Autodesk/Maya 8.5

When we talk about Maya, we don't we make any software, it is not a solution to make three-dimensional models for preview architectural or mechanical projects, nor do we we refer to the simple simulation of particles or fluids for the industry. We are talking about much more than this, and for we must start by mentioning that Maya is, perhaps, the most awarded software in history, with an Oscar among its assets, awarded in 2002 to alias/wavefront, now part of Autodesk Media & Entertainment, for development merit scientific and technical industry, which carried the effects specials and three-dimensional animation beyond the technical boundaries existing until then.

And probably that it happens again with the release of Maya 8.5, when Autodesk reveals previously discarded alternatives to most productions, for costs incurred in animation time versus level of difficulty and credibility of the final results. This was the case of fabric simulation in 3D programs, but as with all the good things in life, we will leave this for the end.

Maya now speaks another language (and other language)
We will not stop to tell that Maya now also comes in Japanese, assuming our readers are not interested in proving such a degree of complexity; we will start with one of the great novelties of the Maya 8.5 developed for the programmers and technical directors. We refer specifically to Python, a language that now works in parallel, to the same level of depth and with the same potential and capabilities of its brother MEL, the native language of Maya. Python, on the other hand, is a programming language for dynamic orientation of objects, used in different applications and industries that go from software for air traffic control and applications at NASA, to workflow support in companies of visual effects such as ILM (Industrial Light and Magic), whose Software and hardware infrastructure is supported in Python from six years ago.

The advantages of integrating Python point out that being an open language, we should expect smoother development of plug-ins and scripts by the users themselves. Additionally, it will allow a more robust integration with other applications via the module API (Application Programming Interface), leaving it in the hands of the users the possibility to improve their workflows along long infrastructure they already have assembled.

Much more control in the animation
As for the developments made particularly for animation, there are some small improvements added to the Graph Editor for the control of the trends of the animation curves, some of which are actually options that existed in previous versions, only now they are more affordable between the graphic icons in the top bar.

An important advance in animation corresponds to the interaction with cache clips of memory, which manage to memorize the behavior of a object in particular configuration circumstances such as, by for example, a fabric or a collision of objects. These caches can now manipulate in the Trax Editor by changing tracks, controlling the influence of one or the other on the same object, turning them off or blocking them and even preserving properties such as time or scale, in case of needing to replace a cache with a new one.

Another feature is really valuable for character animation: the contact property with the floor, which allows the skeleton of a character interact with the floor or support a hand, for example, without the limitations of having to make the floor flat, which facilitates animation. On the other hand, there are new properties that allow add skin as the copy or reflection of skin weights.

Mental Ray looks better
As for textures and shaders, we find great advances in alternatives for Mental Ray, where even the render times seem to have improved, allowing modify the memory limits reached according to the capabilities of each team.

In lighting we find the Physical Sky and Sun, render configuration options of Mental Ray, which allow to simulate a scene outdoors and affect the position and intensity of the sun and generate a look more realistic, similar to that of a light dome. Likewise, it has been including the ability to generate HDRI images from it Maya.

A pleasant surprise has been the new and effective Module of Toon shaders ( cartoon textures), that previously required wasteful networks in the Hypershade or MELs to achieve such an appearance. Another breakthrough interesting and unexpected, is the texture of round edges, which applies a detailed appearance on straight, simple edges in the render of Mental Ray without altering the object geometry. However, it is important to clarify that this advancement, like the other Hypershade tools and especially the nodes for Mental Ray, may take time a time to be understood before they can be applied.

In this sense it has been developed the possibility of containers in the Hypershade and in the Hypergraph to organize and make the interface friendlier when it is works in several complex networks of shaders.

Likewise, the Paint module effects has been improved with several brushes to generate a wider range of results. Tree brushes three-dimensional with time-controlled growth, as well as those of grass, wheat, bamboo and rice (the latter two requested by Japanese users), are ours recommended for those who need high-impact results and recursion in limited periods of time.

A whole wardrobe of Alternatives
Finally, we have reached the best part of this evaluation, Maya Nucleus and Maya nCloth.
Nucleus, in itself a revolution, is the basis for the next generation of applications in simulation. Developed by Jos Stam, deserving of several awards by scientific research, Nucleus consists of a module which, linked to the particle system, solves any two-way simulation, affecting the object that initiates the collision and the object that is collided, allowing the solution of multiple relationships between different objects and forces such as part of a single system that interacts with each other.

But the most surprising thing about this module is the ability to store caches independent by object, which allow to make alternations to the forces that alter the particles, without losing the ability to real-time preview without exploiting geometry or the ability to achieve amazingly real results.

nCloth is the first practical application of Nucleus; this system, used To simulate fabrics and clothing, you can not only interact with the character, but the fabric with itself and with the forces that are wish to apply.

For example, to achieve an effect almost real of the movement of a flag, before it was necessary to add a script, add a deformer to it, adjust it to the measure and animate it, or in the worst case, add skeleton to a fabric to then animate conjuncture by conjuncture (joints). Now the process is as simple as selecting the polygon, assign it as nCloth and then preview. The rest of the task becomes extremely entertaining when we start to play with friction and air density, wind speed, interaction with passive objects such as the floor or character same, additional forces (wind and gravity come pre-applied), etc. But the game doesn't end there; it is also possible to generate constraints on the fabric itself with just indicate to the vertices or faces that we need, so that behave as such. This allows the fabric to remain retained at some point like the flagpole of a flag or the waist of a character.

One last treat for the animators is the ability to add internal or external pressure to an object. This way, if the object is a hitting cube the floor, the pressure will simulate the internal air that will keep your volume to the desired degree and will expand horizontally if the blow against the ground is vertical; later Rebound. This allows automatic access to one of the the principles of animation, that of stretching and shrinking to give a much more cartoon and real look to any object, even if it is a character or a solid object different from a fabric.

New platforms
New news for users of less common platforms: Autodesk Maya 8.5 now supports six different hardware and multiple operating systems. This means that the environment and workflow indicate the infrastructure that is requires and not 3D software. Among the new platforms supported are Macintosh computers supported in Intel, as well as 32-bit Mac OS X, Windows 32 and 64-bit and 32-bit and 64-bit Linux.

The way forward
Finally, a reflection that even fans and followers of Maya we have to admit: it's definitely not the most software simple, fast or intuitive to learn, so much so that Autodesk has a whole line of products for learning thereof. And it is not a topic that touches only the new ones, since also old users might encounter some slight unexpected changes, such as the pop-up menu; Yes it is true that the previous one was denser than the new one, finally he was already an old and well-known friend to access all the tools. For this there are two options: relearn it or Personalize.
Of course, Autodesk's attempts to allow a friendlier experience in the interface of this new version, such as the icon to access perspectives and the camera angles in the work area, or the network containers in the hypershade, or schema of organization of Mental Ray nodes. But still, efforts are far from sufficient, especially if seeks to attract new followers, enlarge the community of users and allow to extract 100% of possibilities.

Last word
In short, we are facing a software that although it has a way to go to bring its full potential to users less experts, certainly still deserves all the awards in as far as scientific and technical development is concerned, taking us this time closer to real and efficient productions, more full of magic and credibility, productions that achieve the ultimate goal, lead any viewer to immerse themselves in their own story.
In this case, the history of Autodesk and Maya, with developments such as Nucleus and nCloth, as well as Nucleus make open source for users, they deserve us to let us stand up and honor them.