Chapter 12: Maya Dynamics and Effects

Autodesk’s Maya is renowned for creating special effects animations that simulate not only physical phenomena, such as smoke and fire, but also the natural movements of colliding bodies. Behind the latter type of animation is the Maya dynamics engine, which is the sophisticated software that creates realistic-looking motion based on the principles of physics.

Another powerful Maya animation tool, Paint Effects, can create dynamic fields of grass and flowers, a head full of hair, and other such systems in a matter of minutes. Maya also offers dynamic simulations for hair, fur, and cloth. In this chapter, we’ll cover the basics of dynamics in Maya and let you practice working with particles by making steam.

Topics in this chapter include:

• An overview of dynamics and Maya Nucleus
• Rigid and soft dynamic bodies
• Animating with dynamics: the pool table
• nParticle Dynamics
• Emitting nParticles
• Animating an nParticle effect: locomotive steam
• Introduction to Paint Effects
• Where do you go from here?