Zoo 2.7.7 has been released, introducing four new Modeling Toolboxes, an updated Hive Auto-Rigger UI, and a brand new floating shelf!
The latest modelling toolboxes consolidate most of Maya’s modelling functions into one easily accessible location!
These UIs will be featured in our upcoming modelling tutorials and are organised into Objects, Modeling, Retopology & Normals, and Sculpting.
The new toolboxes are an excellent resource for learning all of Maya’s modelling tools and can be utilized as hotkey trainers. Each button includes informative tooltips and displays the hotkey corresponding to the hotkey set you’re using.
Modelling Toolboxes
Our new modelling toolboxes simplify learning and help you remember Maya’s modelling functions. We’ve also added new scripted functionality and options where appropriate enhancing your existing workflows.
All Zoo Tools Toolboxes feature a Compact Mode for commonly used settings and an Advanced Mode. The Advanced Mode, particularly useful for beginners, includes more basic tools frequently used with hotkeys for learning purposes.
Each button in the toolbox comes with comprehensive tooltips, providing clear explanations about the tool’s functionality and how the tool should be used.
We encourage using the toolboxes as hotkey trainers as much as possible, with comprehensive tooltips provided for each button. Right-click menus also display additional options related to the tools.
Toolboxes help train and remember Maya’s Modeling Tools.
New Tool: Objects Toolbox (Modelling)
The Object Toolbox consolidates all of Maya’s polygon object-related features in one location. This toolbox includes tools for creating, duplicating, instancing, combining, extracting, and grouping objects together. You can also manage each object’s pivot, history, and transformation information under the modify section of the UI.
New Objects Toolbox and hotkey trainer.
New Tool: Modelling Toolbox (Modelling)
The Modelling Toolbox gathers all of Maya’s component-based modelling tools into one user interface. It includes tools that create extra faces/edges or vertices, cut into objects, and merge components, among other miscellaneous tools.
New Modeling Toolbox and hotkey trainer.
Renamed Tool: Mirror Toolbox (Modelling)
The Zoo Mirror Geo tool has been renamed the Mirror Toolbox to better align with the naming style of our newer toolbox UIs. We’ve added automatic hotkeys that match your hotkey set in the tools tooltips.
Mirror Toolbox and hotkey trainer has been renamed and reorganised.
New Tool: Topology And Normals Toolbox (Modelling)
The Topology And Normals Toolbox provides tools for modifying the topology of polygon objects in Maya. It also includes buttons for adjusting both face and vertex normals.
New Topology and Normals Toolbox and hotkey trainer.
New Tool: Sculpting Toolbox (Modelling)
The Sculpting Toolbox combines Maya’s sculpting tools into one convenient area. Extra functionality has been incorporated, including adding alphas to tools, extra buttons, and right-click menus, providing a complete sculpting workflow toolbox within a single user interface.
New Sculpting Toolbox and hotkey trainer.
Tool Upgrade: Select Toolbox (Modelling)
The Zoo Select Tool has been renamed to the Select Toolbox, aligning with our other toolboxes’ naming and usage conventions. New buttons have been added to illustrate and explain more select functions provided by Maya.
Select Toolbox has been renamed and reorganised.
Renamed Tool: Cleanup Toolbox (Modelling)
We’ve renamed the Object Cleaner tool to the Cleanup Toolbox to match our newer UIs.
This is a great UI for clearly identifying and fixing mesh issues and cleaning objects of unwanted errors, attributes and nodes.
Cleanup Toolbox has been renamed and reorganised.
Renamed Tool: Align Toolbox (Modelling)
We’ve renamed the Modeling Align tool to the Align Toolbox to match our newer UIs.
Align Toolbox has been renamed and reorganised.
Upgraded Tool: Select Toolbox (Modelling)
We’ve renamed the Select tool to the Select Toolbox to match our newer UIs.
This upgraded UI now has more features, including handy right-click menus.
Select Toolbox has been renamed and reorganised.
Zoo Tools Floating Shelf
We have a new floating shelf that can be repositioned and minimized. The shelf is easily accessed; the hotkey combination Shift+Alt+Q will create the shelf at your mouse pointer!
This shelf lets you access your custom user shelf while conveniently positioning the Zoo shelf at your mouse pointer using a hotkey command.
The floating Zoo Shelf can be minimized and placed anywhere on the screen.
Hive Auto-Rigger – Guide Align And Mirror
The Hive Align Guide And Mirror is a tool that helps customize automatic joint orientation within the Hive Autorigger’s guide system. The tool allows you to invert and modify auto-alignment settings conveniently.
See the tool’s help page for a short video about this feature.
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Buy Zoo Tools.
To see all tools go to the Zoo 2 Information Page.
Registered users can download and upgrade from the Zoo 2 Install Page.
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