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Bones As Points

by Mondé·Workflow

Images © Mondé. Used for product review; image policy.

Why we like it

Bones As Points earns its place in the superhive library for tackling a narrow but real annoyance — imported armatures with wrong bone orientations — while leaving the underlying data untouched.

What is Bones As Points?

Bones As Points is a Blender add-on that changes how armature bones are drawn in the viewport, displaying them as points rather than the default head-and-tail bone shape. The result makes Blender armatures look closer to other industry tools, which helps when an imported armature has bones with wrong orientations and messy hierarchy.

Because the add-on doesn't modify any armature data, the display can be toggled on or off at any time. Exported armatures and animations stay compatible with the original DCC you brought them in from, so the change stays purely visual.

A few limits apply. In edit mode the add-on works only partially: hierarchy lines are drawn, but bones still appear with Blender's default shape due to an API limitation. Complex rigs that rely on drivers instead of bone hierarchy and many custom shapes won't really benefit, and armatures scaled below 0.01 won't display lines properly. Keep in mind that automatic bone weights depend on bone directions.

Who is Bones As Points best for?

Bones As Points is best for blender users cleaning up imported armatures whose bones have wrong orientations or messy hierarchy, without altering the underlying rig data.

How much does Bones As Points cost?

Bones As Points is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Displays armature bones as points instead of Blender's default head-and-tail bone shape
  • Non-destructive display that can be toggled on or off at any time without modifying armature data
  • Keeps exported armatures and animations compatible with the original DCC
  • Draws bone hierarchy lines, working partially in edit mode
  • Documentation included

Tags

#Blender#armature#bones#rigging#add-on#extension#non-destructive#import

Frequently asked questions

Which Blender versions does Bones As Points support?

Bones As Points is compatible with Blender versions 4.3 through 5.1 and ships as a Blender add-on extension. It changes only how bones are displayed in the viewport, showing them as points rather than the default head-and-tail shape. Because it works non-destructively, you can enable or disable it at any time without altering the armature itself. For the latest compatibility details, check the developer's page before installing.

Does Bones As Points change the exported armature or animation?

Bones As Points does not modify any armature data, so the change stays purely visual. It can be toggled on or off at any time, and because the underlying data is untouched, exported armatures and animations remain compatible with the original DCC you imported from. One thing to keep in mind: automatic bone weights rely on bone directions, so take care when using them alongside this display change.

Does Bones As Points work in Blender's edit mode?

Bones As Points works only partially in edit mode. Hierarchy lines are drawn there, but bones still appear with Blender's default head-and-tail shape, which comes down to a Blender API limitation. It's also worth noting that complex rigs relying on drivers instead of bone hierarchy, along with many custom shapes, won't really benefit, and armatures scaled below 0.01 won't display the lines properly.

Is Bones As Points free, and what license does it use?

Bones As Points is listed as free in this catalog, and its license is GPL. The add-on covers both personal and commercial projects. Licensing terms can change, so it's best to confirm the current details on the developer's page before you use it. Since it only affects how bones display and doesn't alter armature data, you can add or remove it from a project without changing the exported results.

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