Maya

Media Players required for this class:
1) Windows Media Player (free)
2) DivX codec (free)

Introduction

Maya is one of the most powerful (and popular) digital media authoring tools on the planet. For an overview, read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_%28software%29

Maya brochure (see page 2): Click here for the brochure

Art of Maya: The "Art of Maya" book chapter is free documentation that comes with Maya. It's available here, and also with your own copy of Maya (see Maya Documentation and Help Files section below).

Maya PLE: We are using Maya PLE (Personal Learning Edition) in this course, which is free. Look for the PLE edition at:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=7635018 (NOTE THAT YOU ARE GIVEN A "Software Key")

After you fill out the download form you are given a "software key" (such as 20617691, or something similar).
COPY THIS SOFTWARE CODE/KEY AND SAVE IT -- YOU WILL NEED IT TO ACTIVATE MAYA)

Maya Documentation and Help Files

Maya comes with a lot of great documentation "build in" -- all you have to do is find it.

Essential Skills Movies - These "learning movies" appear when you start Maya. They're also available under Maya's HELP menu (select HELP > Learning Movies).

Beginning to Expert: More Maya Resources - You'll find a button called "Beginning to Expert: More Maya Resources" at the bottom of the Essential Skills Movies window (see above for details on Essential Skills Movies. You can also view these resources under Maya's HELP menu (select HELP > Extra Learning Resources. Here, in the Beginning to Expert: More Maya Resources, you'll find a wealth of resources, such as an overview of the Maya User Interface, a chapter from the Art of Maya book, Maya HELP, and more.

Tutorials and Learning Tools - Select "Tutorials" from Maya's HELP menu (HELP > Tutorials), which opens the main tutorial help window in your browser. Look under "Learning Resources" for the "Tutorials and Learning Tools" section, inside of which you'll find "Getting Started with Maya". In other words:

1) Select HELP > Tutorials to open the main tutorials help window in your Web browser
2) Look under these headings: Learning Resources > Tutorials and Learning Tools > Getting Started with Maya

TIP: Start with the four "Maya Basics" lessons in "Getting Started with Maya"

Maya Docs - The "View Maya Docs" item that's located in the main Maya folder will start a local Web server and, using that, provide you with excellent documentation through your Web browser. To use it you simply need to select the "View Maya Docs" item that's in your main Maya folder. Here's how to find it from the Windows START menu:

START Menu > All Programs > Alias > Maya > View Maya Docs

Maya 3DVR Video Tutorials

The following Maya video tutorials were created for this course. They require Microsoft's Windows Media Player to view:

Video Training Modules (VTMs)

DivX Required: The video files are in DivX format, for which you'll need to install the DivX codec (compressor/decompressor -- it's a plug-in for your media player). Get DivX free of charge at: http://www.divx.com/ (select the "FREE DOWNLOAD" option).

CAN'T USE 3D BUZZ VTMs? Are you a Macintosh user or can't get the files from 3D Buzz? All of these VTMs are provided with the Editor's Edition of Unreal Tournament 2004 (on the extra DVD) so you don't have to get them from 3D Buzz. ALSO note that for Macintosh students or others who have difficulty getting them we have put them online temporarily ONLY FOR STUDENTS OF THIS CLASS THIS SEMESTER (send email to Prof. Walsh for details if you need them).

VTMs FROM 3D BUZZ

To get the Video Training Modules (VTMs) from 3D Buzz follow these steps:

1) Vist http://www.3dbuzz.com/ and sign up for your free 3D Buzz account to get your username and password. Use your REAL email address and NAME. A confirmation link will be sent to your email address.

2) Visit http://www.3dbuzz.com/ and LOG IN using your username and password. YOU MUST BE LOGGED IN TO CONTINUE TO STEP 3...

3) Visit http://www.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/sv_dl_list.php?c=1 to view the Maya Video Training Modules (VTMs). Note that there are a LOT of them, and you won't have time to view every single one of them. Start by downloading with the first collection of VTMs from "Maya Issue 1":

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maya Issue 1
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This VTM helps those looking to get up to speed Maya do so,
in a very fast way! After watching it, you will be able to
find your way around the interface without any problem.
----------------------
1 The User Interface
2 The View Panels
3 The Hotbox
4 Nodes and Attributes
5 Object Basics
6 Anatomy of an Object
7 Working with Objects
8 Layers
9 Projects
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4) After you download a VTM it will have to be uncompressed with the WinRAR 3.0 (or higher) tool, which is available for free at http://www.rarlab.com.

5) Once you decompress the VTM open its folder and run the "CD_Videomag.exe" file. You'll notice that this is a Windows program. If you aren't using Windows you can find the raw video file in the "Media" folder (the video file will be named something such as "vid_01.avi"). If you can't view the VTM or raw video file make sure that you have the DivX codec installed as described above, and also try the version of the VTM provided on your Unreal Editor's Edition DVD (or the ones we've put online for you -- see notes above for details).

Student FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

If you have any questions about the assignments for this Maya class or for the character modeling section of this class (taught by Dr. Nagel) first consult the following FAQ:

Student Maya FAQ

If you have other questions send a message to our Yahoo Group with the subject "MAYA QUESTION" so that Dr. Nagel will see your post.

Assignments (homework)

Be sure to save all the homework and assignments that you do in this course: you will submit them for your midterm and final for grading

1) Skim (read lightly) the "Art of Maya" document listed at the top of these notes.

2) Watch each of the "Maya 3DVR Course Tutorials" listed above, and do the steps shown in each video. Save any content (objects) that you create during the tutorials so that you can submit them as midterm assignments. For additional help watch the "Essential Skills Movies" described in the in "Maya Maya Documentation and Help Files" section above.

3) Complete the four (4) "Maya Basics" lessons found under the "Getting Started with Maya" tutorials. See "Tutorials and Learning Tools" in the "Maya Maya Documentation and Help Files" section above for details on how to located these four "Maya Basics" lessons. Save any content (objects) that you create during the lessons so that you can submit them as midterm assignments:

Lesson 1: An overview of the Maya user interface
Lesson 2: Creating, manipulating, and viewing objects
Lesson 3: Viewing the Maya 3D scene
Lesson 4: Components and attributes

TIP: For additional help watch the "Essential Skills Movies" described in the in "Maya Maya Documentation and Help Files" section above.

4) Complete all of the nine (9) Video Training Modules (VTMs) listed in the above notes. Post screen shots of your Maya work to your blog, and be sure to SAVE all the Maya files that you create since you'll need to submit them as part of your midterm soon. Save any content (objects) that you create during the tutorials so that you can submit them as midterm assignments. For additional help watch the "Essential Skills Movies" described in the in "Maya Maya Documentation and Help Files" section above.

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