What are some reasons for needing to know C++ for FX animation. I know building plugins could be useful or interfaces to your sims, but what are some other uses?
I would like to focus my learning of C++ to help with FX animation. Anyone know of good sources of information that concentrate on uses for effects.
Thanks
Hmm… C++ really doesn’t become important unless your a) writing a plugin or b) writing an animation app. I could be mistaken though.
It’s always good to know a programming language, for example, Maya MEL looks a lot like C in the syntax which makes it very easy to learn and if you know Maya MEL it will definitly be easier to create “FX Animation”.
If you are interested in trying Maya and MEL for Digital Effects, check the book: “Digital Effects Animation Using Maya” …
Learn C++ if you have the chance, “knowledge is never to heavy to carry” 
-mk-
Thanks for your replies.
I am pretty comfortable with scripting (mel, python, shell, actionscript), programming fundamentals, and writing expressions to drive animations. I have even taken a class in which I wrote and compiled some really basic C++ programs. I was just curious in general why companies ask for C++ in particular to become an FX animator.
It’s on my list of things to learn, I just would like to know how to focus my learning.
This is just speculation, but it’s probably just in case you need to work with or tweak someone else’s C++ code. Or it could be a case of the thinking that someone who knows C++ is technical enough for the job, while not knowing C++ would be seen as a general sign of not being techinical, regardless of whether C++ is actually going to be used or not.
There are some things where you’d want to program in C++ for speed, but I don’t know how common those are. For example, I know a guy writing a liquid simulator in C++ - any other language wouldn’t really do. Maybe C, or a lower-level language. But most people would just use a simulator that someone else wrote.
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