LEGO Digital Designer: Difference between revisions

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| title = LEGO Digital Designer
| title = LEGO Digital Designer
| logo = LEGO Digital Designer icon.png
| logo = LEGO Digital Designer icon.png
| logo caption =  
| logo caption = Logo since version 2.0
| logo alt = A 3D render of a blue 2×2 LEGO brick
| logo alt = A 3D render of a blue 2×2 LEGO brick
| logo upright = 0.5
| logo upright = 0.5
| logo size =
| logo size =  
| collapsible = <!-- Any text here will collapse the screenshot. -->
| collapsible = <!-- Any text here will collapse the screenshot. -->
| screenshot = <!-- File name without 'File:' -->
| screenshot = LEGO Digital Designer 4.3.11 in Windows 10 (example pizzeria model).png
| screenshot upright =
| screenshot upright =
| screenshot size =
| screenshot size =  
| screenshot alt =  
| screenshot alt = A screenshot of a program running in Windows 10 displaying a LEGO model. The model features a large white and red building intended to represent a pizzeria, and a number of minifigures and vehicles are dynamically posed around the model.
| caption =  
| caption = Screenshot showing a model built in version 4.3.11's extended mode
| other_names =
| other_names =
| author =  
| author =  
| developer = {{ubl|[[Qube Software]] (1.x)|LEGO System A/S (2.x–4.x)}}
| developer = {{ubl|[[Qube Software]] (1.x)|LEGO System A/S (2.x–4.x)}}
| released = {{Start date and age|2003|07|24|df=yes}}<ref name="Qubesoft July 03"/>
| released = {{Start date and age|2003|07|24|df=yes}}<ref name="Qubesoft July 2003"/>
| ver layout = <!-- simple (default) or stacked -->
| ver layout = stacked
| discontinued = yes
| discontinued = yes
| latest release version = 4.3.12
| latest release version = {{Multiple releases
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2019|07|30|df=yes}}<ref name="LDD 4_3_12 exe"/>
  | branch1  = Windows
  | version1 = 4.3.12
  | date1    = {{Start date and age|2019|07|30|df=yes}}<ref name="LDD setup PC 4_3_12"/>
  | branch2  = macOS
  | version2 = 4.3.11
  | date2    = {{Start date|2017|12|12|df=yes}}<ref name="LDD setup Mac 4_3_11"/>
}}
| latest release date =
| programming language =  
| programming language =  
| middleware =
| middleware =
Line 32: Line 39:
| standard =  
| standard =  
| language = English, German
| language = English, German
| language count = <!-- Number only -->
| language footnote =  
| language footnote =  
| genre = [[Wikipedia:Computer-aided design|Computer-aided design]]
| genre = [[Wikipedia:Computer-aided design|Computer-aided design]]
| license = <!-- or |licence= -->
| license = [[Wikipedia:Proprietary software|Closed source]] ([[Wikipedia:Freeware|Freeware]])
| website = {{URL|http://web.archive.org/web/20130403211318/http://ldd.lego.com/|ldd.lego.com}}
| website = {{URL|http://web.archive.org/web/20130403211318/http://ldd.lego.com/|ldd.lego.com}}
}}
}}


'''LEGO Digital Designer''' is a discontinued program for designing LEGO models.
'''LEGO Digital Designer''' is a discontinued [[Wikipedia:Computer-aided design|computer-aided design]] (CAD) [[Wikipedia:Application software|application]] for LEGO models. It can create and edit [[LEGO Exchange Format]] <code>.lxf</code> files. The original version was developed by [[Qube Software]] and released in July 2003.{{efn|The LEGO Group has at several points claimed LEGO Digital Designer was released in 2004, including in their 2022 announcement of its discontinuation and in episodes 5 and 43 of the podcast ''[[Bits N' Bricks]]''; episode 47 of ''Bits N' Bricks'' accurately reported its release as being in July 2003.}} In 2006 the LEGO Group moved development of LDD to an internal team. Version 2 released in early 2007 and featured a new engine and interface. In 2016 the LEGO Group announced that LDD was being defunded, though it continued receiving occasional updates into 2019. LDD was officially discontinued at the end of January 2022 in favour of BrickLink Studio.


== Features ==
== Features ==
[[File:LEGO Digital Designer 2.3.15 in Windows XP (starter models).png|thumb|left|Several of the starter models in version 2.3.15]]


== History ==
== History ==
During the development of ''[[Creator: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]'', work began on Project Arena.{{R|Bits N' Bricks 43|pp=15-16}}
Previous attempts at LEGO building software in the wake of [[SPU-Darwin]] had included the three ''LEGO Creator'' titles by [[Superscape]] and the 1997 [[Dacta]] software [[LEGO CAD]].<ref name="lugnet.cad 9808"/>
LDD was announced in April 2003 and released in July.
LDD was announced in April 2003 and released in July.
{{R|Bits N' Bricks 43|p=15}}


LDD was announced by [[LEGO Direct]]'s Jake McKee on 29 April 2003.<ref name="lugnet.cad 9808"/>
LDD was announced by [[LEGO Direct]]'s Jake McKee on 29 April 2003.<ref name="lugnet.cad 9808"/>
=== Later ===
Version 3.0, released in Novemver 2009, dropped support for [[Wikipedia:Power Macintosh|Power Macs]]:{{efn|In 2005 [[Wikipedia:Apple Inc.|Apple]] announced that its [[Wikipedia:Mac (computer)|Mac computers]] would switch from [[Wikipedia:PowerPC|PowerPC]] processors, which they had used since 1994, to [[Wikipedia:Intel|Intel]] [[Wikipedia:x86-64|x86-64]] processors. The switch happened between January 2006 and October 2007. See [[Wikipedia:Mac transition to Intel processors|Mac transition to Intel processors]] at Wikipedia for more information.}} a "special version" that retained [[Wikipedia:PowerPC|PowerPC]] support, 2.3.20, was released alongside 3.0.<ref name="LDD download 3.0"/>
== Notes ==
{{notelist}}


== References ==
== References ==
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<ref name="Bits N' Bricks 43">{{cite web |url=https://www.lego.com/cdn/cs/set/assets/blte53dbf634332aa73/bits_n_bricks_s04e43_feature_and_transcript.pdf |title=Episode 43 – The LEGO Game That Unlocked True Digital Creation |last1=Crecente |first1=Brian |last2=Vincent |first2=Ethan |others=Participants: Servan Keondjian, Ronny Scherer, and Rob Smith |date=8 December 2021 |work=[[Bits N' Bricks]] |type=Podcast |publisher=The LEGO Group |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20231024000231/https://www.lego.com/cdn/cs/set/assets/blte53dbf634332aa73/bits_n_bricks_s04e43_feature_and_transcript.pdf |archive-date=24 October 2023 |url-status=live }} [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W92a0b_quU Audio version] via YouTube.</ref>
<ref name="Bits N' Bricks 43">{{cite web |url=https://www.lego.com/cdn/cs/set/assets/blte53dbf634332aa73/bits_n_bricks_s04e43_feature_and_transcript.pdf |title=Episode 43 – The LEGO Game That Unlocked True Digital Creation |last1=Crecente |first1=Brian |last2=Vincent |first2=Ethan |others=Participants: Servan Keondjian, Ronny Scherer, and Rob Smith |date=8 December 2021 |work=[[Bits N' Bricks]] |type=Podcast |publisher=The LEGO Group |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20231024000231/https://www.lego.com/cdn/cs/set/assets/blte53dbf634332aa73/bits_n_bricks_s04e43_feature_and_transcript.pdf |archive-date=24 October 2023 |url-status=live }} [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W92a0b_quU Audio version] via YouTube.</ref>


<ref name="LDD 4_3_12 exe">{{cite web |url=https://www.lego.com/assets/franchisesites/ldd/installer/setupldd-pc-4_3_12.exe |title=setupldd-pc-4_3_12.exe |type=[[Wikipedia:.exe|Executable file]] |date=30 July 2019 |website=[[LEGO.com]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20190910194731/https://www.lego.com/assets/franchisesites/ldd/installer/setupldd-pc-4_3_12.exe |archive-date=10 September 2019 |at=File date (obtained via [[Wikipedia:wget|wget]])}}</ref>
<ref name="LDD setup Mac 4_3_11">{{cite web |url=http://lc-www-live-s.legocdn.com/downloads/ldd2.0/installer/SetupLDD-MAC-4_3_11.zip |title=SetupLDD-MAC-4_3_11.zip |type=[[Wikipedia:ZIP (file format)|ZIP file]] |date=12 December 2017 |website=[[LEGO.com]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20180824002701/https://lc-www-live-s.legocdn.com/downloads/ldd2.0/installer/SetupLDD-MAC-4_3_11.zip |archive-date=24 August 2018 |at=File date (obtained via [[Wikipedia:wget|wget]])}}</ref>
 
<ref name="LDD setup PC 4_3_12">{{cite web |url=https://www.lego.com/assets/franchisesites/ldd/installer/setupldd-pc-4_3_12.exe |title=setupldd-pc-4_3_12.exe |type=[[Wikipedia:.exe|Executable file]] |date=30 July 2019 |website=[[LEGO.com]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20190910194731/https://www.lego.com/assets/franchisesites/ldd/installer/setupldd-pc-4_3_12.exe |archive-date=10 September 2019 |at=File date (obtained via [[Wikipedia:wget|wget]])}}</ref>


<ref name="LDD download 3.0">{{cite web |url=http://ldd.lego.com:80/download/default.aspx |title=LEGO Digital Designer: Download |website=[[LEGO.com]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20091126125410/http://ldd.lego.com:80/download/default.aspx |archive-date=26 November 2009}}</ref>
<ref name="LDD download 3.0">{{cite web |url=http://ldd.lego.com:80/download/default.aspx |title=LEGO Digital Designer: Download |website=[[LEGO.com]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20091126125410/http://ldd.lego.com:80/download/default.aspx |archive-date=26 November 2009}}</ref>
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<!-- Qube -->
<!-- Qube -->


<ref name="Qubesoft July 03">{{cite web |url=http://qubesoft.com |title=News |website=Qube Software |date=24 July 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030731150050/http://qubesoft.com/ |archive-date=31 July 2003 |quote=24-Jul-2003 – LEGO Digital Designer ships!}}</ref>
<ref name="Qubesoft July 2003">{{cite web |url=http://qubesoft.com |title=News |website=Qube Software |date=24 July 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030731150050/http://qubesoft.com/ |archive-date=31 July 2003 |quote=24-Jul-2003 – LEGO Digital Designer ships!}}</ref>
}}
}}


Latest revision as of 02:41, 12 March 2025

LEGO Digital Designer
Developer(s)
Initial release24 July 2003; 21 years ago (2003-07-24)[1]
Final release(s)
Windows4.3.12 / 30 July 2019; 5 years ago (2019-07-30)[2]
macOS4.3.11 / 12 December 2017 (2017-12-12)[3]
Operating systemWindows, Mac OS X
Platform
SuccessorBrickLink Studio
Available inEnglish, German
TypeComputer-aided design
LicenseClosed source (Freeware)
Websiteldd.lego.com

LEGO Digital Designer is a discontinued computer-aided design (CAD) application for LEGO models. It can create and edit LEGO Exchange Format .lxf files. The original version was developed by Qube Software and released in July 2003.[note 1] In 2006 the LEGO Group moved development of LDD to an internal team. Version 2 released in early 2007 and featured a new engine and interface. In 2016 the LEGO Group announced that LDD was being defunded, though it continued receiving occasional updates into 2019. LDD was officially discontinued at the end of January 2022 in favour of BrickLink Studio.

Features

Several of the starter models in version 2.3.15

History

During the development of Creator: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, work began on Project Arena.[5]: 15–16  Previous attempts at LEGO building software in the wake of SPU-Darwin had included the three LEGO Creator titles by Superscape and the 1997 Dacta software LEGO CAD.[6]

LDD was announced in April 2003 and released in July.

LDD was announced by LEGO Direct's Jake McKee on 29 April 2003.[6]

Later

Version 3.0, released in Novemver 2009, dropped support for Power Macs:[note 2] a "special version" that retained PowerPC support, 2.3.20, was released alongside 3.0.[4]

Notes

  1. ↑ The LEGO Group has at several points claimed LEGO Digital Designer was released in 2004, including in their 2022 announcement of its discontinuation and in episodes 5 and 43 of the podcast Bits N' Bricks; episode 47 of Bits N' Bricks accurately reported its release as being in July 2003.
  2. ↑ In 2005 Apple announced that its Mac computers would switch from PowerPC processors, which they had used since 1994, to Intel x86-64 processors. The switch happened between January 2006 and October 2007. See Mac transition to Intel processors at Wikipedia for more information.

References

  1. ↑ "News". Qube Software. 24 July 2003. Archived from the original on 31 July 2003. 24-Jul-2003 – LEGO Digital Designer ships!
  2. ↑ "setupldd-pc-4_3_12.exe". LEGO.com (Executable file). 30 July 2019. File date (obtained via wget). Archived from the original on 10 September 2019.
  3. ↑ "SetupLDD-MAC-4_3_11.zip". LEGO.com (ZIP file). 12 December 2017. File date (obtained via wget). Archived from the original on 24 August 2018.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "LEGO Digital Designer: Download". LEGO.com. Archived from the original on 26 November 2009.
  5. ↑ Crecente, Brian; Vincent, Ethan (8 December 2021). "Episode 43 – The LEGO Game That Unlocked True Digital Creation" (PDF). Bits N' Bricks (Podcast). Participants: Servan Keondjian, Ronny Scherer, and Rob Smith. The LEGO Group. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 October 2023. Audio version via YouTube.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 McKee, Jake (29 April 2003). "Announcing LEGO Digital Designer 1.0". LUGNET. Newsgroup: lugnet.cad. Archived from the original on 8 March 2025.

External links

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