Product Description

This exceptional, full–colour Autodesk Maya Press title – produced by Autodesk, the software′s creators – uses Sony′s full–length animated "Open Season" for the book′s all–new hands–on tutorials for Maya 8. By following the step–by–step tutorials, readers will learn the Maya interface and the basics of modeling, texturing, animating, and visual effects using real–world production files from a full–length feature film. The DVD provides further reinforcement with instructor–led tutorial videos and other resources for extended learning.

With this book readers will:

• Become familiar with the Maya User Interface
• Work in 3D space
• Model with NURBS (Spline)
• Model with Polygons
• Set Keyframes and Motion Paths
• Learn to use Trax Non–linear animation
• Apply Forward and Inverse Kinematics
• Deform surfaces
• Set cameras and lights
• Create Shaders and Textures
• Discover rendering techniques
• Explore particles and Dynamics
• Begin to use MEL (Maya Embedded Language)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #385349 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 640 pages

Customer Reviews

Frustrating read due to missing information
I was quite impressed with this book until I got to the section where you have to model the legs and feet of Boog. The book fails to tell you that you need to turn off 'Keep Faces Together' when extending the legs (this I discovered after a couple of hours of 'playing around' with the software). By this time I had already saved, so it seems there is no turning back without rebuilding the model from scratch (or mirroring one half of the geometry).
There is also mention of an orb as if you are modelling it during the tutorial, although it actually only refers to an example illustration.

In general I feel that its not bad, but should have been tested a little more thoroughly, it can be very vague in places and misleading in others.

Ive not completed it yet, and although ive definately learned alot thus far, its not been without some pretty frustrating times spent surfing the web or help files for information that should have been made clearer in this book.

a godsend
possibly the single most useful book i've read as part of my course, i'm doing some 3d modelling and this book is well.. a godsend, goes over everything i need to get my work done and help my lecturer out with his phd

Open Season on CGI manual tie-ins

I didn't realise that everything you learn in this book is based upon the movie Open Season and some of its models.

I'm a 3D animator making the switch from Blender to Maya, so I downloaded the latest version of Maya Personal Learning Edition. This is basically Maya 7 with less features, so it is NOT compatible with this book fully.

My needs for a Maya book were that it shouldn't be too hard or too easy - it should get more and more tech as it goes along. Well, in this book you'll be learning to model the garage Boog the bear sleeps in - and that's pretty much it. There are no forest scenes, no McSquizzy, and the most idiotic thing, there's no fur tutorials! WTF!

It is obvious that the authors of this book have stretched out all of what they deem 'basic' 3D and Maya knowledge, just so they can sell 2 or 3 books instead of just the one. If you're looking for tidbits on how Open Season was made, you're looking in the wrong place. Boog is the only model you get to look inside.

Where they could have written an excellent manual with hints and tricks from Open Season's animation team, they've been lazy and made a manual which is under-nourishing and under-stimulating. Even the techniques taught aren't the most intuitive (well neither is Maya) but I have the feeling that using this book, it would take a longer time to become an intermediate user (and buy the next book up in ability level).