Which Direction - ZBrush-Inspired Orientation Helper for Blender

About This Addon

I developed this addon to bring ZBrush's intuitive orientation helper mesh functionality to Blender. As someone familiar with both applications, I found Blender's default XYZ axis indicator less intuitive than ZBrush's more visual orientation helper.

What It Does

This addon implements a customizable 3D orientation gizmo that shows your current viewport direction, similar to ZBrush's approach. It provides a clear visual reference that makes it easier to maintain spatial awareness when navigating complex 3D scenes.

Key Features

• 3D mesh indicator that rotates with your viewport
• Configurable position in any corner or custom location
• Multiple mesh options (cube, sphere, cylinder, monkey, torus)
• Adjustable lighting and rendering settings
• Camera simulation with real-world focal length presets
• Optimized GPU shader implementation for minimal performance impact

Bridging the Gap Between Applications

This addon addresses a specific functionality gap between ZBrush and Blender. The familiar orientation mechanic helps maintain consistent spatial awareness when working across both applications, reducing the cognitive load when switching between them.

Technical Implementation

The implementation uses GPU-accelerated shaders and efficient mesh caching to ensure smooth performance. All settings are saved between sessions, and the addon integrates cleanly with Blender's existing viewport systems.

Compatible with Blender 4.4.1 and above.

If you're familiar with ZBrush's orientation helper and have missed that functionality in Blender, this addon provides the solution you're looking for.