Maya in the Video Game industry book.
 

Hi, folks.

Just curious - what would be something you would like to see in a book about Maya and its use in the game industry?

Your biography? :D

haha i agree wiht KB muhahahaha.. I would really like to see a few things. I have the Maya interactive game book but if i think about i would like to see more on the below list=)

1) Cycles and how to animate them correctly for input into the engine and for the programers

2) Engine types what some can and cant do.

3) More modeling and texturing info.

Just a few ideas:

1. Overall production workflow, i.e. concept to model/texture to rig/animation to export.

2. Modeling considerations for realtime use: poly counts, detail levels, triangle stripping, object scale, clean transforms, etc.

3. Texturing issues for realtime applications, i.e. mipmapping, texture resolution, normal mapping, etc.

4. Rigging technical details: understanding transform spaces, importance of proper hierarchy setup (generally important but games are super picky about this), Can's and Can't Do's of rigging for games.

5. MEL scripting to aid in general production workflow.

I don't know jack about games but on getting in to them the first thing I wander about is :

Maybe the importance of understanding the game engine fully and how the data that is used for characters and levels affect playability and performance. Ei. Like some older engines are sensitive to how the geo is constructed, if I'm not mistaken ? Mike ?

Possibly, some ideas for how to test and evaluate the engine. Then set goals to utilize it to the max.

Thin again these things might be only more relevant to a Technical or Art Director. But normally a person works for them so it might be good to understand where there coming from ?

heh, I'm beginning to wonder if perhaps my game industry experience is a little too brief to try to be an author on the topic. :nervous:

:) write it now with what you know or you will be outdated to do it tomorrow ;)

I'm really interested on how they set up a character for game animation as well as facial animation in games.

Everyday workflow, what life is like for modelers, texturists, etc. How much "crunch-time" there is, time allowed for certain aspects of the game.

Sprites and particles for realtime.

or, "A funny thing happened to me on the way to the server:)"

I’m glad you asked this question. I my self would like to know the many different ways to get Models from Maya into Games,, I my self use ActorX but would like to know how to use it better or a different program that works better.

Hehe, Mike, it looks like you opened a bit of a can o' worms here. Let me know if you want help on this. ;)

I personally would like to see many things, but espeally how to use maya's Dynamics and othe special effects features for games. Which type of particles to use, how to use them,etc. also I would like to know more about animating. There are many other things, but these are the most important to me, since I don't have any idea how do make/use special effects for games using maya.

LOL, go mike go !!

Well, I sent them an outline... just gotta wait and see what they think, I guess. :)

Things are progressing nicely!

I need some ideas for a title, though. Any thoughts?

How about,,, "MAYA" how to get Models into the game:D
just jiving my man.;)


Rich Maya Poor Maya's guid to gaming?

gave it a shot:)

Mike

As to what s in the book:

1. Creating exact models with polygons;
I never understand how modelers with polys know what to expect when they tweak something and when they smooth it - it turns exactly as it should.

2. Textures (more photoshop than Maya actually...)
3. Level Design
4. Lights

As for the name:

"Mayan Cultured Games;
- the McKinley Guide for Game Development in Maya"

Smoothing? Who said anything about smoothing? We just put the vertices exactly where we want them. :)

nir: the response to nº1 is called polyproxy... (+uhhh(deletes smoothedversion)+tweaks+tries smoothing just some parts+arrrrghhh!+undo+polyproxy again+tweaks+urgghhh!+delete+bangheads keyboard a pair of times+some more iterations....:))

Nirsul,

Thanks for the suggestions. :)

I'm afraid the content of the book does not touch any of those things to much detail.

1) As this is a game art book, smoothing is never talked about.
2) While there is an entire chapter devoted to texturing, it's mostly talking about getting the texture on the model, how the UV Texture Editor works, UV Mapping the model, etc. with a few sidebars every now and then talking about some Photoshop tips to keep in mind. Stuff like that.
3) You'll have to wait for the Level Design book. :)
4) Nothing about lights. That's generally the game engine/level designer that lights the game.

The book is currently broken down as follows:

Chp 1 - How the Game Industry Works (Getting a job, studio positions and descriptions, what's a publisher?, etc.)
Chp 2 - Modeling
Chp 3 - Texturing (as described above)
Chp 4 - Rigging
Chp 5 - Animation
Chp 6 - Particle FX

Pretty straight forward.

hey mike, if this http://www.warthogtx.com/pages/sor/sor_teaser.htm is your book - then good luck as now you have to finish it - it says they promise :)

oh and what i told you in irc:
- shorten and reposition chapter one
- go in detail but not too scientific
- include the minimike in a creative way
- and everything i cannot remember right now ;)

i dunno dude, i like Minimike as much as the next person, HOWEVER i would get annoyed if there was pics of him everywhere doing something like being shocked with a little speech bubble coming out of his head being like "omg! i didnt realise maya was used to make lotr!" or something similar, lots of people do it and it looks cheap.

yeah minimike coments should only be CunninglyEVIL or at least Smartass...

I tend to disagree with that comment, the more information that can come out the better, no matter how it’s done, if someone is taking the time to share their knowledge and works in the industry, the last thing to do is to criticizes how it’s displayed, focus on the book and the content not your personal dislike for info bubbles and guide lines.

that was not meant to be for minimike to do. and if i remember correctly mike himself wanted to do something with the minimike - only that i gave him a little thought to utilize him slightly different. oh and of course, in the end it will be completely changed anyway as it will be mikes book and not our book. at least our book only after we pay for it :p

hehe, everyone has an editor inside... now, the author can decide which ones of those editors have power over him and wich ones dont?...:)

R-tillery, How something is displayed is equally or more important than What is displayed... for everything... in everything we do...

Good news! The book is a GO!

If all goes well, it'll be in stores December. :)

Hey, one of the cool features I hope to have is Artist Profiles of current game industry professionals that use Maya! If anyone's interested, please feel free to contact me.

Also, I'm sure we'll be looking for cool game models to show in the book, too, so let me know if anyone (industry or not) might be interested in contributing something like that!

(Do NOT send me pictures. If anything, send links.)

Thanks!

UPDATE: Chapters 2-4 are complete. Chapter 5 has begun.

Tentative release: December
Tentative title: The Game Artist's Guide to Maya

:D

I like it!

wow, good for you Mike! ;)

sweet as Mike! good luck and everything! :D

cool...

may i suggest an "advanced techniques" chapter 7 (or lateral boxes trough the whole book) where you talk about normalmapping shaders etc?

There is a general normal mapping section.

cool...
may i suggest a "game designer" to "game artist" dictionary? ;) (maybe it was only my dabbling on corporative design... but im still wondering what he did meant with "fresher"(well thats not true, he meant Aqua style, but we lost a day and half...))

oh and also a general "social skills and self defense techniques" to develop when dealing with executives? :D

no... seriously... post the full intended toc and maybe we can think of things you could add...

cool. I'am already collecting money to buy this book :P

Will the book be available in the UK?
And do we Simply Maya users get a discount? LOL

It might make a good prize for a future challenge prize.

Mark :)

I am pretty sure that it will be internationally available.

I do plan on offering a signed copy as a prize in a game art themed challenge once it's released. :)

Right on:tup: