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Maya 2020 | Proximity Pin
Will Telford introduces the Proximity Pin node in Maya 2020, which tracks a transform to the closest point on a deforming surface to support facial rigging and secondary attachment workflows.
Abstract
This Autodesk demo introduces the Proximity Pin node in Maya 2020, which tracks a transform to the closest point on a deforming surface and, unlike UV pin, does not require binding in the rest pose because the pin node is aware of the original geometry. Using an animated character with a run cycle, the presenter pins a locator to the knee, then slides the rest relationship up the thigh or down the shin and scrubs independent translation and orientation offsets between zero and one to maintain distance or alignment through the deforming range. It also shows feeding multiple locator inputs into a single shared proximity pin node so that offset settings apply to all outputs simultaneously.
How to read this
- Category
- Production talk / tool demo (Maya 2020 Proximity Pin node)
- Contributions
- Introduces the Proximity Pin node that tracks a transform to the closest point on a deforming surface without needing a rest-pose bind, since it is aware of the original geometry
- Demonstrates sliding the rest relationship along a limb and scrubbing independent translation/orientation offsets to maintain distance or alignment through deformation
- Shows feeding multiple locator inputs into one shared pin node so offset settings apply to all outputs at once
- Context
- A rigging-tool companion to Maya's proximity-based deformation features, presented alongside the 'Maya 2020 Proximity Wrap Deformer' (2019) for facial rigging and secondary attachment workflows.Builds on: Maya 2020 | Proximity Wrap Deformer
- Correctness
- Vendor demo, not peer-reviewed; behavior is product-proven but tied to Maya 2020 node semantics, and closest-point tracking assumes well-behaved surface geometry where the nearest point stays meaningful through deformation.
- Clarity
- Very accessible and concrete; a single watch conveys what the node does and how it differs from UV pin.
- How to read it
- Watch once to learn when to reach for Proximity Pin over UV pin; revisit only the offset-scrubbing and multi-locator portions when wiring it into a specific rig.
Builds on
Built upon by
Nothing yet.
Related work
- Group Based Rigging of Realistically Feathered Wings 2011 / Thesis
- Sparse Rig Parameter Optimization for Character Animation 2017 / TOG
- ChopRig System 2018 / Medium
- Maya 2017 Update 3: Tension Deformer and Bake Deformer Tool 2017 / Maya
Keywords
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