LDraw.org is gearing up for BricksWest^TM 2003! Like last year, this year we promise there will be plenty of LDraw topics to discuss. The site's very own Tim Courtney and Ahui Herrera will be on hand to present and talk about LDraw and related subjects with event guests.

Designed for the Adult Fan Of LEGO® (AFOL), families, and children of all ages, BricksWest has become the premiere West Coast gathering for fans of the brick. The event takes place in beautiful Carlsbad, California, home of the LEGOLAND® California theme park. This second annual gathering will again take place President's Day Weekend, February 14 - 17, 2003. Registration is now open, but closes February 1, 2003...so register today! Visit BricksWest on the web at http://www.brickswest.com now!

Introduction to LDraw Tools
Tim Courtney, LDraw.org
Learn how to create your own 3D LEGO models with the LDraw system of tools. This session will introduce you to the parts library and to the various programs which use it. It will focus on constructing models in MLCAD for documentation and building instruction creation purposes, and will introduce you to the possibilities of high-quality rendering via POV-Ray and MegaPOV.

Computer Assisted Building
Stephen Fisher
Over 5 years ago, LDraw brought CAD to the LEGO community. Today, the community has evolved from basic tools, to shared instruction portals, rich 3D rendering tools, inventory management, after-market LEGO sales, and powerful LEGO modeling tools. In this presentation, we'll look at how the internet and the PC have revolutionized the LEGO fan community, especially in the areas of building techniques, part management, and dynamic internet services.

Beyond LDraw: The Making of a Train Instruction Book
Steve Barile, PNLTC

Introduction to LPub
Kevin Clague

LDraw Community Roundtable
Tim Courtney, LDraw.org; Ahui Herrera, LDraw.org
Sit and chat with some of the LDraw organizers about the community and brainstorm ideas for the future of the LDraw system.

Questions or comments on this article should be directed to Tim Courtney.