Autodesk has released Maya 2023. Bifrost for Maya gets updated with Bifrost USD, a new system for creating and editing USD assets using the Bifrost graph. It is integrated with USD for Maya which makes it possible to select and edit USD elements directly in the Maya viewport and enables new scene layout workflows.There’s also a new color picker tool, better cloth tearing ability in the MPM solver, and updates to the Aero solver for gaseous fluid simulation.
Another new feature is the Blue Pencil toolset for making 2D annotations in the viewport. It replaces the existing Grease Pencil tool and provides more drawing tools for text and shapes as well as a layer system for annotations. The toolset is aimed at pre-production animation blocking.
Improvements to the modeling workflow includes new marking menus for extrusion and bevel operations. There’s also the option to use single or multiple creator nodes per curve in the Sweep Mesh tool which creates 3D geometry by sweeping a profile curve along a guide curve.
The Boolean modeling tools get updated with a Boolean node which makes it possible for users to create and edit booleans in fewer clicks. A range of new boolean operations are also available, such as Slice, Hole Punch, Cut Out and Split Edges in addition to the existing Difference and Union operations.
With Maya 2023 there’s a full switch to Python and Python 2 mode has been removed entirely. There’s also updates to deformers and improvements to animation performers.
For a full list of what’s new in Maya 2023, visit Autodesk’s dedicated page.
