Something really cool I just found out about this. Every model and rig is free with the purchase of the dvd. So if you like the characters, or simply need a set for your next demo reel, they are free to use under the creative commons license. Blender is also a free 3D app for those who don’t know yet.
Because it is creative commons it is legal to distribute this but because they need funding it is recommended that you buy the dvd. I mean we of all people should know what it’s like to have our work under appreciated.
Here are a list of rigs for Maya that I find well made and appealing. There are many others at the site HighEnd3d that can be used, but these are the ones that I think are the best and I’d end up using if needed.
CHARACTER ANIMATION
LowMax - I think this is possible the best one out there currently.Very Minimal in appearance but the appeal is still very high. It is a very versitile rig.
Alfred - Another popular rig. While there is no facial rig for him, there are blendshapes based in the channel box. Another versatile appealing character.
Alfred MooM - This rig was nice but not a good finishing piece. But recently It has been updated and is no longer just geo shapes an has a skinned body. I’ve yet to use this version but from the images and what I’ve seen with the prior version this rig is great for exaggerated cartoony goodness.
Bloke - This rig is used quite frequently but has been updated recently. The appeal and shape of the character has improved from what I can see from the images and should hold up as a good rig.
Andy - This is a pretty neat rig. I do find the design a little limiting as it resembles a particular character type. So it’s harder to achieve the suspension of disbelief is say you wanted to animate an old man. But the boy or girl option enables a good variety for interactive acting.
Sam - This rig is a well made rig with nice expressive facial controls. The main thing I find about the rig though is the face isn’t very appealing and there is no option to have a smooth mesh skin. You are stuck with the geometry shapes for a body. While the shapes are nicely formed it would still be nice to have a skinned body.
Package Man, Low Man and Generi - These are the classic workhorses. They are very functional rigs but I tend to find them unappealing or very niche oriented. Package man is the most appealing of the group but I find his model distracts some from the animation. It is well made but it is a permanent gag. Which to me can be distracting. LowMan is another good rig, but like the Sam rig is only Geometrical shapes. He does have some mild mouth deformation issues but over all it is a solid rig. Generi is another good rig but I find his design not very appealing. But it is good enough to get my blessing though.
Ollie - This is a rig loosely based on the animation mentor rig. The one thing that is cool about this rig is it has a complete GUI with some premade facial shapes and hand shapes, with the face rigged so you can tweak and layer the facial animation on top.
Blue Guy - This is a very nice rig for just body mechanics. He does have eyes and brows but he lacks the mouth for lip synch. But he is a nice rig to use for action and acting. An appealing character design.
Blik and Blok - These are two geo characters with absolutely no faces. They are straight geo but their contrasting sizes make them perfect for mechanic acting. Pantomiming scenes together without words. They are made by the same guy who made Bloke. So if you like the Bloke rig I’m sure you’ll like these too.
Great Dane - This rig, while I haven’t used it, is a great rig. It is a very appealing and very functional rig. If you want to do a quadroped animation this is a good option for you to use.
