Mark R. Wilkins

Chris Kazmier

MEL Scripting for Maya Animators, Second Edition (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Computer Graphics)

Animators, artists, game developers, and technical directors can master Maya's fundamentals then learn how to automate tasks, personalize user interfaces, build custom tools and solve problems by becoming an expert in the MEL scripting language - all withno programming experience.

MEL Scripting for Maya Animators

Rick Parent

David Gould

Mark V. Pauly

Matthias Müller

Alberto Menache

David S. Ebert

Markus Gross

Charles John Lumsden

Richard Keiser

F. Kenton Musgrave

Darwyn Peachey

Ken Perlin

Hanspeter Pfister

Jason Sharpe

Martin Wicke

Nicholas Woolridge

Steve Worley

A compilation of key chapters from the top MK computer animation books available today - in the areas of motion capture, facial features, solid spaces, fluids, gases, biology, point-based graphics, and Maya. The chapters provide CG Animators with an excellent sampling of essential techniques that every 3D artist needs to create stunning and versatile images. Animators will be able to master myriad modeling, rendering, and texturing procedures with advice from MK's best and brightest authors. Divided into five parts (Introduction to Computer Animation and Technical Background, Motion Capture Techniques, Animating Substances, Alternate Methods, and Animating with MEL for MAYA), each one focusing on specific substances, tools, topics, and languages, this is a MUST-HAVE book for artists interested in proficiency with the top technology available today! Whether you're a programmer developing new animation functionality or an animator trying to get the most out of your current animation software, Computer Animation Complete: will help you work more efficiently and achieve better results. For programmers, this book provides a solid theoretical orientation and extensive practical instruction information you can put to work in any development or customization project. For animators, it provides crystal-clear guidance on determining which of your concepts can be realized using commercially available products, which demand custom programming, and what development strategies are likely to bring you the greatest success. Expert instruction from a variety of pace-setting computer graphics researchers. Provides in-depth coverage of established and emerging animation algorithms. For readers who lack a strong scientific background, introduces the necessary concepts from mathematics, biology, and physics. A variety of individual languages and substances are addressed, but addressed separately - enhancing your grasp of the field as a whole while providing you with the ability to identify and implement solutions by category.

All-in-One: Learn Motion Capture, Characteristic, Point-Based, and Maya Winning Techniques

Computer Animation Complete

Trying to learn Maya programming from the documentation can be daunting whether or not you are a programmer. The first edition of MEL Scripting for Maya Animators earned the reputation as the best introductory book on MEL, Maya’s scripting language. Now fully revised and updated, the second edition also includes new features, such as a discussion of global procedures, new chapters on fixing programming bottlenecks, advanced user interface techniques, and optimizing character rigs. New chapters on utility nodes and Maya's Web Panel feature provide new ideas on how to use MEL in applications. This new edition has kept the popular style of the first edition that offered very clear explanations of programming concepts to those without programming experience. A generous collection of code examples and Maya scene files is included on the companion Web site. This is a book for animators, artists, game developers, visual effects developers, and technical directors who want to learn the fundamentals of Maya, how to automate tasks, personalize user interfaces, build custom tools, and solve problems with MEL. Fully updated with several new chapters. Profusely illustrated and includes a companion Web site with numerous code examples and scene files. The authors bring their extensive experience in professional production studios to provide expert guidance.

Chris Kazmier

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