Do you have this book?

[mark_wilkins]

This book covers all kinds of stuff. I haven't bought it but I've spent some time looking through it.

Here's a summary of what I've heard from various people about this book: Experienced Maya users tend to read the descriptions and say "Oh, that's a neat idea!" and figure out their own ways to do them. Inexperienced Maya users read the descriptions and MAY have trouble making the connections between what's in the book and how to execute them.

If you're looking for a book on rigging, I recommend Inspired: 3D Character Setup, Maya Character Animation, and Maya 4.5 Savvy.

If you're looking for a book on modeling, I recommend Maya Character Animation and Maya 4.5 Savvy.

If you're looking for a book on MEL scripting, well, have a look at my signature below... :D

-- Mark

[Sammy]

Mark,

Just ordered a copy of your book yesterday -- I'm really looking forward to reading it cover to cover and absorbing all that it has to offer!

:beer: ,
Sammy
rhibit@lilypad.ca
-+-

[onlooker]

Originally posted by mark_wilkins
This book covers all kinds of stuff. I haven't bought it but I've spent some time looking through it.

Here's a summary of what I've heard from various people about this book: Experienced Maya users tend to read the descriptions and say "Oh, that's a neat idea!" and figure out their own ways to do them. Inexperienced Maya users read the descriptions and MAY have trouble making the connections between what's in the book and how to execute them.

If you're looking for a book on rigging, I recommend Inspired: 3D Character Setup, Maya Character Animation, and Maya 4.5 Savvy.

If you're looking for a book on modeling, I recommend Maya Character Animation and Maya 4.5 Savvy.

If you're looking for a book on MEL scripting, well, have a look at my signature below... :D

-- Mark


Mark I have your book, but have had no time to start reading it yet. I look forward to it.
I'm going to finish my MEL CourseWare first.

Also to the first poster. Maya secrets of the pro's is an older version of Maya 4.5 Savvy. Savvy is practaly the same book, but updated, and more intuitive.

[mark_wilkins]

Secrets of the Pros is a different book. Maya 4.5 Savvy is based on Mastering Maya Complete 2 and Mastering Maya 3.

-- Mark

[AmateurOne]

I'm a noob who has this book.

It is a collection of mostly unrelated chapters by different authors. All but the first chapter examine some isolated nook of Maya. As a beginner the chapter on modeling a horse and the chapter on lip-syncing blend shapes are the ones I will do first. I have several other books to finish before I begin on this one. I have read through some of the chapters such as the one on crowd scenes to get a feel for what Maya can do.

I have a positive impression of this book but I don't think it's a good place to start, except for the first chapter, which is a look at the forest instead of the trees.

I think the recommendations of other books that have been posted to this thread are quite good.

Oh, and I don't think there is anything on rigging in it.

Hope that is of some help.

[onlooker]

Originally posted by mark_wilkins
Secrets of the Pros is a different book. Maya 4.5 Savvy is based on Mastering Maya Complete 2 and Mastering Maya 3.

-- Mark

Your absolutly correct. My mistake. Same authors, but different books.

I asked jkundert the same question at a different UBB about a month ago, and he said the same thing Yes, it's an update/revision (with new stuff and a new look) of Mastering Maya 3--a bit of confusion with the name change, I know, but basically the same book ;)

But when I asked the question I was actually thinking about Secrets of the Pro's so now I actually don't have the answer I was looking for. I wonder if they will update this book as well? :hmm:

[CGTalk Moderation]

This thread has been automatically closed as it remained inactive for 12 months. If you wish to continue the discussion, please create a new thread in the appropriate forum.