Scripting
Here you can see some of the scripts I've developed. Some are to speed up my workflow and others are exploratory learning projects. They are very basic and I'm mostly self-taught so, as more advanced stuff is produced, old stuff will be phased out with time.
Skeleton Tool
I decided to try my hand at creating an automated skeleton creation and controller tool. This was also my first foray into python in Maya. There is still functionality I plan to add and a couple of things to fix but the tool at its most basic level is working. Some previous MEL shelf buttons I've created were brought over and implemented in python. Credit to JAMM Orient Joints tool for helping me learn more about python and figure out the code for the joint orientation elements.
The method for the tool is to generate locators that can be placed into the desired spots for their respective joints. In the next step, joints are generated on the locators and should be uniformly oriented. For symmetrical characters, a checkbox can be ticked and only the left side locators need to be moved into place. IK systems can be generated with or without stretchy systems. Controls generate and are grouped and organized in the outliner. The joints and control shapes will scale when the user scales up the locators to fit to their model.
Doesn't seem to work in other world units other than centimeters though and scaling after the initial locator step is still an issue. Need to do a little re-ordering of operations to make it more user-friendly. The spine IK is still not functioning quite correctly so some work is needed there. A couple of minor details still need to be added for things like pole vectors. Also still want to add in the hands and the quadruped option but that is still a ways down the line.
Ctrl Creation Tool
I heard someone giving a tutorial mention a tool like this that their college friend made and how useful it was. It got stuck in my head even after forgetting which tutorial I watched and so I decided to try my hand at making it now that I've become more familiar with python.
It still needs work as right now simply changing the shape option will generate a shape but it is basically functional. I want to add the ability for controls to be zero noded and oriented along a particular axis and center to a selected object.
Procedural Ribbon Generation
I take no credit for the design of this ribbon rig. I created a MEL script after watching and doing a tutorial on how to create a procedural ribbon rig by hand. My script creates a window that allows the ribbon to be named and generated with any number of joints. Will update with prettier pop-up window.
Credit to John-Harald Paulsen for the tutorial:
https://vimeo.com/108727407
Spline IK systems / stretchy IK systems
I got tired of setting up spline IK systems and stretchy IK systems so I create MEL scripts and saved them as shelf buttons.
IK Handle and stretchy calculations applied
Spline Clusters and IK handle generated
IK Stretchy Sytem
Stretchy Spine
Non-stretchy Spine
Generate Joints and Controls Along a Curve
After watching a tutorial on facial rigging I created my own little MEL script to speed up the process of creating joints on a curve. Using pathAnimation locators are created along a curve and then joints and controls parented to them. The functionality allows for blend shapes applied to the curve to give multi-level control for facial rigging. I take no credit in coming up with this system only the script to generate it.
