Clean Modeling Tips

Various Tips for Modeling in Maya, and keeping your Geometry Clean

• 'Non-Manifold Geometry'; Shared faces or edges within your object create invisible geometry which effectively has no use, and will induce Maya to crash. Basically - if it cannot be seen from the outside of the model (where the player will be) then you should get rid of it!
• In Maya an object doesn't not have any mass until it is a combination of x y and z. If it is only two of these dimensions it exists as a plane and not an object. When a plane exists in Maya it will only be visible from one side. This can be a positive thing, and a negative thing when modeling depending on what your desired model outcome is.
• Maya only worries about what is facing outward. Not what is facing inward. To check if you have inward faces, try viewing the Normals. (If this term is new to you, watch the video below)

• You can pivot objects in component mode located about the shelf icons to the right of the drop down menu for modelling. The component mode Icon is on the far right, the middle Icon is Object mode;

• If you hold down the x key, the cursor changes and it means that objects or points will snap to the grid. This helps with proportion and scaling.
• If you hold down the c key it will snap to a curve or an edge.
• If you hold down the v key it will snap to vertices or edges.
• By pressing Insert (the 0 numberpad key for a mac) whilst an object is selected, you are able to move that object's axes/pivot point manually. Press Insert again to exit this mode.
• To combine two objects in maya; select both objects (select > object > shift key held down) then right click and select combine.
• Try not to have infinitely small edges or points. Everything needs to have geometry otherwise it won't work in UDK.
• Watch out for unwanted geometry being created as you model in Maya, especially when extruding.
• When in Vertex Selection Mode, if you select the whole of your model and hit delete you can eliminate any unwanted vertices which are not connected to edges (floating vertices). Use caution when using this technique as sometimes vertices can be deleted unintentionally and your model will be altered.
• Merge objects to eliminate in between geometry. Mesh>Cleanup
• For more modeling clean-up techniques, YouTube will serve you well;

Topics for further Research

• Shading effects and Backface Culling options.
• Look into Alchemy.org
• Massive Black
• David Revoy