Architecture in Maya
 

Just a really quick question, but i wanted to know if many people actually use Maya for architecture. I am currently learning Autocad and have not seen a single thing that maya cant do. The only thing is maybe the snap tool on Autocad is great, and is a must when it comes to architecture. Any thoughts?

Sunnee

The precise quantitative stuff in Maya is a bit limited, I would presume compared to Autocad. For example, if you wanted a 35 degree angle between two elements, there's no easy way to do that in Maya that I know of.
Or if you wanted a piece of geometry extruded exactly 4.5 meters, again, not straightforward.

I wouldn't use AutoCAD for 3d to save my life. It is quick with snapping though...but mostly 2D.

Maya would be better suited to organic modelling where you can work from a base image or where you have a CAD base to work from.

For basic massing and even some detailing there is nothing that comes close to SketchUp though. It's very fast and VERY intuitive. It's not good with curves though...

Stwert, both of those are easily achievable.
35 degree angle between two elements, depending on what your referring to, you could possibly use the end sweep function on a nurbs surface, or you could snap align the two objects, and move the pivot accordingly and rotate 35 degrees in the appropriate direction.

As far as extrusion, as long as your units are set to the correct type I.E> Metric , Imperial, ect. and you know the dimensions, you can easily extrude a poly or group of objects exactly 4.5 meters Just by opening the channel box on the extrude operation after you activated the tool, and use the Translate for the correct axis(s) and enter 4.5 as the case may be.

you can also set your grid up so that each grid line represents a specific number of meters or inches, feet of what ever if this makes it easier for you.

I used to use autocad a lot as a civil draftsman for a surveyor in alabama, and personally I don't find the snap tools in autocad better then Maya's, you just have to know where all of Maya's are, and how to use them correctly.

So i suppose the answer to the original question which i took to mean can you use maya to design blueprints for a house, i'd say Yes.

G-man