My journey with Xgen Started in 2019. As I get more involved with Xgen, I feel there are a lot more that could have been added to this great grooming software. Since then, I have created tools to complement, and hopefully to enhance user experience with Xgen. The following showcase these tools:
These are based off Xgen's Core 'Guide' workflow.
Special Thanks to Alex Segal, Vlad Monachov, Jeremy Books, Stephen Midwinter, Luis Cadavid!
Tools created are:
Maya Curves Tools
1. Curve From Tube/Card Tool
2. Curves From Center Curve Tool (To fill in void zones)
3. Curves Trim from Mesh https://youtu.be/TtzCSu6t0LY
4. Multi Curve Flip Tool https://youtu.be/FH5WY8nVa5c
5. Curve CV Rebuild Tool https://youtu.be/_V9nHZ3vhuk
6. Curve Snap with FallOff https://youtu.be/oBNM9O_xqbs
7. PaintFX to Curves (for creatures) https://youtu.be/tzpJN6dCwEs
8. Curve Manipulator (Clump/Repel Selected Curves, Object mode transform with fall off) https://youtu.be/COl8R1Ar7FU
9. Curve From Path (Easily Create in-between Curves from two side curves) https://youtu.be/pxqGKdusj4I
10. Curve to Proxy https://youtu.be/Yb68vANpSws
11. Curve to Braids https://youtu.be/xOaHZqpkPVc
12. Curve Cut Tool
13. Curve to Curl Tool https://youtu.be/0f2q7q9g_WU
Xgen Related Tools:
1. Guide Toggle All Xgen Description
2. Multi Description Preview %
3. Batch Shading Attribute Removal
4. Global Expression Auto Sort
5. Guide Distance Check (for overlapping guides all at once) https://youtu.be/wpa6KQwHoOs
6. Bake All Clumps https://youtu.be/Z85CX8gkvaA
7. Guide Cut Tool https://youtu.be/wgOO9OOJDk4
8. Xgen Isolator/Ptex viewer https://youtu.be/q4IxC8XLH3o
9. Xgen Guides to Curves Tool https://youtu.be/AgijiDnNikw
10 Xgen Blendshape Tool https://youtu.be/cOUYArycOKk
11. Xgen Ptex Shortcuts https://youtu.be/yzjbVql6lyQ
12. Snap Xgen Guide to Tube/Card (for Daz Studio) https://youtu.be/6u0jVd2s4M8
13. Xgen Modifier Rename https://youtu.be/3sKLX6U532E
14. Xgen Deep Backup https://youtu.be/-YUl2dl5Uqs
If you are interested in this tool kit, please visit:
http://nobraintools.gumroad.com/l/qoHXHg
Below Show cases some of these tools.
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Maya Curve Tools
Curve To Curl
- Similar to braids tool, this tool will make curly curves, with dynamic controls
- Similar to braids tool, this tool will make curly curves, with dynamic controls
Curve To Braids
- convert Maya curve to braids
- dynamic controls
- clean up braid in tubes for extraction using 'Curve From Tubes' tool
- convert Maya curve to braids
- dynamic controls
- clean up braid in tubes for extraction using 'Curve From Tubes' tool
Paint FX to Curves
- A tool to utilize Maya Paint FX, simplified solution to create whole body groom curves.
- A tool to utilize Maya Paint FX, simplified solution to create whole body groom curves.
Curve From Tubes
- extract based on number of edges count on the tube geo.
- extract number of curves based on user input.
- extract from u or v orientation
- extract based on number of edges count on the tube geo.
- extract number of curves based on user input.
- extract from u or v orientation
Curve From Center Curve
- A script that generates curve based on a 'center curve'.
- Select all curves, define curves, create a center curve, and enter a distance. Number of curves will be generated based on the number of defined curves. Distance will be based on the distance entered in % from the center curve to the defined curves.
- A script that generates curve based on a 'center curve'.
- Select all curves, define curves, create a center curve, and enter a distance. Number of curves will be generated based on the number of defined curves. Distance will be based on the distance entered in % from the center curve to the defined curves.
Curves to Proxy Tubes
- Converts Maya curves into proxy tubes.
- Converts Maya curves into proxy tubes.
Curves Manipulator
- some Maya curve utilitiy tools
- some Maya curve utilitiy tools
Curve Trim
- Select all the curves you want to trim, select a mesh. Trim
- Select all the curves you want to trim, select a mesh. Trim
Curve CVs Flipping
- Sometimes we encountered situation where multiple curves direction are flipped. It would be time consuming to select one by one and reverse it.
- Select the 'end' side of your curves cvs, and it will flip all the curves to the right direction.
- Sometimes we encountered situation where multiple curves direction are flipped. It would be time consuming to select one by one and reverse it.
- Select the 'end' side of your curves cvs, and it will flip all the curves to the right direction.
Curve CV Rebuild
- Rebuild all Maya Curve CVs based on distance entered. This is handy for when you have short curves and long curves, and wish to have less cv counts for shorter curves.
- Rebuild all Maya Curve CVs based on distance entered. This is handy for when you have short curves and long curves, and wish to have less cv counts for shorter curves.
XGEN Tools
Guide Snap to Tubes/Cards
- This tool is created for Daz Studio Users
- It can snap guides to guides/curves, individually, or all at once!
- This tool is created for Daz Studio Users
- It can snap guides to guides/curves, individually, or all at once!
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Xgen Utilities
All Guides On/Off Toggle: - Toggle all guides in scene at once Multiple Descriptions Refresh: - Set auto refresh On or Off to all descriptions, so Xgen does not refresh on every attribute update or time line change. - Set primitive preview percentage individually or all at once. Guide Distance Check: - Check and select Xgen guides if they are within the proximity of distance entered. - This allows user to check if there are potential overlapping guides. Custom Shader Parameters Remove: - In order to remove a custom attribute in Xgen, user will have to type in the 'name' and the attribute 'type', then click on the 'minus' sign. This can get very frustrating if multiple attributes are required to be removed. Sorting Global Expression: - If you are using alot of attributes in the global expression tab, this allows sorting of the global expression list alphebetically based on their 'type's (float/color/point/normal/vector) |
Demo Video
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Xgen PtexShortcuts:
- This tool grabs all the ptex maps created in a description and allows quick access to them
- It also allows user to 'import' a texture from external painting software to continue with Maya's 3dPaint function with Xgen. Imported textures will be automatically connected to the proper scalp mesh
- Furthermore, it allows individual or batch 'exporting' of .IFF files into .Tif
- This tool grabs all the ptex maps created in a description and allows quick access to them
- It also allows user to 'import' a texture from external painting software to continue with Maya's 3dPaint function with Xgen. Imported textures will be automatically connected to the proper scalp mesh
- Furthermore, it allows individual or batch 'exporting' of .IFF files into .Tif
Xgen Deep Backup
- When working on an Xgen files, user experienced issues where they can not go back to a 'previous' save. This is because Xgen file is always 'LIVE'.
- This tool is to create a deep backup that allows user to roll back to a previous 'deep back up' files
- When working on an Xgen files, user experienced issues where they can not go back to a 'previous' save. This is because Xgen file is always 'LIVE'.
- This tool is to create a deep backup that allows user to roll back to a previous 'deep back up' files
Xgen Modifier Rename
- Allows renaming of Xgen Modifiers
- Currently restrcited to Clump, Noise and Cut modifiers for safety concerns.
- This is to be used with Xgen Deep Backup tool
- Allows renaming of Xgen Modifiers
- Currently restrcited to Clump, Noise and Cut modifiers for safety concerns.
- This is to be used with Xgen Deep Backup tool
Multiple Clump Bake:
- This tool allows baking of multiple clumping modifiers all at once
- Sometimes, for many reasons, I find myself with multiple clump modifiers. We all know that to add a guide curve, we will have to go into 'each' clump modifier and save the map to update clumping map.
- This tool allows baking of multiple clumping modifiers all at once
- Sometimes, for many reasons, I find myself with multiple clump modifiers. We all know that to add a guide curve, we will have to go into 'each' clump modifier and save the map to update clumping map.
Xgen Guide Cut
- A Xgen Guide Cut tool to trim based off user input %
- A Xgen Guide Cut tool to trim based off user input %
Xgen Hair Isolator / Ptex Viewer
- This is a custom made tool that allows user to:
- Isolate parts of hair, and preview ptex files on Xgen primitive and guides, or, ptex files on the scalp mesh.
- Preview any Ptex Maps on Xgen Guides, Xgen Primitives, and scalp mesh
- This is a custom made tool that allows user to:
- Isolate parts of hair, and preview ptex files on Xgen primitive and guides, or, ptex files on the scalp mesh.
- Preview any Ptex Maps on Xgen Guides, Xgen Primitives, and scalp mesh
Multi Guides to Curves:
1. Convert multiple descriptions to Maya curves all at once for back up purpose.
2. Convert multiple descriptions with dynamic linked curves all at once for animation purpose.
3. Directly export Xgen Descriptions as Maya Curves as FBX files.
1. Convert multiple descriptions to Maya curves all at once for back up purpose.
2. Convert multiple descriptions with dynamic linked curves all at once for animation purpose.
3. Directly export Xgen Descriptions as Maya Curves as FBX files.
Xgen Mesh Transfer with Blendshape
- In the process of grooming, often times we encounter modeling update on underlying geometry, and that could be time consuming and tricky to copy over all Xgen hair to the new model.
- Set both geo into corresponding slot. Blend!
- In the process of grooming, often times we encounter modeling update on underlying geometry, and that could be time consuming and tricky to copy over all Xgen hair to the new model.
- Set both geo into corresponding slot. Blend!
If you are interested in these tools, please visit for more details:
http://nobraintools.gumroad.com/l/qoHXHg
