mGear 5.3.1

Compatibility: Maya 2022 - 2027

Enhancements

• Rigbits: Proxy Slicer — Optimized with OpenMaya2 batch weight queries (5-10x faster on production meshes). Added multi-selection support, proper transform lock handling for skinned meshes, and deformer stack compatibility (works with softMod/cluster after skinCluster).
• Shifter: Guide Template Export — Added progress bar during guide template export showing per-component collection progress. No more frozen Maya while exporting complex rigs.
• Shifter: Extract Controls — Fixed child objects leaking into control buffers and instanced/shared shapes (ghost controls) producing empty buffers. Now correctly extracts only NurbsCurve shapes.
• Utilbits: Matcap Viewer — Persist "Apply to All/Selected" mode setting across sessions. Fixed toggle material losing track of applied meshes when in selection mode.

Bug Fixes

• Maya 2027: Fixed mGearWeightDriver.mll failing to load with "The specified procedure could not be found" (Error 127). Fixes #629

mGear 5.3 Release

We're excited to announce mGear 5.3.0 — our most feature-rich release yet. This update brings eight new tools, Maya 2027 support, and a wave of enhancements that touch every part of the rigging and deformation workflow.

This release also includes features introduced in 5.2.3 that we haven't formally announced, so we're covering everything new since 5.2.1 in this post.

As always, mGear is free and open source.

Maya 2027 and Python 3.13 Support

mGear 5.3.0 ships with full Maya 2027 support. All solvers and C++ acceleration modules have been updated and recompiled for Python 3.13, so you can upgrade to the latest Maya on day one without worrying about framework compatibility. mGear supports Maya 2022 through 2027, so whether you're on the latest version or running a proven pipeline, you're covered.

As part of this effort, we've also removed the legacy Python 2/3 compatibility layer, streamlining the codebase for Python 3.12+ going forward.

Blendshape Transfer Tool

The new Blendshape Setup Transfer tool in Rigbits is designed for one of the most tedious parts of character setup: transferring blendshapes between meshes.

Unlike a simple target copy, this tool handles multiple source meshes, rebuilds combo blendshape networks, and automatically cleans up zero-delta targets — targets that exist but produce no visible deformation. If you've ever spent hours manually reconnecting combo networks after a mesh update, this tool is for you.

SDK Creator

The SDK Creator is a new tool for generating Set Driven Key setups directly from timeline poses. Instead of manually keying SDK values one attribute at a time, you pose your character on the timeline and let the tool build the SDK network for you.

Key features include mirror support for building left/right SDK setups from a single set of poses and a scripting API for integrating SDK creation into automated build pipelines.

Guide Template Manager

Managing guide templates across projects and teams just got much easier. The new Guide Template Manager provides a browsable library of templates with thumbnail previews, support for custom source folders, and drag-and-drop functionality for applying templates to your scene.

This is especially useful for studios that maintain a library of base guides for different character types — bipeds, quadrupeds, creatures — and want a visual, organized way to access them.

Build Log Window

The Shifter Build Log Window replaces the old script editor output with a dedicated Qt-based interface for monitoring rig builds. Logs are color-coded by severity, and you can filter, search, and export log output.

For complex rigs with dozens of components and custom steps, this makes debugging build issues significantly faster. No more scrolling through walls of unformatted text in the script editor.

Wire to Skinning

Introduced in 5.2.3, the Wire to Skinning tool converts wire deformers to skin clusters. This bridges a common workflow gap: wire deformers are great for quick shape exploration, but skin clusters are what you need for a production-ready deformation stack.

The tool comes with a full UI and configuration options. In 5.3.0, we've also added custom wire processing order with drag-and-drop reordering, giving you precise control over how wires are converted.

Evaluation Partition

The Evaluation Partition tool splits meshes into polygon group partitions optimized for Maya's parallel evaluation. On heavy meshes, this can provide a noticeable performance improvement during playback by allowing Maya to evaluate different regions of a mesh concurrently.

Bookmarks Tool

The new Bookmarks tool in Utilbits lets you save and recall selection bookmarks and isolate bookmarks. It's a small addition, but one that saves time on every rig you work with — especially when you're constantly switching between control sets or isolating specific parts of a character during review.

Matcap Viewer

The Matcap Viewer provides a quick viewport material preview using matcap materials. It's useful for evaluating deformation quality without the distraction of full shading or lighting — you can instantly check silhouettes and surface flow on your skinned meshes.

Skin Cluster Localization

A new localize_skin_clusters function in the Core Skin module addresses floating-point precision issues that occur when rigs are positioned far from the world origin. If your pipeline places characters at large world-space offsets (common in open-world and large-environment productions), this function ensures skin weights remain accurate.

Additional Enhancements

Beyond the headline features, 5.3.0 includes several important improvements:

• Float2/Float3 compound attribute support in the Core Attribute module
• New createPlusMinusAverage3D and createBlendWeightedNode utilities in Core Node
• Shifter Data-Centric Folder Creator refactored with live folder preview tree and config export/import
• Auto Fit Guide now includes C++ acceleration, progress bar, skip orientation option, and reference mesh support
• Numerous bug fixes for IK/FK matching, blueprint builds, chain components, and backward compatibility

For the full changelog, see the release log on GitHub.

Get mGear 5.3.0

• Documentation: mgear4.readthedocs.io
• Forum: forum.mgear-framework.com
• Report issues: GitHub Issues

Thank you to everyone who contributed bug reports, feature requests, and code to this release. mGear is built by the community, for the community — and 5.3.0 is a reflection of that.

Happy rigging!

Official Announcement Here ==>> https://mgear-framework.com/mgear-5-2-release/

https://youtu.be/w8PjnhrqHlI

5.2.1

Enhancements

• Shifter: Spring_Gravity_01: General improvements and mirror behavior #581
• Shifter: chain_spring_01: Add mirror behavior #607
• Shifter: EPIC leg and arm 02: Add option to configure swing and twist of the first joint (arm/Thigh) #570
• Shifter: UPV Visualization for Arm/Leg Guides polish implementation #567
• Shifter: Initial refactor to change the settingsUI from QtDesigner to human editable, also now it can be subclassed for component variants
• Shifter: Add cancel build mechanism pressing ESC #606
• Shifter: Update message when component is not found and raise import error
• Shifter: Adding position and point connector to shifter components. Implemented on control_01
• Shifter: Guide settings UPDATE MRO #603
• Rigbits: Eye Rigger: Add option driven offset layers for automation #579
• Rigbits: Eye Rigger: Add option to control vertical offset when simplified #579
• Rigbits: CreateGhostCtl: Ensure visibility attr is also connected on shapes
• Core: Update pickwalk to work on Shifter Guides
• Core: Fix pickwalk to support joints and other type of objects

Bug Fix

• Shifter: control_01 "orientation" connector broken. Fixed by using parentConstraint with skipTranslate #578
• Shifter: 3jnt leg flip on mGear 5.1 #577
• Shifter: EPIC_arm_01: Fix arm joint position offset when moving FK0_ctl control
• Shifter: EPIC_spine_02: Wrong joint orientation when spine is placed horizontal with IK World align setting activated #605
• Compatibility fixes for Python and PySide versions

5.2.0

New Features

• Shifter: Blueprint Guide: New feature for defining standardized rig settings shared across multiple characters with per-section and per-component local override support. Includes Guide Explorer color coding for blueprint status visualization.
• Shifter: Custom Steps UI 2.0: Complete overhaul with drag and drop support, collapsible sections, custom step groups, config IO to JSON, multi-selection support, and improved visual styling #113
• Shifter: Custom Step Templates: Template selection dialog when creating new custom steps with pre-built templates for common tasks (Import Skin Pack, Import Guide Visualizer Config, Import RBF Config, Import SDK Config, Import Eye Rigger Config, Import Channel Master Config, Import Anim Picker)
• Shifter: Guide Explorer: New interface for exploring guides #592
• Shifter: Guide Tools: Initial implementation #588
• Utilbits: xPlorer: New tool with multi-selection, visibility toggle, attribute editor, search functionality, and arrow navigation #602
• Rigbits: Eye Rigger 2.1: Simplified options and miscellaneous improvements #579
• Rigbits: SDK Manager: Independent channel selection for Translate/Rotate/Scale with individual X, Y, Z axis checkboxes #604
• Mocap Tools: HumanIK Mapper: Batch Bake to Timeline button #590

Enhancements

• Core: Icon: Adding Gear and mGear logo curve icons, update control_01 components
• Core: Utils: Added undo off decorator for performance optimization
• Shifter: Build speed optimization
• Shifter: Guide traversal support in core dag and component guide #584
• Shifter: Improving custom steps implementation and new method to run Sub-custom_Steps #601
• Shifter: Adding Duplicate Symmetry Status flag for postDraw method logic
• Shifter: Component creation and rename methods wrapped with single-undo decorator #589
• Shifter: Update Shifter templates menu with better description for UE templates
• Shifter: Update mannequin templates to use only EPIC components #58
• Shifter: lite_chain_01: Adding mirror behavior
• Channel Master: Update UI logic for slider sync behaviour #539 #593
• RBF Manager: Added option to use custom names on RBF setups #595
• RBF Manager: Better naming checker and logic when custom name is cancelled #595
• SDK Manager: Misc fixes and UI updates #587
• SDK Manager: Converted .ui file to pure Python for easier maintenance #604
• SDK Manager: Removed driver restriction - any transform can now be used as driver #604
• SDK Manager: Added documentation #604
• Rigbits: Added comprehensive user documentation for all tools #604
• Animbits: Added user documentation for Cache Manager, HumanIK Mapper, Space Recorder, Spring Manager #604
• PyMaya: node.addAttr return attr correctly
• PyMaya: Attr: added getRange() method
• PyMaya: Node: refactor sets members method to support Pymel like flatten flag query
• Core: Applyop: create_proximity_constraint now returns pyNode not string
• Utilbits: Update menu and adding random colors tool #602
• Allow underscores in rig_name property #558
• Quick function for setting and updating mGear component types #559

Bug Fix

• Core: upv_visualizer: replace floatMath by multiplyDivide (floatMath node from lookDev toolkit not always loaded) #567
• Rigbits: Fix alignToPointsLoop
• Rigbits: Lip rigger autoSkin not working #533 #562
• Rigbits: Fix create_proximity_tweak
• Rigbits: Eye Rigger 2.1: add kwargs for old version config compatibility #579
• Shifter: Fix "Show Settings After Create New Component" checkbox being ignored in PySide6 #583
• Shifter: Fix broken error handling when opening Guide Manager #569
• Shifter: custom_step.py: fix dup method
• Shifter: Skeletal and Geometry root validation added #573
• SDK Manager: Fix issue with unitConversion nodes #587
• SDK Manager: Fix driver_attr_drop_down #587
• SDK Manager: sdk_io fix copySDKsNode #587
• PyMaya: Fix node.py listAttr
• RBF Manager: When driver is used to drive several setups, multiple poses added creating decomposition error on the solver #595
• Core: PickWalk: fix pickwalk up and down for non controls
• Ghost Slider Function erroring out (PyMaya compatibility) #513
• Knee Auto Thickness: Changes rotate order value on readerB to improve stability #529 #564
• Fix an error when generating diamond icon with pos offset #561
• SimpleRig: Fix issue with relatives reversed order at generation time
• Fix type hints #586
• FIX: adding stateChanged connection to import skin checkbox in guide settings #440

Solvers

• Fix memory leak in rollSplineKine: replace dynamic MQuaternion array with local vars #572

ueGear

• UE 5.6 - Metahuman DDC export has new joint naming #536 #568
• Remote Control ObjectPath defaults to 5.5+
• Fix update camera "FBX export" error

RBF MANAGER: IMPORTANT NOTE for mGear 5.1.0:

Removed the original weightDriver from SHAPES. It has been replaced by the mGearWeightDriver fork version. You can still use the original weightDriver, but it now needs to be installed separately.

Watch the quick overview in Youtube:

mGear 5.1.0
ueGear 1.0.4

mGear 5.0 doesn't need Pymel anymore 🥳

5.1.0

Enhancements

• Core: Anim_utils: allow ParentSpaceTransfer to be executed outside anim_picker #552
• Rigbits: RBF Manager v2.1: new solver and misc updates #429 #514 > New documentation and tutorials here: https://mgear4.readthedocs.io/en/master/rigbitsUserDocumentation.html#rbf-manager
• Shifter: EPIC_control_01: add backwards_ref_jnt setting #523
• Shifter: Improve IK/FK matching in arms and leg to support arbitrary length for FK sections and match with IK configuration #501

Bug Fix

• Core: Right click dag menu fails to populate in all controls types #526
• Core: SKIN IO: Rounding issue with 10+ influences #538
• Rigbits: RBF Manager not working correctly with new weightDriver kernel. #514
• Shifter: Behavior on EPIC_spine_02 : controls are rotating in wrong axis when moving IK #510
• Shifter: Color settings aren’t working #511
• Shifter: Core: CustomPickwalk faling if not controls #524
• Shifter: EPIC_spine_02 : (UI bug) slider "Lock Orient Chest" and spin box aren't synced #516
• Shifter: Orientation control and joints issue with chain_02 #509
• Shifter: Rig not deleted when using confirmPop=False in delete_rig_keep_joints() #527
• Shifter: The "Draw Component" in the right-click menu of the Shifter Guide Manager was incorrect when no component was selected. #528

Deprecated

• IMPORTANT: Dropping support for Maya 2020 and older Maya versions.
• IMPORTANT: Remove original weightDriver from SHAPES, been replaced by the mgearWeightDriver fork version. We can still use it on the weight driver but we need to install it separately

ueGear 1.0.4

• Fixed remote control issue for UE 5.4+
• Improved Control Rig build times

IMPORTANT NOTE for mGear 5.0.7:
RBF Manager now uses the latest SHAPES WeightDriver with a new kernel. I've found the old kernel works better for RBF Manager, so I'm working on a custom branch and update to let you choose the solver version. Stay tuned!

mGear 5.0.7
ueGear 1.0.0

mGear 5.0 doesn't need Pymel anymore 🥳

5.0.7

Enhancements

• Adding Maya 2026 OSX solvers (Note: RBF weightDriver not yet available in OSX)
• Flex: Add description in buttons for usage clarity #498
• Shifter: Chain_net_01: blend ui host is using the first FK control #504
• Shifter: Expose ctl name in shoulder components #505
• Shifter:Data Centric folder creator, add support for "," separation on asset section #497

Bug Fix

• Anim_picker: update metahuman picker
• Animbits: HumanIK Mapper Bake not working #507
• Core: Anim_utils: Range Switch doesn't work for switching FK to IK overtime #488
• Core: Anim_Utils: remove getIKPoleVectorMatrices method. We will fall back to the mth node matching. #488
• Core: node.py createMultMatrixNode check if args are str and convert to PyNode
• PyMaya: cmd: Update listRelatives to return the shape of the geometry as parent of MeshEdge, MeshVertex, or MeshFace types # 263
• PyMaya: dag Node shortName now returns shortName. before was returning partilaPathName that can contain more than one "|" separator. #263
• PyMaya: Node child method implemented. #496
• Rigbits: Eye Rigger 2.0, Facial Rigger - no attribute ‘longName’. Adding longName method to MeshFace #506 #263
• Shifter Component Chain_02 rotation issue #478
• Shifter: EPIC leg 3jnt_01 Stretch broken when Full3bonesIK is 0 #479
• Shifter: IKFK match issues with split wrist build in EPIC_arm_02 and arm_2jnt_freeTangent_01 #491
• Shifter: Plebes Constrain to Rig not working #502

Deprecated

• Shifter: Remove MS components #503

IMPORTANT NOTE: mGear5 is not compatible with python 2

IMPORTANT NOTE: Maya 2026 linux solvers are not yet available. Also OSX weight driver is not available.

IMPORTANT NOTE: MacOS Catalina and later has heightened security restrictions on apps and plugins. Run this command in the Terminal, which removes the “quarantine” flag from when it gets downloaded:

sudo xattr -r -d com.apple.quarantine /PATH/TO/THE/MGEAR/SOLVERS/DIRECTORY/

mGear 5.0.6 Beta 6
ueGear 1.0 Beta (Beta only supports UE 5.3)

mGear 5.0 doesn't need Pymel anymore 🥳

5.0.6

Enhancements

• PyMaya: Shifter: Collecting data only when will be stored. Removed the flush undo. Now we can undo rig builds. pymaya: Python wrapper for mGear #263
• Shifter: Adding new Shifter Templates + fix bug on EPIC_met_01 when no control added #306
• Shifter: Allow to connect to a non reset rotation joints. closes #480
• Shifter: Data collector is production ready. Removed "Experimental" in UI #383

Bug Fix

• Adding Maya 2026 windows solvers
• Adjust ihi Behavior Based on Mode Type Instead of Step Type closes #472
• After setting up RBF, the RBF Manager2 window does not open again. fixes #471
• Anim_utils: IK/FK match set key automatically if any related control has already key. Previous fix was for ikFkMatch_with_namespace2, this fix is fro ikFkMatch_with_namespace #445
• Core: Anim_utils: space switch and range switch doesn't support rotation pivot offset Fixes #487
• Core: Dagmenu: add neck ik control map for __switch_parent_callback #487
• CORE: Maya 2026 support to new addDoubleLinear node naming
• EPIC chain IK_FK_01 filing building using mode FK/IK. Fixes #466
• EPIC_meta: fix control Relative relations
• Fixed missing "size" on Guide file builds #486
• Fixed rotation pymel bug, replaced all pymel commands
• PyMaya: fix error catch when name clashing in the guides #263
• PyMaya: fix SoftTweak error catching #263
• Rigbits: ProxySlice: Refactor to maya cmds. fixes #469
• Shifter Component 3jnt legs. Change component internal joint visibility to avoid hiding child components closes #483
• Shifter: Collect data fix WIP. Related with the new Pymaya wrapper and MVector parsing #263
• Shifter: Quadruped leg IK/FK offset bug, IK/FK match menu and misc IK/FK matching .Update EPIC_3jnt_leg and Classic 3_jnt_leg fixes #445
• Skin import issue (skinned NURBS curve) fixes #477
• UI_Slider_01 component fails during installation. fixes #464
• When using anim_utils.IkFkTransfer.execute(), only baking to FK works correctly ( includes possible fix ) fixes #406

IMPORTANT NOTE: MacOS Catalina and later has heightened security restrictions on apps and plugins. Run this command in the Terminal, which removes the “quarantine” flag from when it gets downloaded:

sudo xattr -r -d com.apple.quarantine /PATH/TO/THE/MGEAR/SOLVERS/DIRECTORY/

5.0.5 Beta 5

mGear 5.0 doesn't need Pymel anymore 🥳

Bug Fix

• PyMaya: attr add index method #263
• Anim_utils: IK/FK fix error when not keyframes #445
• PyMaya: implementing pm.select() to support nested lists > This mimics pymel select() and fixed issue with custom pickwalk #263
• Anim_utils: update get_ik_conntorls_by_role #445
• Core: Transform: getTransformLookingAt add support for -x-y axis config
• PyMaya: cmd listrelatives parent return empty list if none. Before was returning a list with an empty string like [""] now returns [] #263

Full Changelog: 5.0.4...5.0.5

IMPORTANT NOTE: MacOS Catalina and later has heightened security restrictions on apps and plugins. Run this command in the Terminal, which removes the “quarantine” flag from when it gets downloaded:

sudo xattr -r -d com.apple.quarantine /PATH/TO/THE/MGEAR/SOLVERS/DIRECTORY/

5.0.4 Beta 4

mGear 5.0 doesn't need Pymel anymore 🥳

Bug Fix

• Anim_utils: IK/FK matching and Range Transfer misc Fixes and enhancements #445
• PyMaya: PyMaya Node return implicit longName #263

IMPORTANT NOTE: MacOS Catalina and later has heightened security restrictions on apps and plugins. Run this command in the Terminal, which removes the “quarantine” flag from when it gets downloaded:

sudo xattr -r -d com.apple.quarantine /PATH/TO/THE/MGEAR/SOLVERS/DIRECTORY/

5.0.3 Beta 03

mGear 5.0 doesn't need Pymel anymore 🥳

Enhancements

• Core: Skin IO: review logic to increase performance closes #456
• PyMaya: cmd update lazy import
• PyMaya: New List relatives implementation using api.OpenMaya #452
• PyMaya: Node get parent and list relatives update #452
• PyMaya: Node.attr: improve implementation to support compound attrs and indexed attrs closes #459
• PyMaya: optimize _obj_to_name and _name_to_obj #263
• SimpleRig: clean up #452
• Vendor plugin: Update SHAPES weightdriver plugin to the latest kernel version: from Maya 2020 to 2025

Bug Fix

• Core: anim_utils: Fix support for _switch space naming. for IK/FK match range #445
• Shifter: Delete Rig + Keep Joints functionality fails fixes #457
• Shifter: Pyside6 update: fix component settings import #409

IMPORTANT NOTE: MacOS Catalina and later has heightened security restrictions on apps and plugins. Run this command in the Terminal, which removes the “quarantine” flag from when it gets downloaded:

sudo xattr -r -d com.apple.quarantine /PATH/TO/THE/MGEAR/SOLVERS/DIRECTORY/

5.0.2 Beta 02

Beta relase for mGear 5.0
This version doesn't need Pymel anymore 🥳

Bug Fix

• Shifter: Handle name clashing when parsing the guide to determine the parent component #454
• Core: Vector: Fix calculate pole vector #455

Full Changelog: 5.0.1...5.0.2

IMPORTANT NOTE: MacOS Catalina and later has heightened security restrictions on apps and plugins. Run this command in the Terminal, which removes the “quarantine” flag from when it gets downloaded:

sudo xattr -r -d com.apple.quarantine /PATH/TO/THE/MGEAR/SOLVERS/DIRECTORY/