Tool Box: 6 free useful Maya Plugins

To help all Maya fans, we have collected the most interesting free plug-ins for 3D software, which will help solve many problems and speed up the workflow.

1. The Andy Rig

Rigging can be extremely tedious. Taking this into account, artist John Doublestein created the Andy Rig plugin. This plug-in, for quick rig adjustment, is characterized by its flexibility and stability. The tool includes both male and female models and has several hairstyles and textures to choose from.

2. BHGhost

The free BHGhost script from animator and rigger Brian Horgan transfers the onion skinning method (Onion Skin - an animation method based on layered workflow) from flash animation into 3D. The built-in Maya Ghosting tool displays translucent animated objects in the scene to give a complete picture of the created animation.

In BHGhost, this approach has taken a new level, allowing users to create the actual 3D outlines of their animations in the Maya viewport, making it easier to see the connections between postures and improving the animation quality.

3. Maya Bonus Tools

Maya Bonus Tools is a full collection of free useful scripts and plugins for Maya provided by Autodesk. While installing, an additional drop-down menu is created providing easy access to various everyday tools and utilities. And so as not to confuse users, the program looks similar to the standard Maya layout menu sets and each submenu contains a number of related tools that can be torn off and moved in the same way as the Maya menus.

4. TweenMachine

The goal of the TweenMachine plug-in is to greatly simplify the process of creating breakdown poses between key frames. TweenMachine significantly reduces the number of steps required to create poses for characters with step keys. The plugin does not create perfect breakdown poses, but makes the process of creating them much faster and easier.

5. ShotView

ShotView is a free and simple, but very effective Maya plugin that provides a constant and clear view of the camera view in a floating window. This tool is incredibly useful, especially for artists working on two monitors, as it allows them to see both the default Maya perspective and camera view simultaneously, eliminating the hassle of switching between them and helping to create the perfect cinematic shot.

6. Advanced Skeleton

CTO Oyvind Nostdal has created the Advanced Skeleton plugin to make the character rigging and animation process much more efficient. This useful plugin is a set of Maya tools for customizing a character that creates a complex system of movements from a simple chain of connections. This is a great time-saving tool that will allow characters to get started quickly. You can purchase the plugin for commercial use for $750, but there is also a free version for those who are interested in trying before buying.

Hope these tools will be useful for you. Share your favorites in the comments.