How can we make it better?
 

right guys...

We want to make this the best maya site on the net

still we have to add some plugins . mels . shaders and more models, we are going to be adding some more free video tutorials as well as some vip ones.

Is there any thing elsa you guys would like to see on this site? any ideas?

thanks

hmm... how about tutorials for specific functions in maya... they dont have to be long or even a video... just basic tutorials what some funtions do and what users can do with them...

another thing may be some more free tutorials? ;)

-Emo

yep ...more freebies are on the way as I speak...we have about another 3 in production!

so watch this space....

I would love to see a set of videos that starts at scene setup and follows through to set up / modeling/ texturing/ setdriven keys/
rigging/ to rendering.

:banana:

Lets take this one for example how about a simple scene with a group of balls roll through a roller coaster slide with doors and drop into a bucket.

we can set up the scene
model the balls / coaster / doors
texture them light the scene
and rig the doors and script the rolling balls

render the animation

I know it sounds like a lot but lets make it a set of vids 1 this month and keep following through.

:beer:

i would like to see some advanced stuff in free section, like:

creating shader networks for non photorealistic rendering
(it could also introduce to some stuff in hypershade that is not in the manual or not understandable)

this could be interesting, to know how to make the realistic scene with a simple change of the shaders into a cartoon like thing :)

Fast Tip: Use the Ramp Shader to obtain a fast nononsense cartton cg. :)

right, but i was more thinking, that would be cool as tut. how to make connections in hypershade, how to use shading groups, how to put utilities. you can make it with a ramp, but tell this in the end of the tut: and the easy way - instead of using all those cool utilities you learned to use - is a ramp shader ...

so basically all people want is "more free stuff"

is that a sin? but that is a very good compliment. the site is so good, that quality need not improve. and as i understood, there come new tuts - i was just making a suggestion what i personally would like to have. there is nothing missing here - oh i want of course more time on my hand for the challenges. but that is not feature of the site ...

hey babyduck..i was not saying that to be some what sarcastic... I was mearly saying that if thats all that it would take then no problem...

That would be the easiest part... but we have to draw a line on free tutorials somewhere as its the VIP members that keep this site up and running as the costs are outragous.

Thats why we have to limit the number of free tutorials on the site against the VIP ones.

Also why I dont allow people to do movie tutorials and link them to this site.

But sure free tuts is not a problem, just thought that there might be something else that we can bring the users of simply maya :)

And many thanks for the compliments babyduck!!!

tutorials need not be movie things, by the way - i fully understand that hosting a server is not free.


oh one thing that just pops into my head to further improve this great site:
i would like to read about a real project some do and made money with it. like a behind the scenes. i am not sure if NDAs agree with that though ...

good idea duck :)

we was thinking about a "profile area" where we could go over a artists techniques...projects they have done, how they broke into the scene etc...

Hey Kevin, something really quick that you might want to know... when I use the Quick Reply on the bottom of a thread, when I"m done and I press the button a runtime error comes up... (kinda annoying :( )

here is a pic of it

yep its a java script prob with some browsers and the quick reply box..

the only way you can get around this is by using the reply button instead of the quick reply box.

I know a few people are trying to fix this problem but atm theres nothing can be done :(

sorry mate

if i'm not mistaken when that box pops up and you tab No it still posts whatever you wrote.. but it's damn annoyin'.. happens to the pc's at my college..

maybe i can work up a few models if ya want

Hey Kevin, I was looking at the Site's similies and I saw that the :banana: buddy needs some friends to dance around with :D

why not add them in? :)

more :D

and more

haha daves personal favourite!!! the dancing banana :)

tariqrf - models would be great ..then I can add our own catagories in the modesl area called "members models"

excellent :)

You have to love the bananna:banana:

I would rather stomp on the banana. :D

Now that hurts:mad:

:banana: :banana: :banana:

I couldn´t find one stomping on the banana ... but I think this one will do the deed. Just imagine it´s the dancing banana dude.
http://216.40.249.192/mysmilies/cont...eurboo/tgv.gif

Hehehe :beer:

i would like to see. a paint chat section.

Kevin,

How about interviews... I know it is a little be hard, but interview a MayaMaster, sounds nice to me.

Perhaps I have a few suggestions that i could add to this conversation. I was seeing that someone wanted a tutorial on hypershade and all the different things you can do with it. While i think that would be an awesome Tutorial i personally beleive that with all the time and effort that would go into it, it would show up in the VIP section. I personally am not a subscriber yet, although i will be soon, hopefully.

I mean as the tutorials get old, or a few tutorials should be added intermittently to the free section, personally i think theses should be beginners topics. Such as Navigating Maya: Tips & Tricks, Basic Polygonal Modelling, Basic Sub-divs, Basic Key-Frame Animation, Basic Hypershade. Since these topics are a little easier to cover than more advanced topics and will probably take up less room, and less bandwidth than the larger files being downloaded regarding Advanced issues from the free area.

Also, i was having quite a hard time with the .wmv's its actually really annoying when you missed a part and you have to skip back a few seconds and it takes forever to buffer, so perhaps if you guys could switch over to DivX as your movie format, its a good compression and great quality, that would be cool, though if .wmv is a must I Will live ;).

Perhaps more additions to the Gallery, and perhaps even an Animation Gallery for people to showcase their short's and quick renders.

Perhaps even offer hosting packages for beginning 3d artists who need to get a website going to showcase their 3d art and portfolio.

And of course, more shaders, more models, more tutorials, but honestly this site already is one of the /BEST/ on the web. So you guys just keep up the awesome work.


This ones to you Kevin and the Guys at Simply! :beer: Cheers!,
Imperator

PS: Kevin can you PM me with yer ICQ or MSN Messenger ID, need to talk regarding VIP membership

You guys have got me going now.

Where does the song...'yes, we have no bananas' come from????
Damn things:)

I agreee with the guy who mentioned the hypershade

there is sooo much stuff to the hypershade (like all the utilities) that people don't know how to use or what they are for. as for more free stuff, I would probably disagree.

you shouldn't think of it as a cost but an investment. i mean it is the same as buying 4 pints (or even 3 in some places). I'm sure you could go without an extra 4 pints a month. But then I keep trying to convince myself of that and it never usually works hehe

Some good points here:

Ill answer under each one if I can:


Yes - we are working on a series of hypershade videos now. These do indeed go into a lot of detail as the hypershade is very very indepth at times. But we hope to get the basics into the free area.

Yep same answer for as above, as we see now the sm commnuity is growing, we also need to be adding more to these to the free area, we will also be adding some more advanced ones to.


Yep this has already been discussed as well. We are currently looking into DIVX format, and although the next 2 or 3 tutorials will infact be in WMV...after that we hope to have in DIVX format

The upload feature now works on the gallery so its up to you guys to fill it :) - a good idea on the animation showcase, I will look into this.


We do! :) We have a few guys already hosted here, and although we have not made it public yet.... we do in fact offer this service. As long as the user is a member here and visits the board to help the SM community.


thank you :)

sure Its in my profile :) and thanks for your input

On the topic of the gallery we have had 20 images uploaded in the last 3 days so thanks to every one for there contributions :)

I don't know copyright laws, but I'm always amazed when someone points out to me that was done on Maya. Especially if it's on TV. I heard some stuff on the Spider Man movie was done on Maya. Maybe a brief explanation on how they did it, how they could have done, or how they might have done it.

of course, free stuff is always cool. Maybe some written tutorials instead of always video. although everyone like video better.

I have a suggestion for "improvement" of simply maya:

Lets call it an add on to this great site.

How about a link page, that is relevant to maya and/or modeling in some way, be it global illumination or other documentation about 3d technology?

Heh, it's kind of already done at http://www.3dlinks.com/

i really like the sound of having a profile area.

Dont change the site its great as it is ....the only thing that could change is the way some people answer the thread s no wot i mean some of u....

hmm profile area, explain more lespaul

watkira - what happened mate? someone said something out of turn to you? let me know here or by pm

i suggest adding more areas in the site that are related to maya.. but not completely... such as making of this, making of that....
example the spiderman movie(above)... someone who know would then post it in there.... and someone who would volunteer to find that out and the post it in....
I think the profile area suggested by lespaul is actually what i am talking about...:D

Non-video tutorials. Downloading on a 56k....

Plus, they'll be easier to make!!

Actually video tutorials are easier to make (provided you´ve prepared beforehand a script and such)