Hello,
I am involved in the Mecarbricks development concerning the rendering features. I started a research in 2014 how to render LDRAW and LDD data in a 3d software. At present time it was not easy to get good working and looking 3D models out from LDRAW.
After the first success I started to import bigger models and got to the limits fast: complexity.
http://render.virtualrepublic.org/7130_Snowspeeder_001.jpg
http://lego.virtualrepublic.org/render/10179_Millennium_Falc...
The Millennium Falcon with over 5.192 bricks took 16 hours to import to Blender and exporting to Modo. Finally the scene was 2.5GB and hard to deal with.
The solution for that is instancing but the Blender importer did not support this. Also the actual version is not working properly.
End of 2014 I found Mecabricks, contacted the developer and I shared my research knowledge with him and gave a list of features. While I was still working with Modo Nicolas Jarraud was developing a Blender Template based on my Modo setup.
Actually Mecabricks is very powerful because the editor is great, the database is constantly growing due to the help of users. Actually MB has around 10K users growing. Nicolas is working also on a Instruction Generator. The tool supports also import of LDD data depending on the database match. Compared to LDD MB is still not complete. MB supports textures and Blender. You can plan and render your MOCs in photoreal quality out of the box. With Blender it opens a lot of possibilities for animation and game design.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC93DRZP1IjyyaWXb6PKiSbg/vid...
It's just online only. The community is a mix of kids, teenager and AFOLs. Also the designer saabfan of the Saturn V rocket is part of the community.
Here's a great example for the power of MB. Gabriele Zannotti is a young graphic designer who started with Blender and 3D in 2014 inspired by my first renderings. He's a great talent and used MB to promote this LEGO Ideas project:
https://ideas.lego.com/projects/ca5c345e-bdae-4c3c-bc4b-05fb...
IMO Mecabicks has a huge potential for a complete new comfortable way to play, build with and visualize digital LEGO.
Feel free to check Renderbricks:
https://www.facebook.com/renderbricks/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/136836821@N04/
Cheers
Michael
