v0.2.1

SOMA-X v0.2.1 is the recommended 0.2 series release. The 0.2 series is a
substantial full-body update focused on deformation quality, procedural rig
controls, body model interoperability, updated rig assets, corrective-model
support, and public documentation. New in v0.2.1, SOMA-X adds a corrective
model path for procedural twist-joint rigs.

Highlights

• Added procedural transforms that drive twist joints for improved full-body
  deformations, with Blender and Maya reference implementations for DCC
  evaluation.
• New in v0.2.1: added corrective-model support that is aware of procedural
  twist joints, including corrected bind reposing for twist-rig workflows.
• Added extra-low body LOD support for lightweight rendering and fitting
  workflows.
• Added pose conversion utilities for interoperability across SOMA, SMPL, and
  SMPL-X workflows.
• Improved PoseInversion, skinning, geometry utilities, and runtime stability
  for full-body use cases.
• Reorganized public SOMA assets around standard 3D rig data and SOMA-specific
  identity/auxiliary-geometry metadata.
• Added public API documentation and package-release automation.

Full-Body Runtime and Geometry

• Added procedural transform support for driving twist joints, improving
  deformation quality in articulated body motion through SOMALayer.
• Added corrective-model execution for twist-joint-aware SOMA body rigs and
  extra-low LOD paths.
• Added native SOMA body bone-scaling support and flexible identity-preparation
  controls.
• Improved PoseInversion with more stable rotation alignment and solve paths.
• Split and clarified batched skinning/FK APIs.
• Added support for an extra-low SOMA body LOD.

Model Interoperability

• Added tools/pose_converter.py for transferring pose data across SOMA, SMPL, and
  SMPL-X workflows, including SOMA procedural pose outputs and native
  SMPL/SMPL-X pose parameter formats.
• Added soma.smpl.transfer helpers for programmatic pose-transfer workflows
  across SOMA and SMPL-family model layers.

Assets

• Added SOMA_template_rig.usda as a standard USD representation of the SOMA
  rig, including updated twist-joint and LOD information for 3D/DCC pipelines.
• Reorganized the public asset split so standard rigging data lives in USD,
  while SOMA_neutral.npz carries identity shape model information, auxiliary
  geometry information, and associated metadata.
• Added SOMA_procedural_transforms.json as a portable sidecar describing the
  procedural twist-joint transforms used by the runtime and DCC references.
• Added the corrective model asset for twist-joint-aware body rigs.
• Updated public asset metadata for the 0.2 series release.

DCC Tooling

• Added Blender and Maya reference implementations under
  tools/soma_procedural_blender and tools/soma_procedural_maya.
• These tools demonstrate and validate procedural twist transforms in DCC
  environments; they are not identity-generation or auto-rigging tools.

Documentation

• Added public API documentation for core SOMA-X modules.
• Added documentation for data assets, procedural controls, and geometry APIs.
• Added versioned GitHub Pages deployment support:
  • /latest/
  • /v0.2/
  • /stable/

Packaging and Release Process

• Package version is py-soma-x==0.2.1.
• Added release automation for docs, package builds, PyPI Trusted Publishing,
  and public mirror validation.

Upgrade Notes

• Existing SOMALayer usage remains source-compatible for common full-body
  workflows.

• Users can continue installing optional third-party identity-model support with
  the documented extras and provider-specific assets.

• Procedural-control workflows require the updated v0.2 assets and sidecar
  files.

• v0.2.1 is the first 0.2 series package with corrective-model support for
  procedural twist-joint rigs.

• The PyPI package should be installed or upgraded with:

  pip install --upgrade py-soma-x==0.2.1