Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
Creating a Project
Projects are Maya's way of managing a scene's assets. A file and folder structure keeps
your files organized according to projects. You'll have a project for the Solar System
exercise.
Start by creating a new project for this assignment. Choose File
➔
Project
➔
New to
open the New Project window. (Figure 2.4 shows the Windows version; the Mac OS X
version has the same fields.) Files are organized in a particular
way in Maya. The top level of this organization is the
Project
folder
. Within the Project folder are numerous file folders that
hold your files. The two most important types are the Scenes
and Images folders. The Scenes folder stores your scene files,
which contain all the information for your scene. The Images
folder stores images you've rendered out from your scene. As
with clothing and other items around your house, keeping your
files and projects organized is a good practice.
Figure 2.4
The New Project
window
n aming o bjeC t S and Keeping the SC e n e
o rganized
n aming o bjeC t S and Keeping the SC e n e
o rganized
In Maya and most other CG packages, keeping things organized
and as clean as possible is more important than you probably
realize. Picking up a scene from a disorganized colleague is
annoying because it's very time consuming to figure out exactly
what is in their scene and how everything works together. Many
professional studios have strict naming procedures and conven-
tions to minimize the confusion their artists may have when
working in a pipeline. These procedures and conventions are
beneficial because many artists will touch the same digital files
and assets in the course of a production. Even if you're the only
person who will ever see your scene in Maya, it's still a good idea
to name and organize your objects. Get into the habit of nam-
ing your objects and keeping a clean scene. You'll waste a lot of
time if you don't, and you'll be bombarded by dirty looks from
other artists when they have to handle your cluttered scenes.
In Maya and most other CG packages, keeping things organized
and as clean as possible is more important than you probably
realize. Picking up a scene from a disorganized colleague is
annoying because it's very time consuming to figure out exactly
what is in their scene and how everything works together. Many
professional studios have strict naming procedures and conven-
tions to minimize the confusion their artists may have when
working in a pipeline. These procedures and conventions are
beneficial because many artists will touch the same digital files
and assets in the course of a production. Even if you're the only
person who will ever see your scene in Maya, it's still a good idea
to name and organize your objects. Get into the habit of nam-
ing your objects and keeping a clean scene. You'll waste a lot of
time if you don't, and you'll be bombarded by dirty looks from
other artists when they have to handle your cluttered scenes.
The scene files discussed in this chapter are included on the CD in a project layout explained
in the following text. Copy the scene files on the CD for this project into your own Project
folders after you create the project.
