X-LeoCAD

Lego is a very popular toy and building tool for both children and adults alike, being able to create simple models or amazingly advanced models. X-LeoCAD is an application that allows users to build models with virtual Lego bricks in this portable CAD – Computer Aided Design – program, that can animate the models it creates or automate the building.

Being able to build highly complicated, accurate to modern engineering, Lego models is useless if you cannot view them properly in their virtual environment. Unfortunately, X-LeoCAD provides users with a very unfriendly camera that is difficult to position properly without loosing sight of the Lego. The program seems to be aware of this thankfully and includes a camera reset button, yet it is still an annoyingly frequent issue.

The interface itself employs very small icons that have custom, non-obvious pictures that don’t explain what they are. Larger, clearer icons would also make the interface far more user friendly without having to rely on tooltips and menus to perform simple actions.

The choice to use Lego like bricks is unusual in X-LeoCAD since they don’t lock together like lego does, users can place them together via the application, but they also be put together in ways that Lego can't. The way to position them is cumbersome as well, relying on specific arrows rather than just a direct dragging feature.

Users can do more than just place bricks with X-LeoCAD, technically it can be used to semi animate different parts of a construction. For those who can, it is also possible to essentially script the building process. A big problem with the advanced features is they are not simple to use in anyway, made worse by the lack of serious help documentation for them.

Technically, X-LeoCAD can be used to create various advanced models, but it is not easy to do. The lack of an intuitive design, and, user friendly concepts, mean that only exceptionally determined or talented individuals will succeed. Ultimately, users might be better off using actual Lego than X-LeoCAD as it might leave some disappointed.