Autodesk Maya 2014 3D animation software offers next-generation display technology, accelerated modeling workflows, robust new systems for handling complex data, and inspiring new creative toolsets. With an expanded, integrated modeling feature set; an intuitive Grease Pencil; and innovative new Paint Effects features, Maya 2014 helps both improve productivity and enhance creativity. Moreover, the Maya DX11Shader, together with enhancements to Viewport 2.0, enables artists to work in a high-quality real-time environment that closely matches final output. And, building and managing large and complex worlds is now easier, thanks to Scene Assembly tools, a File Path Editor, and URI support.
Top Features and Benefits
Next-Gen Viewport Display and Shading
Artists can now take advantage of the power of Microsoft DirectX 11 software to help create and edit high-quality assets and images in less time, with the new Maya DX11Shader. Using the next generation of viewport display and hardware rendering technology, DX11Shader offers artists real-time, centralized, easy-to-control shader effects: crack-free tessellation, vector displacement maps, translucence, reflections, and shadows. The DX11Shader is built with a new API that exposes DirectX 11 natively in Maya with HLSL (High Level Shading Language) support. DX11Shader is only available on the Microsoft Windows 64-bit operating system.
Accelerated Modeling Workflow
Building on technology from the well-known NEX toolset from dRaster, Maya 2014 delivers an expanded, integrated modeling feature set that offers an accelerated workflow for modeling. A new Modeling Toolkit panel presents a streamlined environment that enables artists to access new selection, transformation, and mesh-editing tools in one place for increased efficiency. With topology-based Symmetry tools that enable artists to work on posed meshes; a Quad Draw tool that facilitates retopology workflows; and a Multi-Cut tool that combines both Split/Cut Faces and Insert Edge Loop tools in a single operation, the Modeling Toolkit helps artists work faster and achieve higher quality results.
Scene Assembly Tools for Smarter Data
Artists can easily swap between different representations for example: varying levels of detail, enabling them to select the most appropriate compromise between fidelity and performance for the task at hand. Edits can be applied, animated, or queried at any level in the scene assembly hierarchy, while overrides on Assemblies can be tracked via an improved Edits system, helping facilitate collaborative workflows across production departments. A robust API enables studios to customize the toolset to create completely proprietary solutions.
Grease Pencil
Now artists can quickly block out and mark up animation directly within the 3D scene using one of the most natural tools available—the Grease Pencil. Artists can draw directly into the viewport to capture poses at key frames, and view in-between transitions as cross-fades. The pencil strokes are automatically stored as an image plane sequence, enabling artists to use them as reference while creating 3D animation. In addition, directors and other stakeholders can use the Grease Pencil to mark up performances and record their input in the form of notes for their animators, without themselves requiring knowledge of the 3D application.
New Paint Effects Surface and Volume Attributes
Surface Snap helps make sure that tubes grow from the nearest point on the surface at their base. Surface Attract causes tubes to wrap around or cling to a surface. Surface Collide helps prevent tubes from interpenetrating surfaces, while Make Collide can be used to make Paint Effects strokes appear to be pushed by a surface. Occupation is based on a Space Colonization algorithm that helps avoid self-collisions, and can be used to cause tubes to grow over a surface or into a volume. Together, these attributes can be used to more quickly and easily create a wide range of natural effects that would be very difficult and time-consuming to create with conventional methods. Just a few examples are: Vascular networks, electrical sparks, flowing water, clinging vines, contained plant growth, and footsteps on grass.
Other Key Features
Focus on Workflow
Viewport 2.0 Enhancements
Extended Clip Matching in Trax
Node Editor Enhancements
File Path Editor
URI Support
Joint Centering and Symmetry
PySide Support
Improved Inline Help