Tool Spline Rig – Create 3d Characters
[Link]/maya-tool-spline-rig
The Spline Rig tool instantly builds an advanced IK Spline rig with many options and
space switching.
The spline rigs can be used for both animation and modeling.
USE IN ANIMATION
Use the spline rigs in animation for tails, hair, ropes, tentacles, and more.
Full space switching functionality is included, along with many rig options.
USE AS A MODELING TOOL
We’ve designed Spline Rig to double as a modeling tool.
Easily model rope and hair setups and more.
Right-click duplicate the rig and skinned meshes to quickly layout
hair/grass/ropes/straps and use for other modeling tasks.
Dynamically change the rig as you model.
THE PROBLEM
Advanced spline IK setups are incredibly hard to build in Maya.
Rigs are often not flexible and missing features.
Spline IK is generally not designed for modeling tasks.
THE SOLUTION
Spline Rig builds advanced spline rig setups in a few clicks.
There are four optional rig types.
– Character Spine Controls
– FK Controls
– Reverse FK Controls
– Floating Controls
Optionally add an extra layer of additive FK.
– Additive FK
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Other features.
– Full space switching
– Instant updates and rig rebuilds
– Duplicate skinned setups
– Marking menus
– Build from existing joints, IK spline or curves
See our related tools, Control Creator , Edit Controls and Color Overrides for changing
the controls, and Joints On Curve for the easy creation of joint chains.
SETTINGS – NAME & DOTS MENU
Name & Combo Dropdown
Name or rename an existing rig.
Press the triangle icon button for a list of all spline rigs in the scene.
Dots Menu
Select Joints:
Selects the skinning joints on the rig.
Note: Other joints are used in the setup.
Select Meta Node:
Selects the Meta Node attached to the rig. Used for debugging.
Rebuild Current Position:
Rebuilds the rig without resetting.
Duplicate Rig:
Duplicates the rig by exporting it as a temp file and and importing it.
Delete All:
Deletes the rig including the skin joints.
Note: The delete trash icon at the bottom of the UI will always leave the skin joints.
Reset Settings:
Resets all UI settings to the defaults.
Rig Published:
Publishes the rig ready for animation, removes options from the right click menus, such
as Rebuild.
SETTINGS – SPECIFY
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Specify Type
Select the object type to build the rig from.
– Joints
– Curve
– Spline IK Handle
See below for sub-options for each type.
Curve Options
Specify a curve to build the rig, joints will be created automatically.
Curve & Icon Button:
Specify an existing curve to build the rig from, or select a curve from the scene.
Create CV Curve Icon Button:
Create a CV Curve (3 Cubic), click to create a curve on a grid plane.
Count:
The number of joints to build along the curve.
World Up:
The secondary axis for all joints. Joints are Y axis up.
The primary axis will always be +X (points to next joint).
Auto will intelligently choose the secondary axis.
If the longest edge of the curve’s bounding box is world Y will be +Z, otherwise it will be
+Y.
Weight:
The spacing weight between the joints from one end of the curve or the other.
A value of 0.0 will evenly space objects.
Also see Joints Along A Curve for more information on spacing.
Reverse Direction:
Will reverse the direction the curve when the joints are built.
Note: this will reverse the curve direction temporarily do not use if the existing curve has
history.
Joints Options
Specify a start and end joints to build the rig.
Joints Start/End:
Specify the first and last joints in the joint chain.
Rig will start and end with these joints.
IK Spline Handle Options
Specify an Ik spline handle to build the rig.
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IK Handle & Icon Button:
Specify the Spline Ik Handle to build the rig from.
Create Spline Handle:
Create Spline IK button, click the first and last joints to create.
SETTINGS – CONTROL SETS
FK Controls Checkbox
A FK control setup will be built.
Controls are parented to each other.
Reverse FK Controls Checkbox
A Reverse FK control setup will be built.
The controls will be parented backwards.
Floating Controls Checkbox
A Floating control setup will be built.
All controls will be parented to the root only.
Spine Controls Checkbox
A Spine control setup will be built.
This setup is handy for character spine setups.
Must have five controls for this option.
SETTINGS – ADDITIVE FK CONTROLS
Additive FK Rig Layer Checkbox
Adds an Additive FK rig on top of the Spline Rig.
The FK rig moves with the spline rig and offsets it further.
Used for fine control and curling the tips of rigs.
Note: Additive FK is a rig that is layered on top of Spline Rig and can be built separately.
See help for more information
Control Spacing
Builds a control on every nth joint for the Additive FK only.
Example: If three then will build a control on every third joint.
SETTINGS – OPTIONS & BUTTONS
Type Combo Dropdown
Build with five controls (standard) or switch to a custom count.
Note: The character Spine type must be built with five controls.
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Switch To Combo Dropdown
Space switches the controls on an existing rig.
Controls
The amount of controls to create.
To enable this text box, change the Type combo box to Custom Count.
The Spine rig type can only be created with five controls.
Orient Root
Orients the root control and rig to face this direction.
Automatic will detect the longest axis and aim positive in that direction.
Ctrl Scale
Sets the global scale of the rig controls.
Skin Mesh Menu Checkbox
If joints are skinned then add a trigger menu onto skinned meshes too.
Can be refreshed by toggling after a rig has been built.
Handy for modeling hair for example.
Rebuild Radio Buttons
Rebuild the rig at the current or the original position/rotation/scale.
Build Spline Rig Button
Builds the Spline Rig.
– Curve: Select A curve in the UI and run.
– Joints: Select start & end joints in the UI and run.
– Spline IK: Select the Ik handle in the UI and run.
Rebuild Button
Rebuilds the rig either in the current position or at initial zero position.
Bake Button
Deletes the rig while keeping the current joint positions.
Note: Additive FK layer and skin joints will be kept.
To delete Additive FK after baking, uncheck while a control is selected or right-click on
any Additive FK controls.
You can also Delete All in the Dots Menu.
Delete Button
Deletes the rig and resets the joints to their initial positions.
Note: Additive FK layer and skin joints will be kept.
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To delete Additive FK after baking, uncheck while a control is selected or right-click on
any Additive FK controls.
You can also Delete All in the Dots Menu.
Copyright Create 3d Characters 2021
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