Override Master

 Overview

Override Master is a Blender addon designed to extend and improve the limitations of Blender’s native material override system.

Blender’s built-in override feature applies a single material globally across the entire scene. While useful in certain workflows (e.g., clay renders), it lacks flexibility when working with complex scenes that require selective overrides.

Override Master solves this by allowing:

• Per-collection material overrides

• Object-level exemption from overrides

• Render & Viewport visibility control

This provides a much more controlled and production-friendly workflow.

 Features

1. Slot-Based Material Override

• Assign different override materials to different collections

• Each material slot can have its own list of collections

• Ideal for scene organization and look development

2. Object Exemption System

• Select any object and mark it as “Exempt.”

• Exempted objects will keep their original materials

• Useful for hero assets, characters, or specific props

3. Override Visibility (Global & per slot)

• Each material slot includes a visibility toggle (screen icon) for both render & viewport

• Allows you to temporarily disable the override for that collection

• Non-destructive and instant

4. Real-time control

• Update changes instantly using the real-time button

• Use the "Apply overrides" button for complex scenes to avoid crashes

5. Engine Compatibility

• Fully compatible with:

• Eevee

• Cycles

6. Blender Version Support

• Supported version:

• Blender 5.0 and above

 Installation

1. Download the addon .zip file

2. Open Blender

3. Go to Edit → Preferences → Add-ons

4. Click Install

5. Select the .zip file

6. Enable Override Master

 User Interface

• Location: 3D Viewport → N Panel → Override Master

 How to Use

Basic Workflow

1. Open the Override Master panel

2. Add a new material slot and choose a material

3. Add a target collection

Exempting an Object

1. Click the " + " button in the global exemption section to add a new object

2. Take the eyedropper and select any object you would like to exclude.

Use Cases

• Clay renders with selective detail

• Scene debugging (lighting, composition)

• Look development workflows

• Rendering passes for compositing

• Highlighting specific assets in complex scenes

Notes

• The addon is non-destructive

• Original materials are preserved at all times

• Overrides are applied dynamically