Maya Studio Projects: Game Environments and Props - Softcover

McKinley, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0470524030 ISBN 13: 9780470524039

Publisher: Sybex, 2010

Synopsis

Use Maya to create realistic environments and props for digital games

Weapons, vehicles, tools, buildings, trees, plants, walls, ceilings, and floors-these items may seem secondary to the game environment, but they are integral parts of the game and they all need to be created. Maya Studio Projects: Game Environments and Props is a step-by-step project guide to creating some of the most popular game art.

Author Michael McKinley shares techniques for getting the most out of Maya to create realistic, vivid, and compelling worlds and otherworldly props. Along the way, he provides notes and FYIs that give readers depth and breadth for bringing both reality and creativity to their game art. A bonus DVD features step-by-step videos to help drive home concepts.

• The Studio Projects series offers projects that start from nothing, just as they do in the studio; these books provide you with a step-by-step guide to software attributes and tools that encompass multiple disciplines so that you can create a finished, renderable object
• Many games have only a few characters, and multiple levels and environments, and hundreds of props-this book focuses on projects and techniques for creating everything but the character
• Maya is the top 3D app for creating console and computer games such as: Rock Band, Gears of War, James Bond: Quantum of Solace, Fallout 3, and Far Cry 2

Learn effective Maya studio techniques with this handy, step-by-step, full-color book.

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

About this title

From the Back Cover

SET THE SCENE WITH TOP-NOTCH GAME ART

Vehicles, 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 animation

• Use polygons, opacity maps, and a lattice to create an exotic tree

• Design a dune buggy with shock absorbers, a spoiler, and an engine with gears

• Create and animate a Western-style revolver that looks great, even in close-ups

• Add level of detail (LOD) with mipmapping, multiple UV channels, collision meshes, and more

• Find valuable advice for life on the job, such as how to take direction and criticism

Use modular techniques to create highly detailed environments

Learn all types of video game textures including diffuse maps, normal maps, and emissive maps

Build vehicles, weapons, foliage, and other such environment necessities from scratch

VALUABLE COMPANION DVD
The 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.)

About the Author

Michael McKinley is a veteran game artist, primarily serving as an environment artist for several titles, including Tomb Raider: Anniversary, NFL Street 3, and many others. He currently works for Zombie Studios in Seattle, Washington, where he created environments and props for Saw as well as other prominent titles. He is the author of The Game Artist's Guide to Maya and The Game Animator's Guide to Maya, both from Sybex.

Edition details

• Publisher: Sybex
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0470524030
• ISBN 13: 9780470524039
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 288