Just Got Maya

BulletHead · April 2005

<div class="IPBDescription">Now what?</div> I think this might actually have to go in Help and Troubleshooting... but I'm not really asking for help... whadever

I just got Maya. Now all I need to know is this:

WTH can I actually do with it? I haven't installed it yet (havn'et had the chance) but I've heard it's actually pretty good. just how powerful is it? How hard is it to use?

Is it easy to convert into usable formats?

What else can I do with Maya?

StarStarGrizzly · April 2005

Just learn the program and how to model. Then get started. Practice.

Condizzle · April 2005

IIRC, the halflife SDK comes with a converter into halflife models for Maya.

My suggestion would be to stick with the tutorials that come with it and go for weapons first. Online tutorials help a lot too, but it's also a lot about practice.

Edit: As for easiness, I find it easy to use, but it's the first I learned, so I can't compare it.

BulletHead · April 2005

So overall it's a good program?

ZeroByte · April 2005

I've been playing with maya in school. It's certainly different from what I'm used to (3dsm). I remember there being video tutorials included with maya which I never really got to see because of them not working in school. Irunno why. But yeah, what Condizzle said, read the included tuts.

Vash_Fourty_Five_Lc · May 2005

Well I learned like I did with Adobe, I just went

"Ooooh pretty button, whats it do?"

And kept on clicking on stuff till someone told me to stop that. Well, no one really told me to stop. But you get the point. Just experiment. The included tuts for Maya are pretty good for helping you to get the basics of moving around in Maya down and the basic and some-what advanced commands, so definately give them a shot. It definately helps to learn the hot-keys for functions, I forgot if the tuts cover those, but if not pick up those too. Heh actually I have my Maya 5 book sitting here....maybe I could mail it to you... <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' />

All around I think it's powerful, lot more powerful than what I sorta learned modeling on, Cinema 4D, which by all means isn't bad, as it seems to do good at what it was designed for, a sorta all-in-one CGI thingy. Or something.

Errr yeah, just experiment and look up them tuts.

DaJMasta · May 2005

I learned off the maya 5 PLE, its fairly easy to do the basics, once you can navigate the viewports of course, but some of the mor complicated things really do require some training.

Its a very powerful 3d package that will let you make models of different types, textures, and scenes, though I haven't seen as many rendering plugins for maya.... maybe you just dont need one.

I learned how to use it almost exclusively through the UT2004 modelling VTMs on the bonus dvd with the game, and took it from there with just experience. VTMs (video training modules) are often available free, and are a really good way to start working. Not only do u get a description of whats happening, but you get to see how someone who knows what they are doing do it.

TychoCelchuuu · May 2005

Aww man, I had a whole post typed out and Firefox crashed and lost it. Here's the good stuff:

Use the Maya tutorials to learn the basics. They're pretty good.
Here's <a href='http://www.hl2world.com/wiki/index.php/Texturing_for_Source_with_MAYA' target='_blank'>Texturing for Source with Maya</a> and <a href='http://www.hl2world.com/wiki/index.php/Skinning_and_Animating_for_source_with_MAYA' target='_blank'>Skinning and Animating for Source with Maya.</a> Don't forget <a href='http://www.hl2world.com/wiki/index.php/Normals_and_Collision_Models_in_MAYA' target='_blank'>Normals and Collision models.</a>
And for importing: <a href='http://www.chatbear.com/board.plm?a=viewthread&t=727,1104597551,5358&b=4990&id=771010&v=flatold&s=0' target='_blank'>This thread </a>is useful.

Enjoy Maya. It's much better than the rest no matter what anyone tells you.

Edit: The forums at <a href='http://www.simplymaya.com' target='_blank'>Simply Maya </a>are an awesome resource. They're friendly and helpful.

nogoodnickname · May 2005

how much maya even costs

sheena_yanai · May 2005

maya ple (personal learning edition) is free..but got not the full render function (and its watermarking all pictures to uglyness) and is missing lots of other stuff too.. <a href='http://www.alias.com/eng/products-services/maya/maya_ple/get_maya_ple.shtml' target='_blank'>Maya PLE download</a>

and the prices for maya + upgrade are:

Maya Unlimited 6 - node-locked: U.S. $6999 -Euro €7349 -GBP£4899 -Yen ¥930,000
Maya Unlimited 6 - v6 to v6.5 Upgrade: U.S. $1249 -Euro €1309 -GBP£909 -Yen ¥166,000

and i have to say windows versions of maya run like crap (sad thing ple is only aviable for osx and windows)... they are not fast, or stable.. the mac and linux version is .....ok, but maya still runs best with SGI-IRIX

TychoCelchuuu · May 2005

I'm not disputing that Maya runs much better on a workstation, but Windows-wise it's not horrible if you've got lots of RAM. It's mostly a performance thing, not a stability thing; it hasn't crashed much on me since Maya 4.5.

sheena_yanai · May 2005

then it hates me .... it crashed on my 4 gig machine with my 512mb wildcat (quadhead)
<img src='http://www.alias.com/eng/products-services/maya/maya_ple/img/int_quote_maya_lifestyle.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />so true <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' />

TychoCelchuuu · May 2005

512 is too low, especially because Maya requires XP and XP eats RAM. I'd go with a gig or more.

sheena_yanai · May 2005

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TychoCelchuuu @ May 5 2005, 10:28 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> 512 is too low, especially because Maya requires XP and XP eats RAM. I'd go with a gig or more.  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
silly.. 512mb on the graphics card, read again. the computer got 4 gig <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' />

BulletHead · May 2005

uh...

would a gig of DDR2 work?

>_>

<_<

I hope...

sheena_yanai · May 2005

sure.. i dont see any reason why it should not run...

<img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' />

TychoCelchuuu · May 2005

You're fine with a gig. At least, that's my experience.

Sheesh Sheena, maybe Maya hates you. Or maybe it was just one of the older versions; it gets better as time goes on.

Drfuzzy · May 2005

Your so rich sheena buy me something >.>

Vash_Fourty_Five_Lc · May 2005

1 gig is fine, I run on 1 gig at 400 mhz so DDR 2 should be fine for all it's higher hertzyness. I think 2 gigs would be optimal though cause I got a little sluggish when I started to go heavy duty. Nowhere near as heavy duty as Sheena though...

Man I wish I could touch Sheena's computer. I wish I saved that pic of your server thingy. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /> And I've had no major problems either with Maya 6.0 on my comp, maybe you just need to whack your comp on the side like I do. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' />

xKORExslim · May 2005

I'm pretty experienced with maya, it's what I used for all my modelling.

the best place for tutorials is www.learningmaya.com it has tutorials for just about anything, poly modelling, subdivisions and NURBS.

Maya excells in high poly organic modelling, and movie production. The renderer doesn't have many plugins because it is so powerful on its own. To use the renderer though to its full potential, it takes a lot of practice, even I dont have it down pat.

Another thing you should know is that there are no smooth groups in maya, smoothing is determined by the texture map. For hard surface modelling, the smoothing can easily get messed up since maya excells in organic stuff.

Maya's shader capabilities are top of the line as well, if you know how to use it, you can create a very nice chrome effect with reflections and all, just prepare for some long render times.

BulletHead · May 2005

Eh... I need to learn the basics first

the friend that bought it for me is coming over some time- he's skilled in both Maya and 3dsmax (he has EVERY 3dsmax plugin... he said his total cost was, as far as he could figure, nearly $20.000... it must be nice to be a CEO's son... )

Can I use MAYA to make models for NS? >_> Nurbs look too intense 0o'

TychoCelchuuu · May 2005

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (BulletHead @ May 7 2005, 08:26 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Eh... I need to learn the basics first

the friend that bought it for me is coming over some time- he's skilled in both Maya and 3dsmax (he has EVERY 3dsmax plugin... he said his total cost was, as far as he could figure, nearly $20.000... it must be nice to be a CEO's son... )

Can I use MAYA to make models for NS? >_> Nurbs look too intense 0o'  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
Yes, you can make models for NS with Maya. Don't even bother with NURBS if you just want to model for games; you'll be working with polygons.

Just Got Maya

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