Skip to content
BLBlender

Driver Exporter - Object Shape Keys

by Inlet·Workflow

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

Why we like it

Earns its place in the superhive library for solving a specific export pain: driver-based shape key animation that would otherwise be lost the moment it leaves Blender.

What is Driver Exporter - Object Shape Keys?

Animators often drive shape keys through the visual representation of bones or objects to control their value. The problem comes at export time: drivers can't be copied to other engines, and because the keyframes of these shape keys are stored within the armature as drivers, the animation is lost when leaving Blender.

Driver Exporter - Object Shape Keys tackles this with a two-button workflow. Select the objects, make sure the animations are in NLA strips, and the addon delivers freshly baked shape keys straight to the object. This frees the shape keys from the armature, so armature-driven animation can be exported to engines such as Unreal Engine 5 and Unity.

Made by Inlet, it works across Blender versions 2.93 through 5.0 and is distributed under the GPL license. Documentation is referenced on the product page, and a demo video is available.

Who is Driver Exporter - Object Shape Keys best for?

Driver Exporter - Object Shape Keys is best for animators exporting armature-driven shape key animation from Blender to game engines such as Unreal Engine 5 and Unity.

How much does Driver Exporter - Object Shape Keys cost?

Driver Exporter - Object Shape Keys is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Two-button workflow for baking and exporting
  • Bakes driver-based shape keys into shape keys delivered directly to the object
  • Requires the animations to be in NLA strips
  • Frees shape keys from the armature for export to engines such as Unreal Engine 5 and Unity
  • Compatible with Blender versions 2.93 through 5.0
  • Distributed under the GPL license
  • Documentation available

Tags

#shape keys#drivers#armature#baking#animation#exporting#blender#game engines

Frequently asked questions

What Blender versions does Driver Exporter - Object Shape Keys support?

Driver Exporter - Object Shape Keys lists compatibility with Blender versions 2.93 through 5.0, covering a wide span of releases. It's distributed under the GPL license. If you're working in a version within that range, the addon should be usable, though for the most current compatibility notes and any setup requirements it's worth checking the developer's documentation, which is referenced on the product page. That documentation is the best place to confirm details before you start baking shape keys.

Does Driver Exporter - Object Shape Keys export to Unreal Engine 5 and Unity?

Driver Exporter - Object Shape Keys is built to export armature drivers from Blender as object shape keys, aimed at engines such as Unreal Engine 5 and Unity. Because drivers can't be copied to other engines and the keyframes are stored within the armature, that animation would normally be lost on export. The addon bakes fresh shape keys and delivers them directly to the object, freeing them from the armature so the animation carries across to the target engine.

Do animations need to be in NLA strips for Driver Exporter - Object Shape Keys?

Driver Exporter - Object Shape Keys expects your animations to be in NLA strips before baking. The process comes down to two buttons: select the objects, make sure the animations sit in NLA strips, and the addon handles the rest by producing freshly baked shape keys on the object directly. This is the step that lets the tool separate the shape keys from the armature they were driven by. The product page links documentation if you need more detail on the workflow.

Is Driver Exporter - Object Shape Keys free?

Driver Exporter - Object Shape Keys is listed as free in this catalog. Licensing and pricing can change over time, so for the current terms it's best to check the developer's page directly. The addon is distributed under the GPL license, which is noted on its listing. It was created by Inlet and published on superhive, where you can also find its documentation and a demo video for reference before you commit to it.

Similar plugins