html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"VFX artist Robert Rioux has released a pair of open-source add-ons for converting a key Maya shader for use in Blender.When exporting assets from Maya to Blender, the tools automatically convert the aiStandardSurface shader to Blenders Principled BSDF shader.Convert one of Mayas key shaders to its closest Blender equivalentThe tools resolve an issue that Rioux previously CG supervisor at VFX facility Real by Fake, who also runs the Blender Bob YouTube channel says has been bothering me for a long time.They convert one of Mayas key shaders to its closest Blender equivalent, reducing manual work when adapting assets developed in Maya for use in the open-source 3D software.When exporting an asset that uses the aiStandardSurface shader from Maya, the first tool, a Python script, exports a shader definition alongside the FBX file.The second tool converts to the Principled BSDF shader on importing the asset into Blender.The tools are written specifically for the aiStandardSurface shader in the Arnold renderer included with a default installation of Maya, but it has a very similar structure to the native Maya Standard Surface shader.A quick automatic solution that may need manual refinement on complex shader setupsThe tools were written using ChatGPT, with some further work by Blender tools developer TinkerBoi, and are designed for basic shader trees.While direct file inputs in the Maya shader are converted automatically, the process does not convert other input types, like mix or ramp shaders.In addition, displacement values will need to be adjusted manually on the imported model. System requirementsRobert Riouxs free shader conversion tools are available under a GPL v3 license.Download Robert Riouxs free Maya-to-Blender shader converters from GitHubHave your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we dont post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.