SMPL_maya_plugin: A Python repository from Meshcapade

More information about the SMPL model research project is available here http://smpl.is.tue.mpg For SMPL Model commercial use options, please visit https://meshcapade.com/infopages/licensing.html For comments or questions, please email us at: support@meshcapade.com

Installation:

1. Load the SMPL Pose-Correctives driver node

First we want to load the mde_py_poseblends_driver plugin into Maya. This will enable the automatic SMPL posecorrectives node in Maya.

Got to: Windows -> Settings/Preferences -> Plug-in Manager. This starts the "Plug-in Manager UI".
Click the "Browse" button in the bottom Lf corner of the "Plug-in Manager" UI.
Browse to the file: mde_py_poseblends_driver/mde_py_poseblends_driver.py. Click Open.

Now you should have the mde_py_poseblends_driver.py appearing in the list of loaded plug-ins in your Plug-in Manager window.

2. Load SMPL_maya_plugin

Got to: Windows -> Settings/Preferences -> Plug-in Manager. This starts the "Plug-in Manager UI".
Click the "Browse" button in the bottom Lf corner of the "Plug-in Manager" UI.
Browse to the file: SMPL_maya_plugin.py. Click Open.

This should open up the "SMPL Rigging and Pose Corrections Toolbox" window in your Maya program.

Instructions to edit environment variables so Maya can find the plugin upon starting: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2022/ENU/Maya-Customizing/files/GUID-FA51BD26-86F3-4F41-9486-2C3CF52B9E17-htm.html

Sample FBX files for use with this script:

This script allows you to manually edit SMPL Model animations inside Maya. You can download some FBX files for SMPL, SMPLH and SMPLX to use with this script at: SMPL FBX Samples

Current versions supported:

Maya 2023+

About the Script:

The script displays a UI to apply the pose-corrective blendshapes for SMPL, SMPLH, SMPLX and STAR models in Maya. Load this plugin into Maya. It will create a window with 3 options:

1- Apply Pose Blend Shapes to Current Frame: If you repose the model in Maya, then click this to compute and apply the pose blend shapes in the current frame. You can also choose whether or not to set the keyframes for the pose blendshapes. Check the 'Reset Keyframes' checkbox if you would like to lock blendShape values at given frame by setting a keyframe.

2- Apply Pose Blend Shapes to Frames in above Range: Specify a range of frames in an animation and then compute/apply the pose blendshapes for all the frames in range. Check the 'Reset Keyframes' checkbox if you would like to lock blendShape values at given frame range by setting a keyframe at each frame in the given range.

3- Make Pose Blend Shapes fire interactively: Click this button to turn on automatic pose-correctives for any SMPL(-/H/X) or STAR rigged mesh. Once this is set to ON, then any time you repose the SMPL model, the pose-correctives will automatically be applied to the mesh.