Animating secondary motion—tails, cloth, ponytails, antennae—has long been a tedium familiar to anyone wielding Maya’s animation toolkit. Enter PuppetSoul’s new, free add-on, PUPbuildDynamic, which automates these overlapping motions on joint chains with as much control as animators demand. Created by Cédric Nicolas and released by Soul of Puppet, PUPbuildDynamic is compatible with Maya 2023, 2024, and 2025, with special support for 2025 via a custom compiled node.
Two Flavors: All Maya, or With a Bit of Binary
PUPbuildDynamic comes in two configurations. The “Muppic” version relies solely on standard Maya nodes, making it cross-compatible and robust on any supported Maya version—ideal for users who prefer to avoid plugins.
For those seeking advanced dynamics, the compiled PUPdynaNode unlocks features like collision detection, wind, support for non-standard playback rates (such as 12fps, for all you stop-motion fans), and faster simulation. The node is available free and, according to the developer, works best on Maya 2025.
Animator Control Without FX Overhead
The plug-in’s controls are aimed squarely at animators, not FX artists. Users can adjust stiffness, damping, and mass per joint chain directly from the familiar Maya interface. Collisions, wind, and gravity are handled by the plugin if the compiled node is present, all without stepping outside the classic rig-animate workflow. There’s no need to bake, re-target, or invent workarounds: just assign, tweak, and preview in real-time.
Feature Film Pedigree, Without the Feature Film Price
This isn’t hobbyware. PuppetSoul’s dynamic system descends from tools already deployed on features like Richard the Stork 2. What’s new is its release as a standalone, cost-free download for anyone with a current Maya license. PuppetSoul’s full, commercial toolkit remains available on request for productions needing even deeper rigging integration, but the add-on gives the essentials away for nothing.
Easy Download, Easy Install
The plugin, documentation, and example rigs are provided via the official download page, with clear instructions for both “Muppic” (node-free) and “PUPdynaNode” (plugin) versions. No online registration or personal data harvesting is required; just click, install, and go. If you’re a stickler for stability, stick to the all-Maya node version; if you want physics and performance, try the compiled node.
License, Support, and the Usual Caveats
PUPbuildDynamic is free for use with no visible licensing traps or watermarking. Support, as is often the case with free tools, comes via the Tech-Artists.org thread and a contact link on the PuppetSoul site. The author encourages users to provide feedback and report bugs—this is a tool made by production artists, for production artists.
Closing Note
Automating secondary motion with real-time, tweakable parameters—without reaching for a full FX setup—should appeal to anyone tired of keyframe jiggling or endless corrective animation. As always, test in your own pipeline before greenlighting for hero shots.
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