Maya Studio Projects: Game Environments and Props
SET THE SCENE WITH TOP-NOTCH GAME ARTVehicles, weapons, tools, buildings, trees, and other elements are all as essential to bringing a game to vivid life as are the characters. This detailed guide shows you step by step how to create a variety of today's hottest game environments and props using Maya's powerful tools.You'll start from scratch—the way studio professionals do—and create fully renderable game assets in a series of projects that increase in complexity as you go. Master modeling while you fashion an ivy vine and a tree. Learn more complex UV and texture mapping techniques as you design a revolver. Draw on all your skills and create a cool sci-fi gizmo that glows. It's all here and more in this practical, in-depth guide.Learn pro techniques for modeling, UV mapping, textures, rigging, and animationUse polygons, opacity maps, and a lattice to create an exotic treeDesign a dune buggy with shock absorbers, a spoiler, and an engine with gearsCreate and animate a Western-style revolver that looks great, even in close-upsAdd level of detail (LOD) with mipmapping, multiple UV channels, collision meshes, and moreFind valuable advice for life on the job, such as how to take direction and criticismUse modular techniques to create highly detailed environmentsLearn all types of video game textures including diffuse maps, normal maps, and emissive mapsBuild vehicles, weapons, foliage, and other such environment necessities from scratchVALUABLE COMPANION DVDThe DVD includes all the project files, movies, and bonus resources mentioned in the book.(You must have Maya 2010 or Maya 2009 Unlimited to use the files on the DVD.)