Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 2.20
A simple hierarchy
in both the Outliner
and Hypergraph
windows
Selected sphere
Top parent node
Nested group node
Child spheres
of group2
Top parent node
Selected sphere
Nested group node
Ch ld spheres of group2
The Solar System Resumed
If you still feel a little unsure about nodes and hierarchies, take the time to reread the
previous section and try the short exercise again. You'll practice these concepts as you
resume the Solar System exercise. By the time you've finished this exercise, you'll have a
strong sense of how hierarchies work in Maya, although you should feel free to repeat the
entire exercise if you think that will help you master hierarchies. Understanding nodes
and hierarchies is important to animating in Maya.
If you're new to CG animation, take your time with the following section.
Animating Mercury's Orbit Around the Sun
Load up your scene from where you last saved it. When you left off, you had created the
self-rotation animation for Mercury and were about to create a second pivot point for the
planet to orbit around the Sun by creating a new parent node for the Mercury sphere.
