Introduction to Maya - Modeling Fundamentals Vol 1
This course will look at the fundamentals of modeling in Maya with an emphasis on creating good topology. We'll look at what makes a good model in Maya and why objects are modeled in the way they are.
# 1 25-05-2006 , 01:42 AM
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Begginer

Hello all i just started useing maya, i'm not that good yet but just wait.

I was also wondering if there was an easy way to make a landscape, or could i possable get one from someone else?

Thanks

# 2 25-05-2006 , 01:55 AM
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welcome to simply maya!

Well, you can always use a displacement map, or you can make a Nurbs Plane, right click, select cv's and move them to make like hills and stuff.

That would be the easiest method, but I would do the displacement map (more complicated, and is very memory intensive on the computer, but results are very nice)


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# 3 25-05-2006 , 02:57 PM
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Wow

thx but how do you make the displacement map?

# 4 25-05-2006 , 09:23 PM
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ok- go into photoshop, or paint, and paint a black and white terrain map.

Something like- this.

user added image

It's not good, but I just drew it in a minute for the purpose of this short tutorial.

Then- in Maya, create either a Nurbs or Polygon plane. The more faces/patches you have, the more precision you get. You don't want to overload your computer, though. I'll just use 10 patches U and 10 patches V on a Nurbs Plane.

user added image

Now, assign it a new material. Open up the Hypershade, and create a new texture (create->2d texture->file). Open up your displacement map with the file texture node.

user added image

Now, middle-click and drag the material down to the work zone. THen, middle-click the file node and drag it onto the material. Then, when the mini-menu pops up, select Displacement Map.

Finally, grab the plane, assign the material to the plane, and keep it selected. Then go to modify->convert->displacement to polygons.

This should be your result: note the high poly count- more patches U and V would make the map be more precise and take up even more polys (up to millions). scale your plane if necessary.

Attached Thumbnails

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# 5 25-05-2006 , 10:01 PM
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wow

thank you alot im gonna go try it now and ill tell you if it works user added image

# 6 25-05-2006 , 10:46 PM
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hmm i couldent get it to work i did what u said but all i got was another square abover the one with diaganol lines on it, i also only have maya PLE (personal learning edition) so i might no be able to do it. user added image

# 7 25-05-2006 , 10:58 PM
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im sure you can do it- what version are you using?

Oh- and in the hypershade- middle-click drag the material itself (little block with sphere) down into the work zone

That might be it

PLE has the full functionality of Maya Complete. Only limitation is watermark.


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# 8 25-05-2006 , 11:04 PM
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i am using maya 7.0

# 9 25-05-2006 , 11:08 PM
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well, read what I said above, and try it. If it still doesn't work, i'll still be glad to help you.

Im using 6.5 so there shouldn't be a big difference


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# 10 25-05-2006 , 11:15 PM
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yah

ok nvm i got it user added image this is amazing but it doesent work as a good landscape, i need one with like moutians and stuff,and one that i could like make a car drive on it casue i need it for a project.

# 11 25-05-2006 , 11:16 PM
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i thought i had to drag the texture with the pic onto the square, but i had to take it to the sphere then take that to the square.

# 12 25-05-2006 , 11:29 PM
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sure you can make a great lanscape with it- just paint a better displacement map user added image user added image user added image :p


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# 13 25-05-2006 , 11:31 PM
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well im not that good, u think you could wip one up for me? user added image user added image

# 14 26-05-2006 , 12:34 AM
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sure, tell me what kind of landscape and I'll do it. Like describe it plz.


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# 15 26-05-2006 , 02:46 PM
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well im hoping to get like just a little bit of hills, kinda like if you are in the black hills. and another question how do u make a Tree.

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