Beyond LDraw The Making of a Train Instruction Book

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Beyond LDraw The Making of a Train Instruction
Book

• Steve Barile
• SEBarile_at_sstanamera.com

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So you want to make an instruction book

• There are tons of things to think about long
  before you put mouse-to-3001.dat
• What are your goals?
• Who is your audience?
• And to a lesser extent, the mechanics
• Publishing Costs
• The layout design
• Model design
• Rendering path
• We will explore these and other topics in detail.

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Goals

• Is it a(n)
• Idea Book to convey ideas
• Model Book to proliferate models
• Personal Challenge another project to tackle
• Educational Experience the best way to learn is
  by doing
• Stature to gain recognition in the community
• often its a combo of all of these!

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Target Audience

• Although you might have a certain target audience
  in mind, be assured that your material will be
  seen by all skill levels and ages Kids, AFOLs,
  non-AFOLs
• --- I never heard of a train engine without a
  motor!
• Do several usability tests
• Recruit everyone kids, AFOLs, non-AFOLs
• Tell them They are testing you! NOT
  visa-versa.
• Watch, but dont help or even talk
• Their struggles are your red flags
• --- He did it on his own with ease! He is 8.

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Authorship

• Should your instruction book only include your
  ideas?
• Your designs only
• Youre never finished, but is it good enough?
• Not your designs only
• Many would be honored to share their work but
  either arent interested or simply cant deal
  with a project of this scope just ask!
• Always give credit, never plagiarize !
• Compensation (no ones making any money anyway)
• Borrowing ideas (Did I think of this?)
• Theyre all borrowed!

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Layout Approach Linear or Hierarchical

• This is a new concept for me. I have not yet
  fully comprehended the ramifications, but
• Linear (my current approach)
• standard LEGO models w/sub assemblies (trucks)
• easy to comprehend - watch it grow
• assemble layer-by-layer
• Hierarchical
• complete deconstruction into sub-models
• cognitively challenging - assembly line
• assembly by sub models
• (consider the building experience too!)

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Example of Linear vs Hierarchy
2
x2
x2
x6
x2
x12
x2
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Example of Linear vs Hierarchy
6
8
9
7
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Layout Mechanics

• There are several interdependent aspects of the
  layout that should be considered, this is
  definitely an iterative process, but gets more
  intuitive with experience.
• Portrait vs landscape
• Aspect ratio of model and model steps
• Paper size (more on this later)
• Image scaling
• Is 11 realistic for the number of steps, thus
  pages, etc.
• Cant make it too small
• Keep the same scale through out!
• except for major sub assemblies
• Backgrounds (be very careful)
• Ink costs (self publishing)
• Visually confusing

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Layout Mechanics (cont)

• Number of steps
• The of steps in your .dat file will be a good
  starting point
• There are sub-models and callouts etc.
• Use 1.5x the step count in the .dat file for
  total layout steps
• Number of pages
• Depends on number of steps
• Brick/model scale
• Constrained by printing budget
• Words / No words
• Multi-lingual?
• Introduction/forward must be timeless, books
  are forever!
• Credits careful who you leave out!
• DONT forget to thank your significant other(s)!

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Creating the Images

• Resolution - what is DPI LPI
• DPI Dots per inch (computer speak)
• 2 dependencies - of pixels (x,y) and print size
• LPI Lines per inch (publishing speak)
• CMYK print dither
• Bottom line numbers 300 DPI 150 LPI
• Isometric vs perspective (I use iso)
• Camera issues with iso, (back out 5 in POV
  camera obj)
• Perspective creates non-parallel edges
• Makes steps kinda ugly
• Thick Edge Lines
• Mega POV Find Edges post process a must (more
  later)
• Line width independent of render resolution
• Can cause inconsistent line thickness
• Anti-alias images
• Use similar color to intended background
• Use unique color from model elements

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Layout Application Needs

• Configurable page sizes
• Image import - multiple is nice
• Transparent color selection
• Image scaling - not resizing
• Universal page backgrounds
• Lettering / Numbering
• Lines and Arrows
• Call out boxes
• Proper print path handling
• Use full image resolution

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Adding Embellishments

• Subassemblies a must
• Callouts in separate area
• light blue/ light pink background
• More work - more .dats or sub-models
• Reduces number of full steps, book pages
• Exploded sub-models
• Callout in separate area
• Even more work - more .dats or sub-models
• or MLCAD buffer exchange
• Further reduces the number of full steps
• The extra yard
• Alt color schemes
• Alt variations

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Publishing Costs

• Real vs Virtual
• Web (), CD(), Book()
• Print on Demand via WEB or CD (.pdf ???)
• Reproduction Costs
• WEB storage - bandwidth (kinda free)
• CD duplication (not free)
• 0.20ea (home dup, no label, no jewel case) qty
  1
• 5.00ea (pro dup, label, slip cover) qty 100
• Book duplication, oy! (30 pages x40)
• 34.50/book (1380.00)
• 1.00/page (office depot) 4.50 binding
• 13.00/book (520.00)
• 0.30/page (mom pa shop) 3.00 binding
  0.50 cover/back stock
• Offset press all setup costs

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Publishing Tips

• Presentation is everything!
• Its got to look feel cool!
• Not all color copiers are the same
• Insist on a test run!!!
• Xerox DocuPrint P12 was the best
• Binding saddle stitch (staples), spiral, comb,
  wire
• Lay flat, fold back on itself, stays bound!
• Buy a second hand or demo model binder
• Make sure the punch blades are still sharp!
• Cover stocks (cost savings)
• Transparent slide stock (not document cover
  stock)
• Stiff back cover
• salvage matte board, white/off-white
• bulk cut at Kinkos

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Publishing Tips (cont)

• Paper - Dont forget about paper selection, there
  are entire books written on this topic.
• Size
• Standard (8.5x11, 8.5x14, 11x17)
• Trimmed (cant print to the edge) or folded
• Portrait or landscape
• Aspect ratio of model and steps might dictate
• Weight
• Cheap copy 20lb, high quality 35lb
• heavier better quality, less transparent, ?
  copier compatible!
• Brightness
• Cheep copy 84, high quality 96
• Color
• Not a good idea, print the background, be very
  careful
• Texture
• Maybe, be very careful
• Parchment for castle sets???

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And Now for the Numbers

• 7 models
• 1250 elements
• 1 custom straw .dat file
• 4 alt color schemes
• 6 more iterations on a model I thought was done
  with
• 182 .dat .pov files (including tests etc.)
• 188 rendered images in book
• 1280x1024 render size
• down to 320-240
• 15 book revisions

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And Now for The Code Settings- L3PAO / MPOV -

• Camera Globe Position ON
• Latt 25, Long 50, Radius 0
• Camera angle 7
• Light (irrelevant)
• Background Color 255,255,183
• Seam width .75
• Quality level 2
• Step Clock ON
• Resolution 1280x1024 AA 0.3 (down to 320x240)

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And Now for The Code Settings- declarations -

• version unofficial MegaPov 0.7 // version
  number may be different
• declare QUAL 2 // Quality level, 0BBox,
  1no refr, 2normal, 3studlogo
• declare SW 0.75 // Width of seam between two
  bricks
• declare STUDS 1 // 1on 0off
• declare BUMPS 0 // 1on 0off

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And Now for The Code Settings- camera -

• // Camera (Latitude,Longitude,Radius 25,50,0)
• camera
• declare PCT 5 // Percentage further away
• declare STEREO 0 // Normal view
• location vaxis_rotate(
  PCT/100.0
• ,
• 7,4.71612e006,STEREO)
• sky -y
• right -4/3x
• look_at //
  calculated
• angle 7
• rotate // Prevent gap between
  adjecent quads
• orthographic

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And Now for The Code Settings- lights -

• // Lights
• light_source
• color rgb 1
• shadowless
• light_source
• color rgb 1.25
• shadowless
• light_source
• color rgb 1.5
• shadowless

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And Now for The Code Settings- find edges -

• global_settings
• post_process
• find_edges
• 2, //depth difference required for
  line
• 0.35, //angle difference required for
  line
• 0.2, //color difference required for
  line
• 1.2, // 2.0 default line width
• 20, // 1.4 default line sharpness
• rgb 0 //color of line

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In Closing

• Its the best 2.00/hr Ive ever made!
• Keep reminding yourself your having fun, its
  well worth it in retrospect!
• Continually be a student of each others
  experiences.
• The tips, tricks, and models are inanimate, the
  acts of sharing is what builds community.