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Shaping Recorder

by darkstarrd·Modeling

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

Why we like it

Shaping Recorder stands out in the Blender extensions library for recording both mesh editing steps and the active viewport view, then replaying them together with adjustable interpolation.

What is Shaping Recorder?

Shaping Recorder is a modeling add-on for Blender that captures your mesh shaping and editing steps over time and plays them back with interpolation. Recording includes topology changes and detects undo and redo, so the sequence of edits is preserved as it happens. Alongside the mesh work, it records the active 3D viewport view — its location, rotation, and zoom — based on the viewport's own camera transform rather than any scene or user camera object.

During replay, the add-on interpolates both the geometry and the view. Two parameters control the timing: Step Duration sets the seconds per recorded step in the mesh phase, and Interpolation Steps sets the number of interpolation frames per step. While playback runs, you can optionally export a frame sequence.

Shaping Recorder is compatible with Blender 4.2 LTS and newer and is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later. It is available through the Blender extensions platform, where it can be dragged and dropped into Blender or installed from disk.

Who is Shaping Recorder best for?

Shaping Recorder is best for blender modelers who want to record mesh shaping steps and viewport moves and replay them with interpolation.

How much does Shaping Recorder cost?

Shaping Recorder is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Records mesh edits over time and detects undo and redo
  • Records topology changes as part of the shaping steps
  • Records the 3D viewport view — location, rotation, and zoom — from the active viewport camera transform
  • Replays recorded steps with interpolated geometry and view
  • Optional frame-sequence export during playback
  • Step Duration control for seconds per recorded step in the mesh phase
  • Interpolation Steps control for interpolation frames per step

Tags

#Blender#modeling#mesh#recording#playback#interpolation#viewport#frame sequence

Frequently asked questions

Does Shaping Recorder work with Blender 4.2?

Shaping Recorder is compatible with Blender 4.2 LTS and newer, so it runs on the 4.2 long-term support release and later versions. The add-on is distributed through the Blender extensions platform, where you can drag and drop it into Blender or download it and install from disk. If you are on an older Blender build, you would need to update to at least 4.2 LTS before installing. Check the developer's GitHub page for the latest details on version support.

Which camera does Shaping Recorder use when recording the view?

Shaping Recorder records the active 3D viewport view based on the viewport's own camera transform — the viewport's internal "camera" — rather than any scene or user camera object. It captures the view's location, rotation, and zoom over the course of your edits. On replay, that recorded view is interpolated alongside the geometry, so both the shape and the angle move together. This distinction matters if you expect it to follow a camera object placed in your scene; it does not.

How do I control playback timing in Shaping Recorder?

Shaping Recorder provides two timing parameters for replay. Step Duration sets the number of seconds per recorded step during the mesh phase, and Interpolation Steps sets how many interpolation frames are generated per step. Together these control how the recorded geometry and view are interpolated on playback. While playback runs, you can optionally export a frame sequence, which requires the add-on's permission to read and write image sequences. Adjusting these values changes the pacing and smoothness of the replayed sequence.

Is Shaping Recorder free, and what license does it use?

Shaping Recorder is listed as free in this catalog and is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later. It is available through the Blender extensions platform. For current licensing terms, source code, and issue reporting, refer to the developer's GitHub page. The add-on also requests file permission to read and write image sequences, which is used for the optional frame-sequence export during playback.

Alternatives to Shaping Recorder

Also in Modeling for Blender.

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