Maya zPipeMaker Script
polycounter lvl 12
To download or buy click here!
Finally Got it all setup. Ended up just doing a buy it now button that links with mailchimp to auto-respond to buyers emails. The price is $10.00 for the advanced version and the simple version is free! Main reason for not going with creative crash is because creative-crash takes 45%and has a minimum selling price of $20.00. At that point it wouldn't even be worth the price increase for anybody. It would just be making you guys spend more money for no reason. Anyhow Enjoy all the videos and happy pipegasm!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9kyQCIyOV8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4Gjpz40W34HOW TO INSTALL ----
Move the script to the documents/maya/scripts folder
Copy and Paste this section of code to run. Make sure you set it to python.
import zPipeMaker
reload(zPipeMaker)
zPipeMaker.gui()
If you are using the simple version of the script use. import zPipeMakerSimple
reload(zPipeMakerSimple)
zPipeMakerSimple.gui()
Things in the works eventually.
1. Split pipe option.
2. Independent radius controls.
3. T-Intersections
4. Entire "rig-based" system with control curves instead of sliders.
5. Convert to Curve then back to bend deformers. (This one would just be terrifyingly powerful)
Thanks to everyone who downloads the basic version and purchases the advanced version.
Replies
[ame="
Shouldn't be too bad I don't think.
Thanks!! I anticipate the script being finished this weekend and up on creative crash.
Wootsicles!
digital 12-er donated yer direction, Chris!
thanks for sharing this time-saver, dood!
I am so close to Version 2.0 I can taste it! Just a couple more additions/fixes and it will be ready to go!
SO here is the update notes for V1.8
1. Converted Twist, Curve Optimization, Curve Update, Length, and Scale all over to expression based logic
2. Removed Auto Update as it is not needed anymore because the script just does the updating smoothly now.
3. Fixed a few bugs in maya 2014
4. Fixed upAxis so that you can now use the script in Y and Z up axis. (if you are making a custom mesh in Z, then model up the z Axis etc.)
5. Fixed objects not being replaced correctly on custom meshes below the origin.
6. Added auto optimization attributes to each bend pipe, to change them turn the checkbox either on or off for the control pipe and hit optimize all pipes.
The coolest one by far is the first one. Since all of the logic is pretty much expression based, you don't need to wait for the script to update anything when editing the sliders. This also sets it up for the future to have nurbs controllers so that you won't even need to use the sliders.
Here is a gif showing everything just... working (: No seams.. nice and smooth!
Thanks again to anyone who donates and to anyone who gives feedback! Very much appreciated!
edit: Actually.. the problem is bigger than I thought. My hack breaks everything else. I am working on the fix on the new update, but it will be awhile. Thanks for bringing this issue to light! (:
As for the new update! What I am working on right now is testing.. testing.. testing.. and more testing.
SOO MANNY FREAKIN PIPES :poly142:
@Joopson: Much appreciated!
@Passerby thanks for replying to this.. seems like polycount didn't send me an email notification of the reply or I missed it.
Thanks again for all the support everyone!
Thanks Much appreciated! I am aiming to get it all up on creative crash by the end of tomorrow. Maybe earlier.
[ame="
[ame="
- Make a pipe segment and snap a new one to the end of the first one.
- Edit any pipe's control in the chain of pipes.
- Adjustable Real-Time Controls for (Subdivision Axis, Sub Height, Width, Curve length,Curve Scale, Curve Amount, and Rotation).
- Automatic Minimal Twist to account for any rotation for smooth edge-flow and perfect uncut pipes.
- Automatic Optimization for the whole pipe or single pipe segments based off of a threshold, curve amount, and scale.
- Quick Settings to speed up the creation of pipes.
- Customizable Quick Settings Values
- Automatic Merging of verts, deleting caps, and final nice and clean UVs for the finished pipe.
- Remember Rotation value when making new pipes
- Duplicate Pipe Chains
- Multi Connect Control and Add
zPipeMakerV2.0 Features: Advanced
- Swap out zPipes for Custom Meshes
- Update custom pipes without having to re-replace them.
- Custom Mesh List Editor
- Select applied custom meshes
- Auto Optimize Custom meshes based off of polySplitRings in their history
Lastly.. does anyone know how to close a poll?
I'm all piped out now.. I'm going to bed.
@ Beefaroni: (: Many thanks! I hope you find them useful!
Does anybody know how to close a poll? Or is my poll just kinda stuck on permanently?
The email sends out anytime within an hour after the purchase. You should be redirected to a download link page so you don't have to wait for the email which is the part that seems to be broken.
Thanks! Much Appreciated!
Thanks for a great affordable tool!
Just an FYI to anyone interested. There are 2 bugs in the release version that have been discovered.
1. When working in small scales, the custom pipes replaced are super thin. You can get around it for now by just increasing the width to be ginormous, but I am working on a fix that allows you to customize the scale of the new pipes you generate without having to scale the group node every time.
2. The width was converted back to int values by accident which makes it tough to get the exact value you want. As soon as I get a fix in I'll send an email out to anyone who has purchased the script.
Thanks for your patience if these bugs affect you.
When I finish my pipe, UV's look like this:
known issue?
Love the script.
Nice work, I've bought the advanced version and am having some fun with it
Keep up the great work! (Thanks for the dupe along curve script too, super useful).
The scale has been fixed for both the advanced and simple version.
BIG NOTE ON CUSTOM MESHES WITH THE NEW STARTER PIPE SCALE.
Under settings you now see.
Model your custom pipes to be relative to the same size as your starter pipes. It is now based off of the radius being 1 instead of 20. So if you make a pipe and you want the replaced pipe to be the same width as your custom pipe set the radius to 1. Any old pipes can be fixed by duplicating them with the new starter pipe values. You may see your older pipes become either super huge or super small. That is ok just make sure to set the radius to 1 and go from there.
Update Details.
V2.1.1
1. Fixed a minor bug where start pipe sub axis was being reset to default on script load.
V2.1
1. Fixed Major scale issues with the script and focused it on actual values that pertain to mayas original grid settings. Now the original pipe is smaller and easier to change.
2. Changed width to radius
3. Added Settings for starter pipe scale, sub axis, sub height, and width. (Your custom mesh should be modeled based off of this starter pipe.)
4. Completely rewrote the config code to be adaptive for newer versions of the script. Now you shouldn't have to delete the config for every new version.
5. Fixed Width being an int instead of a float.
As for the earlier posts.
@AirDrummer: That is very odd. could you pm me please with updates as to if you already fixed this problem? I can't remember if we did or not.
@Aerashi. This update should do the trick. Also glad you like my dup script as well.
Thanks for the support everyone and I was happy to see the amount of people who bought the advanced version. Very awesome! Keeps me motivated to do more things!
Purchase zPipeMaker Advanced V2.11 here (Future Updates are Included)
-front and back twist controls.
-Flare deformer integration,
-different widths per pipe piece(This would pair up with the flare)
-automatic cap placement,
-intersection pieces.
Annnd thats all I have. If I forgot something that you already said please yell at me. (:
Thanks!
Really looking forward to using this script and stop sweating about pipes, wires and maybe even dem Trees that can be such a pain.
Here's the error maya throws when I try to run the installation scripts:
# Error: line 1: ImportError: file <maya console> line 1: No module named zPipeMaker #
Any thoughts?
Thanks.
http://kirijiri-howto.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/import-script.html
I had to modify the python directory on OSX to get make sure maya could find the script
Dexyn, did you ever get the script? If not please send me an email to that address above.
thanks for your hard work, dude!!!
I recently found out about your script and love what I saw from the video, I tried to use the free version before I buy the advanced version, but I'm running into a problem running it. I followed the directions from the file and the original post, but I keep running into this error,
# Error: ImportError: No module named zPipeMaker #
I have the script in the right folder, but it's not reading it. I have scripts that are .pyc format and they work, but for some reason it's not reading .py.
The Simple Version of the script uses the command.
It is located in the instructions included with the download, but I'll go ahead and put it on the front page of this thread as well.
reload() when not needed just adds to startup time of the script.