A plugin that "magnetizes" any subcomponent selection of two objects, making it easy to align them perfectly.

Available videos: Introduction and Version 0.5 updates.

local backup: NormalAlign.xsiaddon

Updated September 2013 »OpenGL Mix 8 colors« is a realtime version of the rendertree node of the same name. This OpenGL realtime shader provides a lot of possibilities for viewport previewing such as: Mix several textures, Paint the influence of your textures in realtime, Visualize several weightmaps, Use the vertexcolors as clusters.

Instructions are included inside the rtcompounds. Video instructions here. Testimonials from the vimeo comment thread:
Working blind for years...this would give new light, »literally« to the artist side of softimage. Hyper good stuff! —Active Motion Pictures
Finally we can see the light :) —Kwesto

local backup: OpenGL Mix8colors-1.05beta.xsirtcompound OpenGL Mix4colors-1.05.xsirtcompound (recommended if no more than 4 colors used) OpenGLMix8colors-1.05.zip (zip w/full readme and compatibility versions)

Dynamically creates menu entries for (non-plugin-structured) scripts found inside a specified folder and runs them on menu selection. A menu entry for the last called script (accelerator key 'R') is created as well as entries for browsing the script folder and for displaying the configuration dialog which lets you set an external editor and the script folder location. The scripts can be edited by ctrl clicking them.

Notes: Some UI items are in Japanese Plugin is from 2010, but verified running in SI2014.

local backup: NRScriptLauncher.xsiaddon

This adds a »scripting property« on an object — coming with a property page with a script text box, a description, a language selector and an execute button. Notes: Some UI items are in Japanese Plugin is from 2010, but verified running in SI2014.

local backup: ScriptingProperty.zip

Cross-application importer/exporter for camera animation data using javascript/python's native JSON format for data exchange.

JSON Cam is a free open-source camera I/O suite. The goal of this effort is to have a spec in an open format that is easy to read/write from any 3D application, while keeping things as lightweight and reliable as possible. Json (a bit like XML) is a very popular file type that is a 1:1 python dictionary. This makes it easy to support, update and add new applications to the list. It also makes it easy to drop into an existing pipeline. Simply create a dictionary that contains the data needed by the spec and save it out to a json (.cam extension) file. That's it. If you have any interest in supporting an application that isn't in the list. Please feel free to fork the repo and send me a pull request.

Currently supported apps are: Softimage Houdini Maya (coming very soon)

All code provided in the JSON Cam repo is provided under the LGPL license.

Video demo available here (archive).

Lets you quickly merge objects while respecting hierarchy and enveloping. Video introduction. Details from the si-community thread (link below):

An update to my old and simple mCombine tool. It merges, reparent, renames, matches center, copy animation, copy envelope, vertex colors, and re-paints weight colors (matching them to their bone color) [..] Custom Preference Menu: You can access this menu through the SI Preferences window, or by pressing ctrl or alt or shift and clicking in "m.Combine Polygons". It now also supports groups, layers and partitions.

You can also use it as a custom command: mCombine ( objects, tolerance, moveCenter, copyAnimation, Gator, ReColor )

Ex: mCombine ( "cube, cube1", 0.1 , true, false, true, true ). It will merge cube with cube1 with a weld tolerance of 0.1, move the center to match cube1 center, it won't copy any animation even if cube1 is animated, it will acquire cube1 properties like envelope and vertex colors through gator and it will re-color points and weight maps to match their deformers wire colors.

local backup: mCombine.xsiaddon

Averages the edge lengths in a selected edgeloop or a closed edgeloop. This is a plugin file; copy it to a Plugins directory of your choice (user, workgroup). It will add a menu entry 'Evenly Spaced Edge' inside the MCP transform menu. Demonstration video available here.

Based on Alan Fregtman's evenCurves.py script which does the same for curves. Loosely related to Andy Nicholas' popular »Taut« plugin.

local backup: mEvenlySpaceEdge.py (copy to a Plugins folder)

This shader applies a blur effect to an image in texture space. Blur filter type (Gauss, ..) and sampling mode (Grid, ..) are configurable, as well as sample count and blur strength.

The following two images point out the difference between image space (as available in Softimage) and texture space (this node) blur: image space vs texture space. Related: Alan Jones' »UVWBlur«.

local backup: mhBlur.xsiaddon

A collection of python/VB helper plugins written/collected by the author back in 2010. It contains:

Align2SC - Like the factory »Match transform« with the additional feature of flipping on the x/y/z axis depending on whether shift/ctrl/mmb is pressed CenterOnSC - Like factory »move center to vertices«, but for edges and polys as well, and matching the local reference frame RandomTransform - apply random S/R/T, similar to the factory R(..) syntax but with UI, remembering values UVFit - fits UVs into default (0,1) space, preserving aspect ratio UVFill - fits UVs into default (0,1) space UV Move and Sew - sort of a "heal edge loop"? idk please submit info UV Straighten Edge - idk please submit info FlattenPolys - Flatten polygons (=scale 0 in local Y) Attach - Quick 1-step merge second selected object into first, keeping all of first's properties, no residuals (see also the m|Combine plugin above) DisplayModes - commands for setting the viewport display modes for hotkey mapping XRay toggle - command for toggling Xray mode for hotkey mapping FixSymmetry - resymmetrizes selected point positions on an object with an existing symmetry map in either direction FlowConnect - similar to »InsertSmoothEdgeloop« that exists in newer versions of Softimage 3/4 point scaling - like 3-point scaling in 'Architectural modeling tools'? idk please submit info Preserve plugin - uses GATOR to preserve mesh properties on a temporary duplicate

local backup: JesterAddon.xsiaddon

Creates and attaches an annotation object to another object which measures and displays its own speed. Features a customizable scale factor and the ability to have several speedometers. See the links below for more information.

local backup: AF_Speedometer.xsiaddon

Purges unused deformers from an envelope. A paste-and-run script from Alan's Gist repository.

local backup: purgeUnused.py

GATOR for multiple objects. A paste-and-run script from Alan's Gist repository.

local backup: gatormulti.py

Evenly distributed points on a Softimage curve. A paste-and-run script from Alan's Gist repository.

local backup: evenCurves.py

XSI Example: Random Component or Object Selections. A paste-and-run script from Alan's Gist repository.

local backup: andomXSISelectionsExample.py

Otoy releases the Softimage plugin for the unbiased GPU render engine »OctaneRender« for purchase. After the initial announcement was posted about a year ago, a lot of work has been put into the current integration by plugin author Stephan Woermann AKA face.

We are proud to announce the release of the long awaited OctaneRender™ for Softimage plug-in, which fully integrates the OctaneRender™ engine into the modelling environment of Softimage, drastically improving the workflow by making the need to export your scene from Softimage to OctaneRender obsolete. OctaneRender™ is currently recognized by many industry professionals and 3D graphic visualization artists as the most advanced and fastest GPU-based physically-based render engine with an advanced and flexible node based workflow and user interface. Now, with our new plugin products, you can have the unparalleled quality and ease of use of the fastest physically-based render engine on the market tightly integrated into your 3D modeling and animation software.

OctaneRender and the plugin are available as a bundle for 379€. A demo is available on the otoy site. Documentation available here. Many more details and videos are available on the forum announcement page linked below.

Updated April 2013 for Softimage 2013 and Linux compatibility. This addon allows to remote connect to Softimage and control it in a similar way to Maya®'s commandPort command. It has been created as a replacement for sIBL_GUI_XSI_Server addon for two main reasons: The fact that sIBL_GUI_XSI_Server was a C# addon needing to be recompiled for each Autodesk® Softimage® version. The need for a generic socket server that could be easily extended and modified because it's written in Python.

Instead of keeping it dedicated to sIBL_GUI, I decided to make it generic so that people can modify and extend it for their own needs.

Source code is available here on github. A fork made by Alan Fregtman from the older 0.1.0 release which makes TCPServer runnable under Linux is available here.

local backup: TCPServer_For_Softimage-0.1.0-alpha.zip (with Linux support for versions < 2013) TCPServer_For_Softimage-0.2.0.zip (> 2013 compatibility)

I just built a Compound shader that extends the current VRayMtl shader with texture inputs and multiplier values for each texture. I reorganized a bit the PPG, due to integrate the texture input ports on bottom of each Tab.

With this compound you can independently manage the color and the texture of each texturable parameter like Diffuse, Reflection, Refraction and so on... as the 3dsmax VRayMtl shader do. On the Compound node I exposed only the texturable ports.

local backup: Loki_VRayMtl.xsirtcompound

Git is a free and open source distributed version control system designed to handle everything from small to very large projects with speed and efficiency. GitForSoftimage brings Git version control features to Softimage projects. [..] It implements Commit history Branching Remotes. If you don't want to continue the 'incremental save' madness, or if you are looking for an easy way to collaborate with others in small projects, give it a try, it's free and open!

Dependencies: Git, PyQtForSoftimage
Installation: Get a pre-packed xsiaddon from here (archive) and drop it on a softimage viewport
or: install/download the package from the Python Package Index (pip install gitforsoftimage). Once it's installed just copy »gitforsoftimage_plugin.py« to a softimage plugin directory.

By the way, if you're not familiar with distributed version control systems there are a few key concepts that must be considered, don't forget to check the documentation.

local backup: GitForSoftimage.xsiaddon

Miquel Campos of TD Survival fame is actively continuing development on Jeremie Passerin's popular modular rigging toolset for his personal work and his work at Shed Montreal. With the original GEAR no longer being in development, GEAR_mc can be viewed as GEAR 2.0 even though today it's officially still a project fork.

GEAR is an open source project to provide a complete and production quality toolset for rigging and animation inside Autodesk® Softimage®. It includes a lot of things to ease the rigging and animation workflows. Anyone should be able to build custom rigs using GEAR. It has been designed to be flexible and relatively easy to use. Even non-riggers can create advanced rigs and animate them easily, but the system is also open to further expansion so TDs can create their own »components« and use them inside of the GEAR Rigging System. Furthermore, everything is accessible through scripting with a complete API to automate as much as possible.

What's new [in GEAR_mc]: New Menu re-arrange New Facial components New options for icon creator Selection sets and poseLib not part of Gear poseLib should work now in Linux (but not tested) Zipper tool for curves New solvers Wireframe color tool Guides support for store wireframe color New commands for inspect Guides PPG and solvers options Command for merge symmetry mapping templates.

Miquel demoing some of the additions to GEAR_mc: Installation (archive) / Icons (archive) / Zipper / Wireframe Colorizer (archive) / Solvers (archive). Original GEAR Videos are available on Jeremie's blog and original GEAR page (archive) as well as on Jeremie's vimeo channel. Note that this plugin includes the »Shed Tools« addon (below).

local backup: GEAR_mc-1.0.15.zip

Contains the »Shed Selection Sets« and »Shed Pose Library« addons. This plugin can be installed as a standalone but is also included in the »GEAR_mc« distribution (above).

»Shed Pose Library« is a simple but versatile tool to manage poses and share them between animators and projects. The poses are stored in XML format, and distributed in two main repositories, one global and another base in the current Softimage database. Once we have the poses stored we can create the Poses Sets. The poses sets are the final interface for the animators and doesn't need to be for only one character. They offer a very simplify interface and allow the exchange between scenes, animators and projects. [..]

»Shed Selection Sets« is a handy tool to manage selection groups. This tool creates groups with a special prefix "selSet_" under the model or scene root if the model is referenced.

Video demos for Pose Library (archive) and Selection Sets. More details on the author's download page linked below.

local backup: Shed_Tools.xsiaddon

This Command mimics the 3ds max Symmetry Modifier. First it creates a Curve Rectangle of the size of the selection BBox, then applies a Slice and a Symmetrize Op to the selected polymeshes and links their Custom Planes to the Rectangle.

The rectangle can now be used to define the symmetry plane. Since the factory Symmetry Op does not have a convenient option to link it's symmetry plane to an object (as the Slice Op does), SCOPs are needed on the Symm Op's Custom Plane's posx, posy, posz, rotx, roty, rotz parameters.

Note: this does not circumvent the problem in Softimage that you cannot work beneath Topology Operators in the Operator Stack and see the end-result live.

Usage: Select one or more object(s) Model > Modify > Poly.Mesh > SliceSymmetrize.

local backup: SliceSymm.xsiaddon (packaged for drag and drop)

Brilliant, isn't it? ;) Can you believe it: Softimage still only has a »Cube« Primitive with just one length parameter.

This command adds an empty Polygon Mesh to the scene and applies the Generator Operator »BoxOp« with parameters Length, Width, Height.

Usage: Get > Primitive > Polygon Mesh > Box

local backup: Box.xsiaddon (packaged for drag and drop)

Dissolves a Model by moving the Model's children out and deleting the remaining empty Model Null.

Usage: Select a Model Model > Modify > Model > DissolveModel

local backup: DissolveModel.xsiaddon (packaged for drag and drop)

Align object(s) to another one by defining source and target plane to match.

Usage: Select one or more objects MCP > Transform > SixPointAlign Pick 3 source and 3 target points.

local backup: SixPointAlign.xsiaddon (packaged for drag and drop)

This Command creates a Grid Primitive for each selected Image Source, with the correct proportions, Constant Shader and Texture Support.

Usage: Drag&Drop Images from Windows Explorer into SI Explorer / Clips / Images, Select Image(s) in the list Create > Primitive > Polygon Mesh > ImagePlane

local backup: ImagePlane.xsiaddon (packaged for drag and drop)