Saving Conventions and Basic Animation Settings

The Basics

ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE CORRECT PROJECT SET WHEN STARTING WORK IN MAYA.

File > Project > New.../Set...

1. Name the project
2. Locate the project
3. Use Default names for Project >Locations
4. Accept

• Create projects in Maya to keep your files organised.
• When using saving files in Maya; make sure you enter at least 3 number values each time so 1 is 001 two is 002 ten is 010 etc.
• When naming save-files in Maya; use underscores instead of spaces and try to avoid capital letters unless used like this; robinSilcockArtwork - never use them at the start of a file name.)
• When you first start playing around with a model/scene, always make sure that you File > Save As...> then put in a new scene name. For example if your original scene is robin_000 your next scene save should be robin_001, and the next robin_002 and so on.

Animation Notes

• Whenever you work with any kind of animation data, start with a reference file.
  File > Create Reference > Select the file you want to be the reference.

• Before you begin animating your ball you need to change the animation preferences (bottom right hand corner) so that the animation is set to 30+ frames per second, not 24 which is its preset and is used for film.

1. Preferences > Settings > working Units > Time > NTSC (30fps)
2. Preferences > Time Slider > Playback Speed > Play every frame > Max Speed > 30 fps

• To set a key frame press the S key.
• To bring up the Graph Editor; Panels > Saved Layouts > Persp/Graph.
  Perspective graph outlook will show you speed over time etc. The graph editor will produce a smoother more polished chain of animation than using the click and drag method of WYSIWYG. This will be far more flawed.