Answers.Body: <p><em>Not exactly an answer to the question, more an answer to the tile of the question:</em></p>
  
  <p>For a much more lightweight alternative, check out the new LEGO designer from google.
  <a href="http://www.buildwithchrome.com/" rel="nofollow" title="Build With Chrome">http://www.buildwithchrome.com/</a></p>
  
  <p>It only works in <a href="http://www.google.com/chrome%E2%80%8E" rel="nofollow" title="Download Chrome">Goolge's Chrome browser</a> as it is essentially an experiment to show off Chrome's WebGL capabilities. </p>
  
  <p>There is no download as it is completely browser based and it also gives you an easy way to share your builds with other users and view builds for other users around the world.
  Using location tagging you can actually place your build on a specific area of a google map and see your creation rendered in 3D in place.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2020-03-04T11:45:38.587Z
Answers.Text: As of March 2019 the site is closed.
Answers.UserDisplayName: dosenfant
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-03-01T09:15:59.333Z
Answers.Text: As of Jan 30th, 2017, http://www.buildwithchrome.com/ no longer allows addition of new buildings - it is essentially read-only now.
Answers.UserDisplayName: samfu_1
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-01-28T18:39:49.527Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-01-28T18:48:24.393Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2014-01-28T18:48:24.393Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: mcqwerty
Answers.Body: <p>There is also another solution called <a href="http://www.mecabricks.com/en/gallery/" rel="nofollow">Mecabricks</a> which is online based and works with WebGL. Therefore, you only need a browser to start building or check the 3D models already published by the other builders. However it is not compatible with LDD or Ldraw and part library is different and doesn't include as much parts as the others yet.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-02-27T11:01:38.427Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2013-02-27T11:01:38.427Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Scrubs
Answers.Body: <p>SR 3D builder is another good alternative I like to use, it uses the Ldraw parts library, but has a more intuitive connection system than MLCad, without the connection restrictions LDD has. </p>
  
  <p>I don't know that SR 3D builder supports mac, but I believe it fits your other requirements nicely.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-02-27T02:12:16.440Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2013-02-27T02:12:16.440Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Havoc8154
Answers.Body: <p>There are several editors which are based on the open <a href="http://www.ldraw.org/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">LDraw part database</a>.</p>
  
  <p>I believe that the most popular are <a href="http://mlcad.lm-software.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MLCAD</a> and <a href="http://www.leocad.org" rel="nofollow noreferrer">LeoCAD</a>. I personally use LDD, so I can't speak to the quality of the instruction generation from these tools, but they do at least offer the ability to create instructions.</p>
  
  <p>LeoCAD is probably your best bet for doing animations, and it is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.</p>
  
  <p>BrickLink has recently released <a href="http://stud.io" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Stud.io</a> in open beta, and it appears to combine the best of LDD and LDraw - it works with the LDraw part database but will import LDD models and offers a similar interface to LDD as well as collaboration and integration with the BrickLink shops for purchasing the elements for your models.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-01-30T12:43:59.697Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-10-29T12:29:12.993Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2017-10-29T12:29:12.993Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: jncraton
Body: <p>I am been using LDD (LEGO Digital Designer) for my latest NXT project and noticed a major delay in building and making instructions for my Projects (My Mindstorm projects contain well over 500 pieces) and the instructions look all weird for my big projects. And LDD is discontinued so I doubt LEGO will make an EV3 update. </p>
  
  <p>I am curious if you guys know any paid or free software that allows you to make projects for LEGO (Mindstorm). I am looking for something fast, (optional) that will work for Mac and PC, have animation to present my projects, and finally make instructions for my projects.</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2013-01-30T13:21:41.307Z
Comments.Text: This is probably a duplicate of [Good LEGO CAD Design Software with Technic elements and animation](http://bricks.stackexchange.com/q/1409/56)
Comments.UserDisplayName: Zhaph - Ben Duguid
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2013-02-03T14:26:32.000Z
Comments.Text: _"And LDD is discontinued so I doubt Lego will make an EV3 update."_ The [DESIGN byME service](http://ldd.lego.com/en-us/subpages/designbyme/) was discontinued January 2012, but I believe Lego Digital Designer is still being supported.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Ambo100
Tags: <technic><mindstorms><software><ldd>
Title: LEGO Digital Designer Alternatives
UserDisplayName: iProgrammed
ThreadText: # LEGO Digital Designer Alternatives
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2013-01-29)
  
  I am been using LDD (LEGO Digital Designer) for my latest NXT project and noticed a major delay in building and making instructions for my Projects (My Mindstorm projects contain well over 500 pieces) and the instructions look all weird for my big projects. And LDD is discontinued so I doubt LEGO will make an EV3 update.
  
  I am curious if you guys know any paid or free software that allows you to make projects for LEGO (Mindstorm). I am looking for something fast, (optional) that will work for Mac and PC, have animation to present my projects, and finally make instructions for my projects.
  
  **Tags:** technic, mindstorms, software, ldd
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: This is probably a duplicate of [Good LEGO CAD Design Software with Technic elements and animation](http://bricks.stackexchange.com/q/1409/56)  
  > **username_2**: _"And LDD is discontinued so I doubt Lego will make an EV3 update."_ The [DESIGN byME service](http://ldd.lego.com/en-us/subpages/designbyme/) was discontinued January 2012, but I believe Lego Digital Designer is still being supported.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 4 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_8 on 2013-01-30. Score: 12 | Accepted answer
  
  There are several editors which are based on the open [LDraw part database](http://www.ldraw.org/).
  
  I believe that the most popular are [MLCAD](http://mlcad.lm-software.com/) and [LeoCAD](http://www.leocad.org). I personally use LDD, so I can't speak to the quality of the instruction generation from these tools, but they do at least offer the ability to create instructions.
  
  LeoCAD is probably your best bet for doing animations, and it is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
  
  BrickLink has recently released [Stud.io](http://stud.io) in open beta, and it appears to combine the best of LDD and LDraw - it works with the LDraw part database but will import LDD models and offers a similar interface to LDD as well as collaboration and integration with the BrickLink shops for purchasing the elements for your models.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2014-01-28. Score: 3
  
  *Not exactly an answer to the question, more an answer to the tile of the question:*
  
  For a much more lightweight alternative, check out the new LEGO designer from google.
  [http://www.buildwithchrome.com/](http://www.buildwithchrome.com/ "Build With Chrome")
  
  It only works in [Goolge's Chrome browser](http://www.google.com/chrome%E2%80%8E "Download Chrome") as it is essentially an experiment to show off Chrome's WebGL capabilities.
  
  There is no download as it is completely browser based and it also gives you an easy way to share your builds with other users and view builds for other users around the world.
  Using location tagging you can actually place your build on a specific area of a google map and see your creation rendered in 3D in place.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_5**: As of Jan 30th, 2017, http://www.buildwithchrome.com/ no longer allows addition of new buildings - it is essentially read-only now.  
  > **username_4**: As of March 2019 the site is closed.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_6 on 2013-02-27. Score: 1
  
  There is also another solution called [Mecabricks](http://www.mecabricks.com/en/gallery/) which is online based and works with WebGL. Therefore, you only need a browser to start building or check the 3D models already published by the other builders. However it is not compatible with LDD or Ldraw and part library is different and doesn't include as much parts as the others yet.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_7 on 2013-02-27. Score: 1
  
  SR 3D builder is another good alternative I like to use, it uses the Ldraw parts library, but has a more intuitive connection system than MLCad, without the connection restrictions LDD has.
  
  I don't know that SR 3D builder supports mac, but I believe it fits your other requirements nicely.
  
  
  ---
  
  