New Version – Zoo Tools Pro 2.8.0

Zoo Tools 2.8.0 is out! The Joint Tool has a new Plane Orient feature perfect for fixing joint alignment issues! Hive Auto-Rigger has a new controls mode, Fix Viewport now supports zooming the focal length, and Light Presets supports inches. Our latest version also features a significant backend update.

Hive Auto Rigger: Enhancements
Hive has recently added a Control mode to its existing modes, including Guides, Skeleton, Rig, and Polish.

Use the Controls mode when modifying and adjusting curve controls on your rig. All curve modifications can be made in this mode. Per previous versions, you can still display the controls through the right-click menu in both Guides and the new Controls modes.

*New “Controls Mode” allows you to move and change all Hive controls for rig rebuilds.*

You can now use our new Plane Orient tool while aligning FK components; very handy for fingers, toes and other FK chains.

*The new “Plane Orient Tool” can easily snap-orient Hive guides to a single plane.*

To align Hive FK component guides, make use of the newly introduced “Plane Orient” tool.
A new build mode called Controls has been added to the existing modes – Guides, Skeleton, Rig, and Polish.
The export of root motion games has been fixed. The godchild components are now properly restricted to the appropriate guide. The spine’s parent guide must be reparented to the god node’s offset guide for existing rigs.

Hive Auto Rigger: Bug Fixes

We fixed an issue with the Hive Biped Template. The thigh had an incorrect twist setting, which caused the build to flip.
When the rig is renamed, the UI will automatically display the updated name of the rig in all areas.
In the 2.8.0b patch release, we’ve fixed a bug where the Hive UI can get stuck going from Controls to Skeleton mode.

Tool Enhancement: Joint Tool
The upgraded Joint Tool now integrates full alignment control, providing interactive controls and many more joint-related options.

The Arrow Control, found under the World Up combo, provides a user-friendly method for interactively adjusting the world-up orientation.

*New Arrow World Up in the Joint Tool window.*

The new Orient Plane control found under the World Up combo is a simple and interactive way to accurately align and snap position joints, ensuring they are precisely coplanar.

*New Plane Orient control in the Joint Tool window.*

With the latest update, users have complete axis control, including negatively aligning the aim axis which is not possible in Maya’s Joint Orient window.

*Joint Tool can invert X aim axis, not possible in Maya’s Joint Orient.*

We’ve also added other joint-related options, such as:

Scale Compensate modes.
Mirror Orientation and Behaviour Options.
More Joint Draw styles, including Floating Joint and Multi-Child Box modes.

For more information, see the newly updated Joint Tool page.

Tool Enhancement: Plane Orient (Joints and Hive FK guides)
The Plane Orient tool lets you snap-align joint and Hive FK guide chains on a single plane, sometimes known as “coplanar”. This is particularly helpful when aligning body parts such as legs, arms, spines, and fingers.

*Plane Orient Tool works on both Hive FK guides and joints.*

Please note that the Plane Orient feature can also be accessed in the Joint Tool in our latest upgrade. We have included it as a distinct UI since it can also align Hive FK guides as well as regular Maya joints. We look forward to supporting Hive Guides in the Joint Tool’s align options; the future upgrade will add further orientation workflows within the Hive Autorigger.

You can locate the recently added Plane Orient tool by clicking the blue rigging icon.

For more information, see the Plane Orient Page.

Tool Enhancement: Fix Viewport
The Fix Viewport HUD has been updated to support camera Focal Length changes. The HUD now adjusts its scale to ensure it is always visible through the camera, regardless of the camera zoom settings.

*The Fix Viewport light HUD stays in place while the camera focal length is adjusted.*

Tool Enhancement: Light Presets
The Light Presets now support various unit types such as millimetres, meters, inches, feet, and yards. This means that Maya scenes can now be set in different units apart from cms, and the lights can be saved correctly.

Light Presets now supports alternative scene unit sizes such as inches.

Tool Enhancement: Sculpting Toolbox
The Sculpting Toolbox has had several small upgrades in this version.

The sculpting toolbox now includes an advanced mode.
We have recently included right-click menus for the Sculpt Knife button with more stamp options.
We’ve added buttons for sculpt-falloff.

*Sculpting Toolbox now with an Advanced mode and more alpha options.*

Shelf Enhancement: Zoo Tools Shelf
To retain the shelf tab position on Maya restarts, the Zoo Tools Pro shelf will maintain its position if rearranged.
Please note that reloading the Zoo via the developer menus will reset the tab and move it to the last position.

*ZooToolsPro shelf now remembers the shelf tab position with Maya restarts.*

Zoo Tools Pro Patch Release: 2.8.0 b (23rd June 2023)
In the 2.8.0b patch release, we’ve fixed a bug where the Hive UI can get stuck going from Controls to Skeleton mode.