The Marauder generation 1 multi purpose space craft


In 2012, inbetween working on my large helicopter (see other folder)  I modelled a frame with sloped panels (only the left halve) using LDD,
having the idea for this ship in the back of my head. In the years following, te file was opened several times but never edited.
Only in august 2018 I finished a first complete version of the yet unnamed space ship. Then it took until april 2019 to further work on the craft,
prompted by the idea I got for the landing leg mechanism. As such, the model was mostly finished, the way it is presented here.
I could add some greebling, the DBG area between the top and bottom shells just begs for it. Luckily one can easily insert added pieces in the POVRay file,
Just save a (ldr) file with only the added pieces, making sure their location (and that of the original model) has not changed! After export,
copy/paste the piece description at the bottom of the original file (pro tip for rendering SHIPs).
So when I find inspiration to truly finish the model, new renderings will be made (next week or next year or so).

The features:
1- Minifigure size
2- Playability, in the shape of:
3- Rectractable landing legs
4- Opening doors and ramp
5- Movable guns
6- Power Functions M-motor driving 3- 4- 5-
7- Reachable interiors (large cargo space, hatches for top floor acces)
8- Support vehicules
9- Prisoners cells (8 pcs)
10- My favourite: the de/attachable Mini Marauders, an ode to the old LEGO space sets (like 6973 which I had/still have in battered pieces)


The proces:
1- Creating the 3D model in LEGO Digital Designer
2- After many years of playing with LDD, the F-125 Buzzard (see other folder) prompted me to explore the possibilities to render my LDD models.
   The LDraw All In One Installer was found, installed and proved to be gold!
3- Export from LDD to LDraw
4- Export via LDView to POV-Ray
5- Setting lights and camera; creating landscapes, planets and sky-spheres; rendering in POV-Ray
6- Post edit flame effects, correcting of seams between the different landscape elements, adding stars, using PaintShop Pro


Software:
LEGO Digital Designer 4.3
The LDraw 'package', specifically:
LDView 4.3
POV-Ray 3.7
Corel PaintShop Photo Pro X3


Credits:
Way to many to name.
Credits to all the people involved in the development of the whole LDraw package, 
the people who created the LDraw AIOI, the POV-Ray team and the LEGO Group.

Comments and suggestions are welcome
plastikman@telenet.be