Maya Key-Shortcuts and Basic Tips

Key Shortcuts;
1,2,3,4 changes the shape properties from rigid to smooth without adding more faces. This allows you to 'convert' a rectangle to an oval-like shape, whilst keeping it to 4 sides. In keeping with quad modelling.

Manipulation Tools;
Q - Select Tool (mouse cursor)
W - Move an object along x,y, or z axis.
E - Rotate an object.
R - Scale an object.

• Hold Space Bar for HOTBOX menu.
  (Hotbox basically means that the most common tools are arranged around your mouse cursor - meaning you don't have to search through the drop down menus at the top of the UI)
• Cntrl + D = Duplicate object.
• Numlock Off + 0 / Insert key = Move pivot point from centre of object to elsewhere.
  To replace the pivot point back to the centre of the object, go to menu 'Modify' > 'Centre Pivot'.
• If you hold X whilst moving or rotating an object, you can snap edges, vertices etc. to points on the grid. This can help with spacing, alignment and proportions.
• If you want to scale an object along the x and y axes, but NOT the z axis, hold Cntrl + Z when in scale mode.
• If you double click the Move, Rotate, Scale icons, it opens up a settings menu and this allows you to switch between world and object selection.
• A game engine sees every shape as a series of triangles. Shapes which are not purely triangles (such as squares) are divided into triangles. Therefore using 4 sided shapes (quad modelling) when in Maya keeps things simple, easy to follow, and produces an even number of Tri's.
• Delete hidden faces of objects (for example two are stacked on top of each other) from your models to create a cleaner more straightforward model.

To Look into;

• Lynda Tutorials
• Leigh Evans - Levans Demo 2007 on YouTube
• Getting hold of a Maya 2012 manual