab, and then check "Volume Emission" and play around with the Strength Value. Note that all parts with the same material will "glow".
If you want only separate parts to glow I guess you'll have to use Blender or any other renderprogram.
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