During a lecture, we were introduced to some of the techniques to use:
- View Cube: An method of rotating the camera angle. By clicking on faces of a cube, the user's camera in Maya will rotate to face that direction.
- Interactive Creation: A tool to create a shape with custom dimensions. These dimensions will have a default scale of 1x1x1, even if it is not a cube of that scale.
- Face: A flat surface - a side on a 3D shape.
- Edge: A line joining two vertices in a 3D shape.
- Vertex: The points of a shape where two of more lines meet (or the corners of a shape).
- Extrude: Resizing an 3D shape by extending out, or squeezing in.
- Connect: A tool which creates an edge from two vertices (or connecting multiple shapes together).
- Three-Way View: A view method used to show the different dimensions of a scene, on the x/y/z axis. This can be toggled in Maya by pressing the space-bar key.
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| The View Cube |
Toggling the Three-Way View
I have also learned a range of keyboard and mouse shortcuts.
- Spacebar - Toggle three-way view on and off.
- Alt + Left Mouse - Rotate the camera
- Alt + Middle Mouse - Re-position the camera
- Alt + Right Mouse or Scroll Wheel - Zoom the camera.
- Ctrl + E - Extrude a selected object or face.
Comparison to other software
There is a range of 3D modelling and animation software online including 3ds Max, AutoCAD, Blender, Cinema 4D and Maya.
I have got a lack of experience with using modelling software. I previously used Blender to make props for my first year game, but the software feels basic and there is a lack of online support for the software. Maya looks cleaner and high quality, and appears to be an advanced set of tools and resources in comparison. When I loaded Maya for the first time, it looks difficult to understand due to the large amount of tools and buttons included, but for my purpose, I will not need as many tools.
Following research, I have learned that Maya is an industry standard piece of software and used in the development of commercial video games such as Dead By Daylight, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (see reference).
From this, I have learned some of the basic tools and techniques which I could use when I produce my final model.
References:
Autodesk For Games, undated. [online] Available at: https://www.autodesk.com/campaigns/autodesk-for-games [Accessed 12 October 2018].
