Contour Rig Tools is a spline-based rigging system for Autodesk Maya, aimed at animation production and technical directors. Contour joint chains generate splines that function as single deformer influences, which can reduce weight-painting needs. Its volume-aware deformation supports bends and twists and is designed to avoid pinching and candy-wrappering. Contour Bones have length and stretch controls, and bone CVs can become spline control points. Built-in IK includes stretch and anti-IK-pop features; constraints can drive transforms and relationships between Contour chains. A Python API can create, modify, and query Contour nodes using strings, pyNodes, or MObjects. Contour can drive conventional Maya joints for game-engine export. Version 1.0.12.1 supports Maya 2020 through Maya 2026, excluding Maya 2023.0, 2023.1, and 2024.0. Downloads are provided for Windows, Linux, and macOS. Animator Mode is 0.00 USD per free for animating with Contour rigs and adding bone CVs; creating or modifying rigs requires a paid license. Rigger Mode costs 40.00 USD per month billed for twelve months, 45.00 USD per month for six months, or 50.00 USD per month for one month.
Who it is for
Contour Rig Tools suits Maya technical directors and animation production teams creating or modifying character rigs. Animator Mode may suit users who only need to animate with existing Contour rigs and add bone CVs.
What is good
- Spline chains act as single deformer influences.
- Built-in IK includes stretch and anti-IK-pop features.
- Python API can create, modify, and query Contour nodes.
- Can drive conventional Maya joints for game-engine export.
- Animator Mode is free for animating with Contour rigs.
What to know first
- Supports Maya 2020–2026 with three listed version exclusions.
- Creating or modifying rigs requires a paid license.
- Node-locked licenses require internet for activation and intermittent access.
- Maker reports issues with Maya Cached Playback enabled.
Verdict
Contour Rig Tools offers spline-based rigging, deformation controls, IK, constraints, and a Python API for Maya workflows. Animator Mode is free for animation, while rig creation or modification requires a paid Rigger Mode license.
Contour Rig Tools plans and pricing
All plansCompared on 3D rigging software
- Free plan
- Yes
- Paid from
- $40/mo
- Deployment
- host_plugin
- Rig targets
- mixed
- Scripting support
- Yes
- Supported host apps
- Maya
