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October 17, 2013

poWaKeys for Maya


Having been a professional 3D modeler since 1991*, I've learned how important it is to have a fast and fluid shortcut setup. Also being a designer (which includes usability and ergonomic factors), along the years I've developed my own input system, which I now adapt to all 3D applications that I use which allow this kind of customization. Until Maya 2013 my implementation of the system was limited to what the software allowed, since it still lacked many key functions I've grown used to in Modo and Lightwave. Thanks to Maya 2014 adoption of the excellent Nex plugin - rebranded to Modeling Toolkit - I felt it was time to wrap it all up in a full new implementation of this input model, which I call poWaKeys. Besides simply remapping shortcuts, PoWaKeys also include simple yet powerful Mel scripts of my own authorship, which make using Maya for modeling and Animation as easy and swift as possible.

All shortcuts are described in the package's included readme.txt, divided in functionality sections. Third party freeware Mel script authors are also properly credited, just bear in mind that most included versions are modified or extended for poWaKeys usage.

Of course this would amount to nothing if you couldn't see it in action to learn its actual workflow, so I've put up a video tutorial on it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGF1_pCDimU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTKrOOULqmc

Even if you don't want to use poWaKeys because you're so used to your own setup, the video is also a nice tutorial on Modeling Toolkit itself, if you want to learn about it.

Enjoy, it's 100% freeware! If you find it useful, I'd love to hear what you've been using it on. Reach me on twitter: @brenoazevedo

Download Link

* I say in the video I've been on it for 14 years. I lie, it's 22 years actually. Ahem.