Make Animating With Layers More Intuitive Using This Maya Tool
LayerSeer is available for a one-time purchase and includes a free 30-day trial.
Matthew Lee, currently a Senior Animation Technical Director at Wētā FX, has launched a Maya plug-in that lets you see how different animation layers affect your character right in the viewport. He originally built the tool for himself years ago while working with complex layer setups and wanting an easier way to see what each layer was doing.
LayerSeer comes with three features: LayerLens, LayerArc, and LayerGhost. LayerLens is a custom viewport isolation mode that shows only the objects in the active animation layer. LayerArc draws a motion arc in the viewport to show how the active animation layer affects an object's movement. It's cached, so it doesn't slow down playback. LayerGhost lets you preview what would happen if you muted or unmuted a layer, without actually changing it. This makes it easier to see how much a layer contributes to the character's pose and motion.
LayerSeer is available for Maya 2024-2027 on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It's a one-time purchase with no subscription, and it comes in Personal and Pro licenses for non-commercial and commercial use. If you're not sure whether the plug-in is right for you, you can try it free for 30 days.
For the v1.0.0 launch, you can also get 20% off with the code LAYERLAUNCH. Learn more about LayerSeer here.
If you animate in Maya, check out KeyFlow and Animo, two free tools designed to make everyday animation tasks faster and easier.
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