Customer Reviews

Maya 2 Character Animation (Inside)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Three weeks ago I purchased a copy of Maya 2 Character Animation and I have mixed feelings about this book. First, with the lack of Maya-related books it's good to see an effort to write a comprehensive work that goes beyond the Manuals and aims at the practical user. In this goal, the book succeeds and I am happy with my purchase. The publishers have designed a pleasant and appealing layout.

As this book is meant for practical use (as opposed to general animation theory as is the case with some other books), the accuracy of the steps and illustrations is critical. Here is where the book falters and why I plan on returning the book. I am listing the errors I have found. But, as I have not completed all the chapters yet, I feel certain there are more.

The chapter I started with was Chapter 7, on texturing. The scene files for the snake monster and the organic head are missing even though on page 253 the author says the scenes are on the CD "in each stage of completion from beginning to end". The head texturing tutorial is one of the primary reasons I bought this book. Be aware that there are no links to these missing files on NewRider's website so readers can download them. Additionally, most of the files on the CD are named in an unusual order - for example "Cutthroat5.mb" is further along in the steps than "Cutthroat12.mb". Much of the referencing to the files is incorrect or ambiguous. There are 2 large winzip files that are completely unexplained - and they take up 200MB of the CD!

Here now are some of the errors I found. I e-mailed the publisher to find out what they might do to correct them (I still have received no reply). They are in page order.

Page 113, incorrect sidebar and duplicated pictures. = Page 115, fig. 4.5, incorrect sidebar. = If I follow steps from 4.1.2.3 to 4.1.2.4 the model will not work, first I must unbind the skin. = Page 130, it is very unclear which "slave" is to be stitched. = Page 143, incorrect information about offset curves; there is no need for new cameras because offset curve placement (unlike projection curve) is not based on view angle. = Page 145, very confusing "stages"pictures. = The section on binding the hand to the skeleton (4.5.2) is so unclear and incomplete that many hours were wasted trying to follow it. I ended up making a couple pages of notes (through trial and error) that will make the process work. If I follow the one in the book, the fingers are completely left out. Anyone new to this software will be left confused and disappointed. = Page 232, section 7.3.1 paragraphs 1 and 4 are very unclear. Also page 235 para.1 and page 236 para. 5. I still don't know what the author is trying to say but I would like to. As I mentioned previously, this texturing chapter is one of my primary interests in this book. = On page 332 the author says to use specific names for the arm portions but then on page 334 he uses different names; poor proofreading. = Also on page 334, the steps for the shoulder geometry and joint have been completely left out. = Page 337 figure 9.20 is the wrong picture. = Page 344 exercise 9.13 step 2. He says to un-check the check boxes. If you do this it will have the opposite effect of the exercise. The boxes must ALL be checked and set to 0.00 to keep the joint from rotating. = Page 346 exercise 9.15, if I click the Add button I have one too many Attributes; instead I need to click the OK button. = Page 357, five additional steps are needed to complete exercise 9.26. = Page 360 step 4, Rigid Skin is called Rigid Bind. Page 361 step 4, there is no Set Editor, it has been replaced with the Component Editor. = Page 363 step 10 should read "Adjust the ... attributes in the Channel Box...." = Pages 424-429, shouldn't there be pictures with all these steps? =

Today, after several days away from the book, I decided to try the ever important chapter on modeling a biped (the basis for the cover image). Guess what? By the fourth page the author has already skipped several steps ahead, then back again. He introduces using Artisan but doesn't use it in any steps. Somehow he goes from a low detail sphere to a fully-detailed face - but the steps involved only include adding a sphere for an eye! So much information has been glossed over.

The first several chapters are especially funny in that the author recommends we carry video cameras, still cameras, sketch pads, stopwatches, etc. EVERYWHERE we go! I like her suggestion that a serious animator should have at least 2 video cameras. And, after stressing that EVERY animator MUST be a skilled illustrator, why is it that NONE of the images in these chapters are hers? Wow.

Again, I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand it covers many of the areas Maya users need to know more about (according to the topics on the Alias|Wavefront listserv anyway). It contains some workflow ideas that increased my proficiency. The writing team has awesome credentials. In some ways it's an improvement over the manuals. On the other hand many sections seem to have been rushed through. The number of errors I have found so far is unreasonable for a tutorial book. The naming conventions used for the scene files on the CD are confusing at best; is this a cross-platform issue? And for me personally, the organic head scene files and the biped modeling are key components to the book's value. And they are non-existant.

I recently took a class that used the exercises in this book as a guideline. The book was basically the covered text. Not only am I not a fan of expensive training programs who use this method (if they're gonna do that, why don't I just buy the book instead?) of teaching, the book was just terrible. The text is very confusing -- the authors speak matter-of-factly about a lot of issues regarding Maya that to a novice or advanced beginner would get lost. The tutorials are not step-by-step -- the authors have a way of "skipping" steps in the process that, again, to a beginner would be very frustrating. Right down to not even getting the menu items/commands accurate. The authors kinda assume that everyone in this field is just immersed into Maya enough to put two-and-two together on these lessons. Besides the actual lesson, there are so many tips, quotes, FYI and general statements that you don't really know which advice you should be following (I know he's like a Maya-guru, but why do they keep quoting Alex Alvarez to make a point? Just show me what to do.). And many of the files in the accompanying CD did not work as promised without some minor tweaking. Some things were just missing. The class ended up being horrible, mainly because we couldn't thoroughly complete a lesson, due to the "glitches". I know that these authors have extensive experience and credentials, and that's why it would seem they should know better than to put out a book that they know people are eager to read without even testing the effectiveness of their instruction. Sincerely disappointed.

This book was okay at best. It has a nice cover, but the content was disappointing. I thought this book was going to explain organic modeling correctly, but it doesn't. Instead, the book is filled with crude methods of 3D modeling that do not take full advantage of Maya. If you want to make deformed looking characters, like that ugly head on the cover and you are a novice then this book is for you.

If you want to create more realistic characters that are similar to "Final Fantasy" or "Biohazard" characters, then save your money.

This book explains something no other does... how you must think when you do 3d animation, and that make it different to the others; but for the use of Maya 2.0 I feel it needs more examples and write about some topics this book don't include, like polygon modelling, dynamics and particle animation. The MEL part it's in an apendix in the CD (when it must be in the book to exclude the abrupt finish).

This is a good book for an aprentice animator, but don't think you will learn all about Maya here.

While there IS a lot of valuable information here, I wouldn't rely too heavily on the illustrations. There's a very disjointed feel all in all, not all the visuals intuitively match up with the paragraphs that describe them....and some of the images are so general, it was pointless to include them.

I've been using Maya for two years now, and while the book DOES feature some nice tutorials for those that have never built a character, it leaves a lot to be desired for someone with any level of experience with the software.

All in all, a C+ at best.

Even when this book could be helpfull for beginners, if you have a little experience you'll find that it goes not too far on animation and maya features. Characters are designed not in the best way. There's not much more inside this book than in the tuts of Alex alvarez you can find on the net. Buy it just if you are still learning and want a bit of light in the process of seting up a character. Otherwise, i'd prefer to get on the net and download a few tuts

Phenomenal. I teach CG modeling and animation at university, and I highly recommend this book to all my students. This book is full of the essentials that one needs to know for CG character animation and much more. Not only does it cover character rigging and development, but also other important points such as character modeling and texturing. It's good to know that there's a comprehensive book out there that covers just about everything you need to know about CG character animation. Bare in mind that the only way one can learn timing and animation is through experience (and lot's of it) but this book does go a long way to freeing one's creativity and overcoming technical challenges. A must buy!

Good question regarding the background of the authors.

Here's hoping "The Skeptic" will live up to his/her promise to give the book and its authors the benefit of the doubt. I worked on this book and the project team's (much-abbreviated) credentials are as follow:

Nate Vogel (principal co-author): 3D Special Effects Director at Minds Eye Media, San Francisco; certified Maya Character Animation Instructor; co-created a 3D-fantasy game, and several original 3D-animated TV and film projects; received the 1998 World Animation Celebration Best Animated Music Video Award.

Sherri Sheridan (principal co-author): Creative Director/co-founder, Minds Eye Media; currently working on a series of 2D and 3D animations for the web, film and TV, including the animated Web show 'Goth Grrls', the independent feature film 'The Sundial Solution', the upcoming children's HDTV show 'Sassafrass the Psychic Warrior', and a series of 3D meditation videos. Teaches at the Academy of Art College among other instructional gigs.

Tim Coleman (principal co-author): Extensive 3D CG work with TV commerical, video game, and software development; certified Maya instructor; teaches at undergrad and graduate levels at the Academy of Art College (SF). Co-principal of Supergenius Animation, where he just finished the short film 'Bowling Fer Souls', (3-minutes, completed using Maya) which can/could be seen at Spike and Mike's Festival of Animation 1999.

Alex Alvarez (contributor): Director of Gnomon, Inc., School of Visual Effects for Film, Television, and Games (Los Angeles), and generally considered to be one of the premier experts on Maya in the world. Writes for 3D Magazine and teaches seminars regularly when on the road. Creator of Lanker, the winsome dude on the cover of the book and CG-super-model in his own right.

Jesse Andrewartha (contributor): Alias|Wavefront Certified Instructor; taught classes in animation and VFX for the Ex'pressions Center for New Media. Writes regularly for SIGGRAPH and 3D Magazine.

Kevin Cain (contributor): Creative Director at the Pelleas Design Studios and director of the SGI/PC Computer Education Center at the Academy of Art in San Francisco.

Matt Ontiveros (contributor): Lab manager and principal Alias|Wavefront Maya instructor at Mesmer Animation Labs (SF & Seattle).

David Tart (contributor): His most recent work has been at Pixar Animation Studios on several projects, including Toy Story and A Bug's Life.

I have found this book to be a well rounded introduction to the character animation process. It is comprehensive and outlines an abundance of techniques to use for every step from start to finish. It can be a little confusing at times, as maya often can be to beginners, but it has succeeded in considerably expanding my knowledge of techniques and processes in Maya.

Maya is an incredibly sophisticated piece of software and there are several methods of accomplishing similar results within the environment. It would be impossible to cover every method or teach every technique and tool in a single book. This is *not* the "How to do Everything in Maya in a Day" book, if that's what you're looking for. Instead, as the cover does indicate, it is a guide through a tried and true process of character development and animation written by award winning artists who have graciously recorded their knowledge to share with aspiring 3d hackers.

This book is a great instructional piece not only for designing digital characters with Maya, but the entire process from concept to completion. It isn't for novice Maya users though, it helps having a familiarity with the software first.