CREATING THE ALIEN CONQUEST "ALIEN COMMANDER" IN LDD By Banjo ---------------------------------------------------- PARTS REQUIRED: You Will Need: x1 76382 Mini Torso (black, with Bright Yellowish Green hands) x1 95201 Alien Mask (Bright Yellowish Green x1 3626 Mini Head (Tr. Bright Green) x1 95200 Mini Brain (Tr. Bright Green) x1 2526 Epaulets (Warm Gold) x1 87749 Squid Legs (Bright Yellowish Green) x1 4524 Cape (Bright Red) For "Scaffolding": x1 30374 Light Sword Blade (any colour) x1 60897 Plate 1x1 W. Holder (any colour) Note 1: At the time of writing (LDD 4.3.5, Bricks 835.2) the Alien Mask (95201) and Squid Legs (87749) parts are ONLY available in Extended Mode! Note 2: Most parts will need to be hand-coloured in Extended Mode, as they are not available in the correct colours under the standard LDD mode palettes. Note 3: The "real" Alien Commander uses 50231 ("Mantle for Mini Figure") instead of 4524 as a cape, but due to collision detection in LDD, the correct part will not attach to the figure, hence the substitution. ---------------------------------------------------- BUILDING PROCEEDURE: See the included images for visual detail, with the notes below to clarify. Steps 1-5 --------- Using the torso as scaffolding, assemble the "head" with the Alien Mask first, then the Mini Head, then the Mini Brain. Group the head and remove from the torso. Steps 6-7 --------- Attach the Plate 1x1 W. Holder to the Light Sword Blade as shown, as "high" as it can be placed. Step 8 ------ Place the assembled "head" on top of the Plate 1x1 W. Holder, facing the holder part (see image). Steps 9-12 ---------- Now move the Plate 1x1 W. Holder lower down the Light Sword Blade. Attach the Cape to the stud on top of it. Then "slide" the two pieces (highlight both first) UP the Light Sword Blade as high as it will go, until it is under the "head" that you placed in the previous steps. Step 13 ------- Move (only) the Plate 1x1 W. Holder down again, leaving the Cape under the "head" as shown. Steps 14-15 ----------- Now place the Epaulets on the 1x1 Plate W. Holder and repeat the proceedure you performed for the Cape; highlighting and "sliding" the 1x1 and Epaulets up under the Cape as high as possible. Steps 16-17 ----------- You can now delete the "scaffolding" (Plate 1x1 W. Holder and Light Sword Blade). Step 18 ------- Highlight and group the entire "head assembly (five parts in total). Steps 19-20 ----------- The assembled (grouped) head can now be placed as a whole on top of any torso, just like the "real" Lego model (without LDD's restrictions)! Steps 21-22 ----------- To complete the Alien Commander, attach the Squid Legs to the torso bottom. All done! NOTE: TO "arm" the Alien Commander authentically, give him a 87993 Laser Pistol (Silver Metallic) with a 6141 Plate 1x1 Round (Tr. Fluorescent Green) attached the the end! ---------------------------------------------------- CLOSING REMARKS I hope someone finds this rather verbose guide useful! It took me quite a while to figure this "trick" out, helped only by several forum posts suggesting it was possible, and a picture of the "scaffolding" suggested. This same proceedure can be used to "fix" most similar multi-accessory minifigure issues in LDD, including building Imperial Soldiers (who should wear both Epaulets and a Backpack, but are unable to do so in LDD). See http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=513158 for more examples. Thanks to the forum members at Eurobricks.com for pointing me in the right direction, especially Moderator 'Superkalle', and the awesome designers and maintainers of Lego Digital Designer (LDD)! ---------------------------------------------------- "Ha ha ha! Pathetic humans! Did you really think our plan to dominate the Earth would end with Lego's foolish discontinuation of 'Alien Conquest'? We shall return and then all your brain power WILL BE OURS!" - Alien Commander, of Planet 2.5