Vetala Features

Vetala is a python based auto rigging solution for Maya that works in both Windows and Linux. It helps to create rig recipe. Data and Code get organized into Processes.

Auto Rigging

Vetala builds rigs using classes that come with pre-built functionality. Each class organizes controls and setups in a way that makes it easy to customize. Examples of rig classes include:
SparseRig - This will create disconnected controls on a list of joints
FkRig - This will create controls in hierarchy on a list of joints
IkAppendageRig - This will create controls and setup for ik
FkCurveRig - which supports both ik spline and ribbon setups

Rigs can be layered and also can support IK/FK matching

Skeleton Creation

Setting up a skeleton in vetala is simple.
As you create joints Vetala comes with utilities to mirror create joints with L, l or left in the name and automatically create them on the right side.
After you’ve created and named your joints vetala lets you easily mirror changes to position on the left side to the right side
Adding orient attributes to your joint allows the joint to automatically orient.
Create joints on a curve or quickly snap spine joints to a curve using the Create Joints On Curve button or the Snap Joints to Curve button.
Move your joints to a mesh with the same topology but different point position using the Transfer Joints button

Skin Weight Tools

Vetala comes with many skin weight manipulation tools.
For example, vtool.deform.TransferWeights class comes with functions to transfer weights from joints to other joints. As well as the ability to transfer joints onto new joints with control of how the weights get split between the new joints.

Shape Combo Tool

This tool facilitates the creation of blendshapes in combination, as well as incremental blendshapes in combination. Combinations can be between 2 or more shapes.
Using the vtool.deform.SplitMesh class shapes a and combos can be split with fade-off left and right.

Correctives

Leveraging Maya’s pose deformer workflow into a custom ui, with ability to export/import in a way that works closely with Vetala.

Processes

Vetala lets you organize rig recipes into processes. Each process knows about its own data and code. Saved data is easily accessed in your code. Processes are callable from anywhere using the Process class found in vtool.process_manager package. Processes are easily duplicated and quickly become templates to duplicate your recipe to other assets.

Process Data

Many types of data are support. The data in each process lets you save out parts of your maya scene in a versionable and easy to access way.
Examples of data types include:

  • Maya Binary File

  • Maya Ascii File

  • Control Cv Positions

  • Control Colors

  • Control Values

  • Control Rotate Order

  • Skin Cluster Weights

  • Deformer Weights

  • Blendshape Weights

  • Correctives ( Created using the Vetala Correctives Tool)

  • Attributes

  • Keyframes

  • Control Keyframes

  • Shader (Simple Blinn and Phong, etc)

Process Code

Each process has a code recipe. You can easily create and organize your recipe using drag and drop in QT tree widget. Code is editable in text editor with syntax highlighting and code completion. Saving code versions it up and you can comment on each save.

Process Options

Processes come with interactive ui to let artists interface with it. These are called options. You can quickly create ui elements that can be used accessed in the process code. You can even create buttons that can call your code to create custom workflows for the specific rig process.