Share your secret weapon...!

#401

I didn’t understand your question. You’re asking if you can use Maya with a dual monitor setup? That’s my current setup and it works like a charm :wink: I keep the floating windows such as the script editor, curves editor and hypershade on the second one.

#402

I missed a word there, “how” do you set it up? :slight_smile:

Probably going to get the screen tomorow, yay!

#403

if your videocard has 2 video outputs (most cards do) you just plug it in, and then you go to your screen propierties. There you will see the second monitor, click on it and check the option “extend my desktop to this monitor” and you’re done.

#404

Another question, what lightning/gamma/brightness should I have on my computer? My work seems different on every computer I watch it on. :slight_smile:

#405

All of them!

If you use a program enough chances are you are going to come across the need for some tool or the want for a more efficiant way to do something. now there are probably a zillion and one ways to do it without using that tool but the devs are probably modellers too and time is money so if there is some area they can improve they have probably thought and therfor exists in maya, they are thinking about or you should tell them caus you could get your wish.

Peace

Brian

#406

tradigiTOOLS!

It’s a animation workflow plug-in that assist animators is following a more efficient and effective workflow based on traditional methods. We just released this tool but we’ve had this puppy in our arsenal for a few years, in various forms. It is quite and impressive time saver. Go to…

www.funhouseinteractive.biz

…for more info. There are some video demos there too.

Yeah! I know it’s a “plug” but the toolset is worth it ;). AnimationMentor.com has officially endorsed this tool for their students and a few studios have recently purchased licenses in the week or two since we’ve released. There is currently a limited time 10% discount to CGTalk members. Use “popcorn” (no quotes) in the coupon field.

There’s already a thread on the forums here…

http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=7&t=589289

Enjoy.

#407

Ever had renderable cameras in your scene by accident? Or needed a better render globals layout?

try this hidden window for a much better editor:

select defaultRenderGlobals; ShowAttributeEditorOrChannelBox;

#408

nice but I just have one question: does it work the same regardless of the renderer you’re using?

#409

well, try it out to make sure but the renderable attribute of a camera is not specific to the renderer!

#410

i think rockgen.mel by alex its a nice script when coming to genarating rocks and meteors

#411

Hi, I has my past modeling experience in 3dsmax, and i just figure out that maya is a wonderful software but needs lots of solid Mel scripts to do modeling and uvs.
So please feel free to share yours Melscripts as well.

Here is my 2 cents that i would like to share with you:

Vertex: Target Weld, very useful for modeling in Maya
http://www.highend3d.com/maya/downloads/mel_scripts/polygon/2194.html

Reload Texture: Save you tones of time by clicking on the s
http://highend3d.com/maya/downloads/mel_scripts/texturing/Reload-File-Texture-4003.html

Cheers!!!

#412

For modeling, I’m using the slide edge tool alllll the time. It was a great add in 2008. If you select an edge and middle mouse drag, it moves the edge moves along the edges connected to it. And if you hold down shift and do it, it moves along the face’s normal in or out.

Great for keeping geometry looking the same and moving 5 pointed verts away from problem areas.

#413

Nevermind…

#414

my secret wpn = basics of maya

2008 -> crisps tool
1 2 3 of the smooth tool to check organic models

older version

definitely the insert edge loop tool! hahas
though it can get my models abit messy at times

#415

hello guys…my secret weapon is uv mapping.
Quick UV mapping:

Firstly,select faces you want to uv map.Then,auto map your faces with a plane setting somewhere between 4 and 12.4 is good for simpler faces while 12 is good for more complex geometry variation.Next,select the outer edges of the whole face selection and store these edges as a selection set, which will be deselected later.In the uv texture editor switch to edge mode.Do region select all the edges of the auto mapped faces.Then,Deselect the outer edges from the selection set you just made.Please make sure to deselect any other outer edges from neighboring faces. Now you have all the internal edges that belong to your set of faces.Finally,perform Sew+Move! Yea! CooL!

hope this helps someone :slight_smile:

#416

One of my fav tools: modify > convert > poly to sub-d

Step 1 : Extract

Step 2 : Extrude edge (to give depth)

Step 3 : Modify > Convert > Poly to SubDiv (option box) à [size=2]R [/size]Keep original[indent]Alt + ~
[/indent]Step 4 : Ctrl + a[indent]Subdiv Surface Display à Resolution 3
[/indent]Step 5 : Right click on the sub-D object > Edge[indent]Select the Edge à then crease edge

[indent][indent][indent][indent]à choose partial or full

[/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent]Step 6 : Right click on the sub-D object > Vertex[indent]Select the Vertex à then Refine Selected

[/indent]Hope this helps :smiley:

#417

the thing I use constantly is Basepivot:

http://www.highend3d.com/maya/downloads/mel_scripts/modeling/misc/BasePivot-2679.html

just centres and drops the pivot to the middle bottom of your model. Great for snap dragging objects around a floor.

Assign it to a hotkey and you’re good. Works on Mac fine (shows only Windows compatibility on site)

#418

Pelting tools by Sunit Parekh for UV Mapping, and Maya’s Unfold UVS too

#419

I have used pelting tools and i have to say, even though it cost money, I prefer unfold 3d magic muuch better. That program works like a charm. If you need to UV character models this program will save you a lot of headaches and time trust me.

#420

When mirroring weights with Maya’s default tools, make sure you are at the bind pose (if possible.) In the event you have joints doubled up exactly on top of each other (happens in areas like the eye), select the joint that is giving you the trouble and its mirror joint on the opposite side. Translate them together down a few units and try again; Don’t worry if it makes your model look messed up. Maya wont choke trying to figure out which joint gets which weight. Restore the bind pose and you are golden.