Maya Studio Projects

Michael McKinley is a veteran game artist, primarily serving as an environment artist for several titles, including Tomb Raider: Anniversary, NFL Street 3 , and many others. He currently works for Zombie Studios in Seattle, Washington, where he created environments and props for Saw as well as other prominent titles. He is the author of The Game Artist's Guide to Maya and The Game Animator's Guide to Maya , both from Sybex.

Introduction. Chapter 1: Walls, Ceilings, and Floors. Understanding Backgrounds. Project: Creating a Brick Wall. Information Overload. Chapter 2: Foliage. Understanding Foliage. Project: Creating Ivy. Project: Creating a Savannah Tree. The Illusion of Detail. Chapter 3: Weapons. Understanding Weapons. Project: Creating and Animating a Western Revolver. Moving Right Along. Chapter 4: Vehicles. Understanding Vehicles. Project: Building a Dune Buggy. Where to Go from Here? Chapter 5: Buildings. Understanding Buildings. Project: Building a Skyscraper. Let's Light It Up. Chapter 6: Illuminators. Understanding Illuminators. Project: Creating a Wall Sconce. In the Home Stretch! Chapter 7: Ambient Movement. Understanding Movers. Project: Creating an Industrial Fan. Not Just a Level. Chapter 8: Putting It All Together. Project: Creating a Sci-Fi Prop. Project Complete! Chapter 9: Pro Tips. Using Mudbox or ZBrush. Creating Level of Detail. Mipmapping. Using Multiple UV Channels. Creating Collision Meshes. Being Professional. Have Fun! Appendix A: Image Gallery. Appendix B: About the Companion DVD. What You'll Find on the DVD. System Requirements. Using the DVD. Troubleshooting. Customer Care. Index.