Let's increase the activity in this forum!!!!!!!

[wgreenlee1]

im here......lol
i dont know anything (like the trim tool.lol) but i can bump the thread until someone who does know can answer:buttrock:

[ntmonkey]

And no BEVEL questions...unless, you guys know where to find one that works. :beer:

peace,

Lu

[CIM]

I think one of the best ways for ppl. to help out here, without having to write (usually) time-consuming tutorials, is to just post an example Maya scene covering a certain topic (very simple to advanced).

Having the Maya scene right in front of you, being able to interact with it, is much better than trying to comprehend someone's explanation, whatever it may be, which usually leaves out key concepts or steps.

A site like http://presetcentral.com/, but for Maya, would be great. That way there'd be a central place to go and download the files.

Anyway, just and idea.

[gmask]

>>>A site like http://presetcentral.com/, but for Maya, would be great. That way there'd be a central place to go and download the files.


Doesn't Highend3d.com do this??

[CIM]

Originally posted by gmask
>>>A site like http://presetcentral.com/, but for Maya, would be great. That way there'd be a central place to go and download the files.


Doesn't Highend3d.com do this??

Highend3d.com doesn't have example Maya scenes.

[gmask]

Originally posted by CIM
Highend3d.com doesn't have example Maya scenes.

Actually in some cases it does like for shaders .. you can upload scenes there but few do.

Wanna start a trend?

[bluemagicuk]

Heres another suggestion .

If you have a nice fast connection to the net and some webspace
why not use Hypercam (get [URL=http://www.hyperionics.com/) to do small vid tutorials
to help out. I have installed it and it works a treat.
Assuming you have video codec compression software.

Just throwin the idea out there be gentle with it :p

[wgreenlee1]

in the rendering forum the mental ray threads make learning a whole lot easier if you can open the scene and checkout the shader graph netorks and stuff

im all for a preset central for scenes,mostly for mental ray and character animation,maybe even some modeling scenes with historys and stuff included

[bluemagicuk]

Anyone seen z scripts with z brush ? They are truly awesome.

Its like step by step history .... kind of like a mel history but you
basicaly click to move onto the next step. Really awesome tool
to learn the software. Wish there was something similar in maya.

[matty429]

Why doesn't CGTalk make a Beginner section..Look at the posts...this thread get littered with,


how do I trim

change gfx card?

which to Buy...Mac Maya or PC Maya?

video card for maya... what do you recommend

Learning Maya books help

My Mental Ray option disappeared

I know everyone was a beginner once..But It's also notable that 90 percent of the comments in this forum can be answered by pressing the F1 key..or reading the documentation for your OS,hardware,or software..Or at least using the search function in this forum.
It's also notable that for myself, personally, I just don't find many posts containing any information that's of any value to me ...it just seems like more and more threads fulled with ..."Help I don't how to read the manual" ...And If you don't have one, then that raises other questions ...How far do you go to help someone...until they are used to not helping themselves any more...
In a sense , I feel that supporting Answers that are clearly in the manual..is no better than giving out the answers to a test...It helps nobody..
I know 3D is not a test , but it is a test of self Discipline...And I'm sure this is in all the forums everywhere...

Ill post this in another thread I saw about the lack of maya posts...

[3Dfx_Sage]

Okay, I got webspace and plenty-o-bandwidth but my programmer bailed on me; I've been sitting on this site for a long time. If anyone is willing to pitch in with some coding / site design then I would be willing to keep paying for the service and domain, along with helping out with running the site. I agree totally with the "if you have a scene to actually *interact with*" idea.

Anyone interested PM me.
And, who knows, might get some advertising going and get some spare change from it... (being a socialist and a buddhist, I would certainly share with those who help!)

[brunner]

Wanna start a trend?
The trend already has started in the rendering section, mentalray threads :)

3Dfx_Sage, you got PM (er..you will, in a couple of minutes:) )

[kiaran]

Heres another suggestion .

If you have a nice fast connection to the net and some webspace
why not use Hypercam to do small vid tutorials
to help out.

I already have, check out my site http://www.kiaran.net . I plan on adding more and more as I get time. Hope you like.:D

[bluemagicuk]

Aaah nice site :) downloading the global illum one now .

I dont have a nice website set up ... need to buy flash but cash is
low at the moment... er and I dont have anything decent to put
on it either :)
But I will be actively uploading sceen cap's to help people out with maya stuff where I can.

[Icarus]

Just a throught, if you would be doing sample scenes for Maya, to go along w/ the tuts, what about people who run PLE or Maya version x.x Some dont work well with others,

My Roommate Recently won a Small Contest For Maya 4.5, Which he game to me considering he doesnt require it, so i have a version of 4.5, but as said before, people w/ PLE wouldnt be able to see Full Version Maya Scene Files?

[MCGrund]

@Tyrinid: As far as I know there is no problem opening Maya files in PLE. I think it is the other way around. PLE files cannot be opened in Maya to prevent commercial use of these files.

[bluemagicuk]

Originally posted by twisted-ankle
@Tyrinid: As far as I know there is no problem opening Maya files in PLE. I think it is the other way around. PLE files cannot be opened in Maya to prevent commercial use of these files.

That is correct .

[ntmonkey]

Hey Gang,

All good ideas around the table. I'm starting to think about having a large FAQ site with all the newb questions with links to hypercam vids.

I know you can hit F1 and find out about the tool in the files, but sometimes being shown once can really make it stick. After all, most of us here are visually-oriented individuals.

I'd personally like to see a hardworking newb have something on the front page by July. And we can do that if we help them out a bit. Haven't you guys seen those WIPs and watched how they evolved into the masterpieces JUST BECAUSE A FEW PPL CARED!

peace,

Lu

[SegFaultII]

great idea!
i can provide a design, but no maya tuts yet because i am still a newbe myself :)
a scene file with an online description for it with explaination of the steps to create it would rock! everyone could make one because its just writing down the steps (with a small explanation ;) ).
:beer:

[Sciatica]

Well.. I try to help out when I can.. I just never make it in time to offer the working bit of advice ;)

Speaking of the hypercam thing.. I have been making a few Hypercam beginner Maya training videos since my Fiance has been wanting to start messing about with my copy of Maya, but Im usually not around to actually sit down with her and show her things.. hence the videos.. but I have been having a problem relating to the capture size. Is there anyway to shrink the resolution of the output video at all? Whenever Im capturing something, since Im running at 1024x768 resoultion, all my videos are outputed to 1024x768 as well... while its not a big problem, I was just curious if anybody knew of a way to change this?

[bluemagicuk]

Make sure you have hypercam 1.7 ... get latest version in other
words.

http://www.hyperionics.com/vers/hc1changes.html

Watch this video 400kbs divx (http://www.bluemagic.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/hypercam.avi)
took me 2 minutes from start to uploading vid to my site.

And bingo, you have instant tutorial tool.
Now can someone do a full facial rig tutorial for me and post it by
tomorow night ... lol

[Sciatica]

:surprised
he he :) sure thing man.. I'll even do it on my insanely awesome model of an invisible man.. If I can find it...... :p

Thanks for the info :beer:

[wgreenlee1]

Originally posted by Sciatica
:surprised
he he :) sure thing man.. I'll even do it on my insanely awesome model of an invisible man.. If I can find it...... :p



lol

[Mazer]

Now can someone do a full facial rig tutorial for me and post it by
tomorow night ... lol

Yep, I want one too!!! And please, add a section about final fantasy hair!!! But before that I would like to know how to make a box, morf-it to an alien, and by mel sript, auto set-it up and do a walkcicle.. please...

Seriously, I don't see why we need to force the number of threads in this forums. Most beguiner questions can be awsered by the search function, and the Maya comunity is IMO very sharing, thousands of tuts, mel scripts, plugs, etc..

Of course more complicated or uncomon questions are dificult to be awsered, for instance, i've asked everiwere how to setup wacom pressure in Maya Linux and nobody seems to know... I assume it's because the people responsable to do-it in the studios using Maya linux, aren't browsing cgtalk or highend 3d... the same is true for other questions.

[Garma]

good initiative. count me in. I'll link my wips here too though I don't have too many new wips lately :p

oh About the new website initiatives, very good. I think I can say I have very much experience with PHP and various SQL databases so if you guys need any help with that you can count on me. I'd do it myself but I'm afraid I will get problems with my host when I do the preset site (traffic will be huge)

[available for pm] :thumbsup:

[3Dfx_Sage]

Okay well right now I've got bruner and SegFaultII both wanting to help do the web site design, and blue magic has offered to help come up with the tuts. I can provide all the hosting needed- right now I've got just basic hosting, but once it gets running I'm thinking about upgrading to a dedicated server with plenty-o-bandwidth

[brunner]

I'm a bit busy at the moment, but by weekend i'll post a draft of the new site..

Basically what i have in mind is a simple and quick way to upload a scene (related to a cgtalk thread).
Maybe some pictures upload too, but that is questionable..

The scenes (and maybe other stuff) will be divided in categories, have descriptions, etc..

[SegFaultII]

same here, i think it'll be ready at the weekend.
please post your ideas for the menus, what does the site need and what not?

-seg

[bluemagicuk]

If you build it they will come

I hope this site has the following in mind. A place to upload maya
scene files with a goal in mind. Ie heres a particle emitter instancing rocks
what cool renders can you come up with then leave it to be worked
on by cgtalkers and post the results here on cgtalk through each users own web space.
If you have the maya ple then you cant post the scene but you can
still post pics of your result which will be fine.

If you have covered these ideas already then .. er ignore

1)There could be different levels of scene.(3 sections for example)

Beginners
Good ideas
Advanced

2)It should be easy to use, upload and link to cgtalk.

3)I dont know what you have in mind but something
I would like to see, is a section where people can upload
hypercam tutorials.(need bandwidth i know:()
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Or
Have it set up by 3d technique or method

Rendering
Modelling
Dynamics
Particles
Fluids
Simulations
Cloth Fur Mel
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
But def keep it simple. It wont be used it it is not kept simple.

I am most looking forward to getting tucked into some nice
scenes and racking my brain on how to get some nice renders.
video tuts are brilliant for everything.
At many of the highend organic modelling forums they use video
capture to describe lowpoly modelling .....

I would gladly do a written tutorial html (with pretty pics) on how
to set everything up for hypercam to get more people using it.

[NUKE-CG]

I think we need more chicks.. ..what?.. OK seriously..

Maybe make the forums run like

Maya General - All posts from other forums get displayed here.
Maya Modeling - Modeling.
Maya Animation - Animation (changed from Character Setup).
Maya Dynamics - Dynamics
Maya Lighting/Rendering - Yep.. you know.
Maya MEL/API - Uh huh.
and.. dum dum dar!
Maya Newbies - Wheither you like it or not, simple questions are asked here, even with the Digital Visual Effects Professional label beside the logo.

I like the Maya General idea most, people post in General for the more views, making General a Index would make it like a Show All recent Posts feature, but just for Maya questions :) People would post their questions in the right section, because they'll know they will displayed in the General as well.

Just my 0.02 NZD$

[bluemagicuk]

100 % agree with you on changing cgtalk maya forum to your layout nuke.

[gmask]

Originally posted by CIM
Highend3d.com doesn't have example Maya scenes.

Currently the Highend3d.com website is being rewritten and one of the new features will be file uploads to threads.

It would be great to have a list of desired example scenes that people could provide.. any other suggestions for such a forum?

[bentllama]

WIPS should go in the WIP forums...unlesss you are posting a screenshot to illustrate a particular problem specific to you software application.

crossposting is a no no and posts will be placed into the appropriate folders. no duplicate posts.

:beer:

[gmask]

Originally posted by bentllama
WIPS should go in the WIP forums...


The maya forum seems to have this problem the least in comparison to some other forums here where it has been deemed okay to do exactly that..

[bentllama]

WIPS should go in the WIP forums...unlesss you are posting a screenshot to illustrate a particular problem specific to you software application.

crossposting is a no no and posts will be placed into the appropriate folders. no duplicate posts.

:beer:

[gmask]

Originally posted by bentllama
no duplicate posts.

:beer:

[Garma]

Originally posted by NUKE-CG
Maya General - All posts from other forums get displayed here.
Maya Modeling - Modeling.
Maya Animation - Animation (changed from Character Setup).
Maya Dynamics - Dynamics
Maya Lighting/Rendering - Yep.. you know.
Maya MEL/API - Uh huh.
and.. dum dum dar!
Maya Newbies

2 problems:

- seen the activity in the 5 sections we have, adding more sections won't do the forums any good. It would decrease the individual activity

- separating noob questions from advanced users is not gonna work since there's no one who decides what's a noob question and noob threads often evolve to useful discussions. Also experienced users won't visit the noob forum too often probably that way the noobs won't be helped. also questions which are really trivial will die fast anyway so what's the problem

the problem is NOT in the structure of this forum, it is in the activity level. Keep that in mind.

@bentllama thanks for clarification

[SegFaultII]

hi everyone
i have no creativity at the moment, so i didnt come up with a design for the page, sorry :shrug:

[bluemagicuk]

@segfaultII
No probs its always difficult to make time for something that
doesnt pay.. besides it shouldnt stop anyone from creating a
scene file and uploading it to their personal webspace ....
everyone has webspace surely shirley.
I will continue to use hypercam as I find it easier to just show
what I mean then typing .. I hate typing even though my wpm is
like 50 or something.

[Garma]

right, fellow mayaers, time for a first stage evaluation. Did the activity increase? I think so. Personally I have to say I come here every day (used to be almost never). What about you guys? From what I see I think the activity has definately increased, just looking at the speed with which threads get their replies and die etc.

[bluemagicuk]

Agreed .. the activity has def increased ... a little bit :)
Not trying to be synical at all .. honest .. I think there is still
a lot of people that dont post ... mabye they are shy .

[Quizboy]

ok folks i'm going to make a few suggestions which might be a bit ambitious but by virtue of throwing the ideas out there, however unrealistic, maybe some good can come of it...

TESTING.

This would be crapload of work and I have no idea how this could be generated effectively, but through composite collaboration of the more experienced users maybe it would be possible to come up with a community system of testing and assessing the level of someone's maya efficiency.

generate standards for what is considered newb, newb-intermediate, intermediate, intermediate-advanced, advanced, god-status then create tests, test scenes, test tutorials, timed speed assignments, etc. all of which are posted in our maya forum here and people have a structured way of progressing and making sure their maya knowledge and practical ability is comprehensive.

i think if people know where they are on the scale of knowledge, and know exactly what they have to do to fill the gaps, it makes for a more motivated collective. Plus the knowledge which is now randomly assembled would be better organized which will make the forum more attractive in general.

Don't ask me how this could possibly ever get implemented, but maybe some of you can come up with ideas on that.

[Quizboy]

Maybe a user level testing and rating system is something Alias would give us support in itself, since it's clearly in Alias' best interest if we are able to significantly boost and sustain interactivity level in the maya forum here and skill level of users. And they probably have already invested some effort in generating standards, which we could take further and revise ourselves...

Users could have an overall rating as well as a breakdown by area such as Intermediate Advanced - Overall, Advanced - Modeling, Intermediate - Animation, Newb - Dynamics, Advanced - Rendering.

[bluemagicuk]

Originally posted by Quizboy
Users could have an overall rating .....

I dont understand your facination with rating people. Personally I
would not like to be labeled or categorised to a specific skill level.

There isnt enough people posting on this forum for the mods to warrant
a more detailed list of categories. imho

I would like to see the maya forum change to

Maya Modelling
Maya Animation
Maya Animation
Maya Rendering
Maya Dynamics
Maya Mel

Like the guys n gals at alias arranged it in the app.

[Quizboy]

i also agree that more forums are not necessary, except of course for an animation one.

but the fascination with rating is not a fascination. it's a practical way to assess one's progress where there currently is no reference point.

i personally have been teaching myself (with the help of cgtalk) for 8 months now, and i honestly have no way of knowing if my skills are stagnating at the newbie level, or if my skillset matches up to many folks who are working in the industry. i'm certainly learning a lot, but where's my reference? it's important for me to know if my learning pace is faster than other members or slower than the average because that could be a heads up that i'm not using the most effective learning approach. Am I over-compensating when I'm already knowledgeable enough to look for work? should i simply be cranking out works for my portfolio, or should i be taking the time to review fundamentals that i may have missed without knowing it - items that will only frustrate me if go ahead and try a major portfolio project. Even worse I won't even know why I'm frustrated, but if I had a standards testing that shows me clearly that I don't know jack about modeling, then that will explain to me why I can't get that human face modeled the way i'd like. Or discover that something i've accepted as taking 15 minutes to do for months, could have taken me seconds...and i just didn't know 'cause i thought it was the best way.

Obviously artistic talent is subjective, and will remain so, but technical proficiency is not and coming up with an organized, efficient strategy of mastering it instead of the haphazard way that a lot of us do it now (pick up knowledge as we go) will help us to more quickly release the artistic vision which is trapped inside many of us by our lack of technical proficiency.

furthermore a rating system would be a good way of seeking out other members for collaboration and/or for mentoring, thus the experienced member can quickly assess the skillset of someone he/she is helping.

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