Maya Studio Projects: Game Environments and Props

✍ Scribed by Michael McKinley

• Publisher: Sybex
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 291
• Edition: 1 Pap/Dvdr
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Use Maya to create realistic environments and props for digital games

Weapons, vehicles, tools, buildings, trees, plants, walls, ceilings, and floors-these items may seem secondary to the game environment, but they are integral parts of the game and they all need to be created. Maya Studio Projects: Game Environments and Props is a step-by-step project guide to creating some of the most popular game art.

Author Michael McKinley shares techniques for getting the most out of Maya to create realistic, vivid, and compelling worlds and otherworldly props. Along the way, he provides notes and FYIs that give readers depth and breadth for bringing both reality and creativity to their game art. A bonus DVD features step-by-step videos to help drive home concepts.

• The Studio Projects series offers projects that start from nothing, just as they do in the studio; these books provide you with a step-by-step guide to software attributes and tools that encompass multiple disciplines so that you can create a finished, renderable object
• Many games have only a few characters, and multiple levels and environments, and hundreds of props-this book focuses on projects and techniques for creating everything but the character
• Maya is the top 3D app for creating console and computer games such as: Rock Band, Gears of War, James Bond: Quantum of Solace, Fallout 3, and Far Cry 2

Learn effective Maya studio techniques with this handy, step-by-step, full-color book.

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

✦ Table of Contents

Maya® Studio Projects: Game Environments and Props......Page 1
Contents......Page 11
Introduction......Page 13
Understanding Backgrounds......Page 17
Project: Creating a Brick Wall......Page 19
Information Overload......Page 51
Understanding Foliage......Page 53
Project: Creating Ivy......Page 54
Project: Creating a Savannah Tree......Page 69
The Illusion of Detail......Page 85
Understanding Weapons......Page 87
Project: Creating and Animating a Western Revolver......Page 88
Moving Right Along......Page 122
Understanding Vehicles......Page 125
Project: Building a Dune Buggy......Page 126
Where to Go from Here?......Page 157
Understanding Buildings......Page 159
Project: Building a Skyscraper......Page 160
Let’s Light It Up......Page 197
Understanding Illuminators......Page 199
Project: Creating a Wall Sconce......Page 201
In the Home Stretch!......Page 217
Understanding Movers......Page 219
Project: Creating an Industrial Fan......Page 220
Not Just a Level......Page 231
Project: Creating a Sci-Fi Prop......Page 233
Project Complete!......Page 255
Creating Level of Detail......Page 257
Mipmapping......Page 259
Using Multiple UV Channels......Page 260
Creating Collision Meshes......Page 261
Being Professional......Page 262
Have Fun!......Page 263
Appendix A: Image Gallery......Page 265
What You’ll Find on the DVD......Page 273
System Requirements......Page 274
Using the DVD......Page 276
Customer Care......Page 277
Index......Page 279