Miquel Campos, Character TD.

mGear 2.2.1 is available for download.

mGear 2.0 is available for download.

https://gumroad.com/l/mgear

New Features

New licensing under MIT license terms.

New Documentation

New Component settings view.

Quadrupeds template and new leg component for 3 bones legs.

Shifter: Modular rigging system rebranded.

Single-Hierarchy Joint connexion

Update Guides Command.

Mocap HumanIK mapping tool for standard Shifter biped

Gimmick joints basic tools

Synoptic Environment variable

Pre and Post custom Steps.

cvWrap deformer included.

Updated Synoptic view.

Please visit mGear official documentation for more information:

https://miquelcampos.github.io/mgear/

New video tutorials:

https://vimeo.com/groups/mgear/

Here is the complete short film where I was rigging supervisor.  All rig using mGear ;)

New version for mGear is available at Gumroad!!!

Download mGear 1.1: https://gumroad.com/l/mgear1_1

NOTE: I would like to clarify that mGear is a personal project developed by Jeremie Passerin and myself. My current employer is not related by any means with mGear. Please read the license for more information.

What’s the new?

SkinCluster export/import

import skin at rig generation time

hotkeys

Build from selection

inspect property

walk transforms

reset camera persp

align 2 transforms

duplicates XSI style

duplicate symmetry

toggle visibility XSI style

frame center

maximize Maya

and some more....

Rigging Tools

connect S+R+T

connect T

connect  R

connect S

Space Jumper

Axis reference

Center on BBox

Synoptic

space switcher

IK/FK match switch

speed improvements

Compiled UI tabs

Compile PyQT ui tool

scroll bar for small screens

Component

new metacarpal component

BUG Fixes

roll range and stability improvement legs and arms

spine and neck error when is not generated straight.

upV ref array connected to Ik ref array

Extract controllers from the rig whose name differs from "rig" the error occurs: "No object matches name: rig_controllers_grp"

Deformers are not constrained to controllers in springy chain

Plenty of minor bugs

Thank you to all the people who report Bugs and new ideas!!!

If you prefer PAYPAL for donations, click here. Thanks for your support!

NOTE: Paypal is only for donations. Not Download.

First Trailer from "La Guerre des Tuques 3d". This is the first feature film using mGear !!. Indeed is the beta version of mGear.

mGear 1.0: Rigging Framework for Autodesk Maya. Now available!

Download: https://gumroad.com/l/mgear

NOTE: I would like to clarify that mGear is a personal project developed by Jeremie Passerin and myself. My current employer is not related by any means with mGear. Please read the license for more information.

Big thanks to Jeremie Passerin, he is the real master behind mGear design. I am just following  his steps and continuing what he started.

Also special thanks to Ingo Clemens for the OSX solver compilation, Gaetan Guidet for the Linux solver compilation and guidance in my C++ desert of knowledge.

I can not promise any kind of support and this tool is provided "AS IS". Please read the LICENSE  included in the readme.txt for more information.

However, I am committed to continue developing mGear. So please, do not hesitate contact me if you found any bug or possible improvement. I know mGear is a little raw in this first release ;)

Meanwhile, I will provide a series of free tutorials to teach how to use, edit and upgrade to your own taste.

Also I am working in a series of rigging tutorials based on mGear, that will be on sell on Gumroad soon.

Please join my newsletter to stay updated!

Why Gumroad for mGear distribution, isn't it free? Yes, mGear is free and open source. But donations are welcome :). And Gumroad provides a simple way to collect it. Also allow me to know, who is downloading mGear, so I can contact you for future upgrades and bug fixes.

If you prefer PAYPAL for donations, click here. Thanks for your support!

NOTE: Paypal is only for donations. Not Download.

Download Instructions

got to https://gumroad.com/l/mgear

click: "I want this!" button (don't be scare about the credit card info)

set the price to 0$ (is at the bottom)

set your email

click "Get" button

Installation tutorial

mGear 1.0 

Now Available!

Miquel did an amazing job making mGear a solid Production tool. I am delighted to see it running smoothly in Maya. Softimage User will be delighted to find their favorite Rig Builder in Maya. Maya user will be amazed how MGear is solid and flexible. Gear has been used in production all around the world for the past 4 years and changed the life of many riggers and animators, I have no doubt that mGear will have the same success. Do I need to mention it's free and open source ?

Jeremie Passerin, Blur studio rigging supervisor and Gear master

mGear FAQ

What is mGear?

mGear is a rigging framework for Autodesk Maya. mGear provides a set of convenient modules, tools and c++ solvers to streamline the rigging process.

Is mGear a modular rigging system?

Yes, mGear can be consider a modular rigging system. However, the real power behind mGear is the ability to extend and customize the components library (arms, legs, etc..). Also the same modules used in the modular rigging system can be used to develop other tools.

Is mGear providing animation tools?

For the moment mGear only provides the “synoptic” view as a tool specially designed for the animators. Although mGear rigs should be compatible with any other Autodesk Maya animation tool. Like MGtools, poseLib or studioLibrary.

Will be always free and open source?

Yes!

Who can use mGear?

mGear is for everybody who needs to create a rig. For example riggers and animators without programming knowledge can use it out of the box to generate infinite variety of rigs combinations. TDs with Python and C++ knowledge can also extend the functionality and adapt it to her/his needs/pipeline.

Why mGear use custom solvers instead of Maya standard solvers?

The default components provides with mGear are using custom solvers to simplify the rig construction encapsulating complex functionality and improve the playback performance.

Does mGear have the same functions/tools of Gear Softimage?

No, mGear doesn’t have all the functions that Gear has. Some of the functions will be implemented in the future, some of them never will be implemented. It depends if the tool can be apply to Maya workflow and philosophy.

Yes! This is the painful true. It is really hard to say good bye to Softimage. Obviously I didn't choose Maya, because was appealing for me. But.... It is the "standard" when it comes to character rigging and animation. And after one year of continuous use I found myself pretty comfortable with Maya.

Indeed too much comfortable... Let me explain:

The other day I had to do some rigging stuff in Softimage, and for my surprise, I discover, that I was missing some of the tools/workflows that I did for Maya. And here is the tricky part "I did".

Maya as everybody knows is really hard to use out of the box, without some custom scripts or plugins. This force me to spend a lot of time and try and error until I manage to configure it to my taste. And here is where without noticing it, the magic happened. I did a workflow that fits with my way of working.

Before, with softimage I never needed to configure too much stuff because the workflow was good. But because that, I never tried to improve it to my own taste.

I am not saying that now Maya is better or the other way around. But I think the change have been good for me. I have been forced out of my comfort zone, so I have been forced to improve. And that is good.

Finally, I just want emphasize than this post is just a personal thought. I don't want to start another fire here.

Deformation, deformation and deformation. 

Here is my list of priorities when I am rigging:

Deformation

Can do what it needs to do.

Easy to control (clarity in controls and easy animation curves)

Performance (don't waste the animator time)

Features (I see many rigging reels with lots of features, but  ugly characters and deformation. Features are great but not always needed)