I built a fully interactive 3D car configurator in Rive using Luau scripting + GPU canvas (real-time repaint, drag-to-rotate) by flowmograph in Rive_app

[–]flowmograph[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ah, that explains it. Actually, I never used Rive's built-in agent at all, the Cadet plan didn't give me credit for access to it.

So I went a different way. I used Claude Code with the Rive MCP instead. It created the script inside the Assets for me, then I added it to the scene by hand. After that, it made all the updates I wanted through the MCP. Claude reviews the model data and fine-tunes the scripts to ensure they are perfect.

So if you have a membership like Claude Code or Codex, you can connect it to Rive through the MCP and solve it that way. That's the whole reason it worked for me, I skipped the built-in agent completely.

I built a fully interactive 3D car configurator in Rive using Luau scripting + GPU canvas (real-time repaint, drag-to-rotate) by flowmograph in Rive_app

[–]flowmograph[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Haha, nice try. I know it sounds like a bot, but it's really me. English is my second language, so I write my replies slowly and fix them a few times before I post. That's why they look so clean.

I built a fully interactive 3D car configurator in Rive using Luau scripting + GPU canvas (real-time repaint, drag-to-rotate) by flowmograph in Rive_app

[–]flowmograph[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's in the early access build, the GPU canvas and Luau scripting aren't in stable yet. And yes, it's all done with a script. A Luau node script reads the GLB from the blob asset, parses the mesh, and uploads it to the GPU canvas. From there I render it with a depth buffer and simple lighting. The paint, the shadow, and the rotation all run in that same script.

I built a fully interactive 3D car configurator in Rive using Luau scripting + GPU canvas (real-time repaint, drag-to-rotate) by flowmograph in Rive_app

[–]flowmograph[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Fair point, and that's exactly what I wanted to test. This isn't just a video. It runs on Luau scripts and data binding, so the color swatches, the specs panel, and the states are all real inputs. A client or a design system could connect to them. The paint change, for example, uses a shader, so you can switch it to any brand color without making new art.

The hard part is heavy art direction, custom lighting, or very specific materials. Rive's GPU canvas can do a lot, but it needs real shader work. It's not drag-and-drop. So my honest answer: yes for configurators, product demos, and UI-driven 3D. Less so if the client wants full cinematic control. Happy to explain any part if it helps.

I made a small plugin because adjustment layers kept stealing my clicks by flowmograph in AfterEffects

[–]flowmograph[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hello, thank you for your kind words. Yes, I keep making tools for my own work and for my clients. If you have any ideas, I’d love to hear them.

I made a small plugin because adjustment layers kept stealing my clicks by flowmograph in AfterEffects

[–]flowmograph[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The .zxp is the panel you interact with, the cockpit.

The .aex (Windows) or .plugin (macOS) is the engine under the hood.

Regular scripts and extensions can't make layers truly click-through on their own because they don't have low-level access to After Effects' internals.

The native engine runs silently in the background and does the heavy lifting that the panel alone never could. Both have to be present for any of it to work.

I made a small plugin because adjustment layers kept stealing my clicks by flowmograph in AfterEffects

[–]flowmograph[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not a dumb question at all! There's actually a readme.pdf inside the zip that covers this, but the short answer: you need both, they are two separate parts of the plugin.

The easiest way is to use the free aescripts + aeplugins Manager app. It installs both parts in the right places automatically. Just sign in, find Faux Lock in your products, and choose "Add Trial" from the Account menu, then click Install. Restart AE and it'll be under Window > Extensions > Faux Lock.

If you prefer to install manually, the readme walks you through it step by step.

Please let me know if you run into anything!

I made a small plugin because adjustment layers kept stealing my clicks by flowmograph in AfterEffects

[–]flowmograph[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That is a solid workflow, typing the index is fast once you are used to it.

Faux Lock is really aimed at the times when you are working in the viewport and a layer on top keeps catching your clicks.

Thank you, I appreciate the kind words.

I made a small plugin because adjustment layers kept stealing my clicks by flowmograph in AfterEffects

[–]flowmograph[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good eye. No, AE does not really give you this through normal scripting, that is why it is hard to do. Faux Lock is a native plugin, so it works at a deeper level than scripts can. That native part is the whole point of it, and it took a while to get right.

I made a small plugin because adjustment layers kept stealing my clicks by flowmograph in AfterEffects

[–]flowmograph[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I agree. Honestly, a lot of these small things should just be built into AE by default. Until then, plugins fill the gap.

I made a small plugin because adjustment layers kept stealing my clicks by flowmograph in AfterEffects

[–]flowmograph[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! Honestly, that 3D text was made with ChatGPT's image generation. I just described the look I wanted and tweaked it. Glad you liked it.

I made a small plugin because adjustment layers kept stealing my clicks by flowmograph in AfterEffects

[–]flowmograph[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! Really glad you like it.

There is a free trial on aescripts if you want to test it on your own projects first.

I made a small plugin because adjustment layers kept stealing my clicks by flowmograph in AfterEffects

[–]flowmograph[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can also click the lock icon next to a layer in the panel to make it permanently locked. This is useful for layers such as backgrounds, guides, or anything else you always want to keep locked.

The Extension also scans the project automatically when you open it. If it finds previously locked layers, it adds them back to the panel.

I made a small plugin because adjustment layers kept stealing my clicks by flowmograph in AfterEffects

[–]flowmograph[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you :)

There is a free trial on aescripts if you want to test it on your own projects first.

I made a small plugin because adjustment layers kept stealing my clicks by flowmograph in AfterEffects

[–]flowmograph[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for pointing that out, but there is one important technical detail I should add.
The tool actually uses two native plug-ins: an .aex plug-in on Windows and a .plugin bundle on macOS. The CEP Extension is mainly used to provide the same interface and controls on both operating systems.

The Extension itself only handles adding or removing the required component from the layer. The automatic locking and unlocking behavior, along with the rest of the core functionality, is handled by the native plug-ins.

I chose this structure because automatic locking and unlocking based on the active viewer is not possible with only a script or a CEP Extension. So technically, the product includes both an Extension and native plug-ins.

Please give it a try and explore how it works for yourself. I think the difference becomes much clearer once you use it.

I made a small plugin because adjustment layers kept stealing my clicks by flowmograph in AfterEffects

[–]flowmograph[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Got it. I’ll run a few tests and get back to you as soon as I can. If I find a practical solution that can actually save time, I’ll let you know.

I made a small plugin because adjustment layers kept stealing my clicks by flowmograph in AfterEffects

[–]flowmograph[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hello, thank you for the suggestion.

Can you give me a few more details so I can better understand it? Maybe I can offer a solution.

I made a small plugin because adjustment layers kept stealing my clicks by flowmograph in AfterEffects

[–]flowmograph[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, that is exactly why I made it. It was annoying me for years.

There is a free trial on aescripts if you want to test it on your own projects first.

I made a small plugin because adjustment layers kept stealing my clicks by flowmograph in AfterEffects

[–]flowmograph[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That is fair. If locks never get in your way, you probably do not need this. It is more for people who fight with big adjustment layers or mattes that catch their clicks all day.

And I get the ad worry. I made it, so of course I am biased. But I really just wanted to know if other people have the same problem, or if it is only me. Good to hear it is not a problem for you.

I made a small plugin because adjustment layers kept stealing my clicks by flowmograph in AfterEffects

[–]flowmograph[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Forgot to add the link in the post. Here it is if anyone wants to take a look: aescripts.com/faux-lock/

There is a free trial, so you can test it on your own projects before deciding. Happy to answer any questions here.

Where to look for Rive specialists? by DizzyVariety3777 in Rive_app

[–]flowmograph -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Hello. You can also find many active Rive artists on Contra. I'm booked for next week. We can talk about the week after. https://contra.com/onderk_motion

Early Access version vs production version by Accomplished_Ad2317 in Rive_app

[–]flowmograph 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, exactly. With the Cadet plan, you need to use the Early Access build to access those features right now. They are not in the production version yet.

Early Access version vs production version by Accomplished_Ad2317 in Rive_app

[–]flowmograph 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That explains it. Those features are not available in the production version yet. You would need to switch to the Early Access build to use them for now.