Autodesk has announced the release of MotionBuilder 2025. One of the significant updates is the introduction of a USD Plug-in that supports loading, displaying, and interacting with static OpenUSD Stages. This addition allows animators to animate in context without the need to import large scenes, providing scripters the ability to interact with the stage via Python.
A new feature enables the locking of Global/Take time marks, preventing accidental timeline alterations. The time mark locking mechanism is accessible through a redesigned timeline contextual menu or by double-clicking on the time mark, which opens up a dialog for locking. A visual indicator, a lock icon, appears next to locked time marks, though they remain movable via the SDK.
To improve workflow efficiency, new shortcut keys have been introduced for changing the current take and for the File > Save As operation. The Navigator now supports the ‘Delete’ key, allowing for easier content management. Additionally, a new “Mute All” button in message boxes helps streamline loading processes by muting all similar alerts for a scene being loaded.
For working with multiple selected clips within the Story Tool, users can now stretch them simultaneously in Loop mode. The system has been optimized to handle scenarios where MotionBuilder attempts to connect to a Perforce server, with a new message box providing feedback on connection issues. A property to suppress warnings about misaligned joints in the Spline IK constraint and improvements in copying Python code to external applications have also been introduced.
A new preference setting, “Strict File Conformity Checks,” has been added to address data inconsistencies during file loading, enhancing stability and data integrity. This setting prompts a message dialog if data inconsistency is detected after loading an FBX file. Furthermore, the introduction of a new environment variable and the pyfbstandalone module aims to improve the initialization process for MotionBuilder in scripting environments. Finally, the update includes a new Python sample script, demonstrating how to transfer local rotation properties to pre-rotation properties to freeze the local rotation of objects.
For more detailed information on these updates and more, visit the MotionBuilder documentation page.
