By avoiding heavy custom plug-ins or unstable deformers, the rigs maintain high viewport frame rates (FPS) even on older hardware or complex scenes.
The Gumroad Body Mechanics Rigs Mega Pack 11, created by Joe Daniels, is a comprehensive collection of body mechanics rigs designed for animators and studios. This pack is specifically tailored for Autodesk Maya 2014 and is compatible with the AnimSchool Picker. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the pack, its features, and its applications in the field of animation.
The pack includes a specialized picker file to streamline selecting controls. Install the Tool : Download the AnimSchool Picker from their official site if you don't already have it. Load the File : Open the picker UI in Maya and load the file included in the rig download. Map to Rigs : To use the picker with a specific character, change the
| Rig Name | Best For | Unique Feature | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | The star of the pack; a human male. | Full facial rig, stretchy limbs, ultra-responsive torso. | | Morf | A shapeshifting blob/biped. | Abstract body mechanics; excellent for weight shifts. | | Squirrely | Quadruped/quirky biped. | Cartoon squash & stretch; great for acting out, "squirrelly" movements. | | Simple Bot | Rigid mechanical movement. | Perfect for learning timing vs. spacing (no deformers). | | The Weightlifter | Heavy lifting & strength tests. | Built-in muscle jiggle and delayed mass. | By avoiding heavy custom plug-ins or unstable deformers,
: Includes various body shapes and sizes (like characters named Casey, Dex, Ellie, Fred, Herc, Jack, Jill, and JJ) to help animators understand how weight shifts differently across various builds.
Created by veteran animator and rigger Joe Daniels, this package is a curated suite of character rigs optimized specifically for body mechanics. Instead of focusing on high-poly visual designs, these rigs prioritize performance, clear silhouettes, and anatomical flexibility. They allow students and professionals alike to focus entirely on weight, timing, and spacing without the distraction of heavy rendering overhead. Key Features of the Rig Pack
The by Joe Daniels is a gold standard for animation students and professionals. This pack offers a diverse cast of characters designed specifically to help you master weight, balance, and physical action. Key Features The aim of this paper is to provide
Clear arcs and silhouettes during parkour, flips, and acrobatics.
If you are looking to elevate your portfolio, investing in a robust, dependable set of rigs is one of the most effective steps you can take. Joe Daniels' Mega Pack 11 provides the exact flexibility and technical reliability required to build a competitive, industry-ready animation reel. Share public link
The rigs are compatible with .
Many rigs in the pack come with pre-configured AnimSchool Picker layouts, significantly increasing speed and efficiency by allowing animators to select controls instantly.
To achieve a snappy, cartoony appeal or to exaggerate a hard impact, the limbs come equipped with intuitive "bendy" controls. These allow you to bow the geometry to maintain beautiful arcs without breaking the underlying joint structure. Built-in squash and stretch on the spine and limbs help emphasize extreme force and velocity. Clean Deformations
Fix: Turn off "Tangents" in the viewport (Viewport 2.0 > Renderer > Legacy Viewport). Also, hide the mesh controls (Ctrl+H) when you are only animating the torso. Load the File : Open the picker UI
Joe Daniels specifically designed this pack with education in mind. Instructors looking to purchase the pack for a classroom can select the option on Gumroad, which allows for multiple seats. The pack comes with a single-user license agreement, but educational volume options are available upon purchase.
: Every rig in the pack comes with an AnimSchool Picker file. This makes selecting controls significantly faster. You can easily map the picker to any of the rigs by simply changing the namespace within the picker UI.