The Academy Award–winning Maya 3D animation and effects software is the top choice for film and video artists, game developers, and 3D design professionals. Learn to build, render, and animate your own digital models and scenes, and begin to develop professional-level Maya skills with Introducing Maya 2008.

This new edition of a perennial bestseller is the ideal initiation to 3D and Maya. Starting with the basics, it builds from the ground up, combining straightforward text with practical examples that make it fun and easy to learn Maya's core tools while introducing the latest Maya 2008 features. Follow clear-cut, step-by-step lessons while you learn by doing using a wealth of hands-on files provided on the CD. You'll also find compelling examples in the full-color insert to inspire you.

The enclosed CD features images, movies, and scene files that let you view material from the book. The support files will enable you to complete all of the tutorials. The CD also includes Maya Personal Learning Edition software.

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Turn 3D models into film-worthy digital animations by mastering mental ray rendering once and for all. This must-have guide is the only book on the market to focus exclusively on mental ray in Maya, 3ds Max, and XSI, and it's packed with techniques and insights you can't get anywhere else. Best of all, the book's advanced rendering concepts apply to other rendering software as well, including V-Ray, Brazil, Maxwell and RenderMan.

From scattering light to reducing render artifacts to deciphering rendering and shadow algorithms, you'll get a high-level look at advanced lighting, camera, and workflow techniques that usually take professionals years to figure out. This valuable book also covers the very latest on HDR image editing, viewing, and compositing tools—and features a sixteen-page color insert that showcases final rendered images.

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Learning Autodesk® 3ds Max® 2008 | Foundation is your shortcut to learning 3ds Max quickly and effectively. Youll get hands-on experience with the key tools and techniques through easy-to-follow, step-by-step project-based lessons, while learning to model, animate, apply materials and render in both the games & design visualization pipelines. By the end of the book youll have a sense of the entire production process as you work on real-life production examples.

Whether youre a game artist or a graphic artist, Autodesk® 3ds Max® 2008 has the tools you need to succeed.

Game Artists will gain in-depth knowledge of the world-class Biped character animation toolset, unparalleled polygon modeling and texturing workflow.

Design Visualization Specialists such as architects, designers, and graphic artists, will gain the power to visually inform the design process through conceptual exploration, design validation and visual communication.

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Graphics and game developers must learn to program for mobility. This book will teach you how. "This book - written by some of the key technical experts…provides a comprehensive but practical and easily understood introduction for any software engineer seeking to delight the consumer with rich 3D interactive experiences on their phone. Like the OpenGL ES and M3G standards it covers, this book is destined to become an enduring standard for many years to come." - Lincoln Wallen, CTO, Electronic Arts, MobileThis book is an escalator, which takes the field to new levels. This is especially true because the text ensures that the topic is easily accessible to everyone with some background in computer science…The foundations of this book are clear, and the authors are extremely knowledgeable about the subject. - Tomas Akenine-Möller, bestselling author and Professor of Computer Science at Lund University "This book is an excellent introduction to M3G. The authors are all experienced M3G users and developers, and they do a great job of conveying that experience, as well as plenty of practical advice that has been proven in the field." - Sean Ellis, Consultant Graphics Engineer, ARM LtdThe exploding popularity of mobile computing is undeniable. From cell phones to portable gaming systems, the global demand for multifunctional mobile devices is driving amazing hardware and software developments. 3D graphics are becoming an integral part of these ubiquitous devices, and as a result, Mobile 3D Graphics is arguably the most rapidly advancing area of the computer graphics discipline.

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Discover the concepts and techniques required to rig engaging CG character models with Maya in this unique book and DVD package. The stunning color images show just what you can achieve, and the detailed step-by-step tutorials show exactly how to achieve them. Every technique and tip is backed up with practical tutorials, using the models, student work and tutorial assets on the companion DVD to offer a crash course in this vital skill.With Cheryl Cabrera you'll learn about: designing your first biped character; creating your first biped character - modeling basics, biped character facial expressions and texturing basics; skeleton setup for a biped character joint placement; control rig setup for a biped character - IK and FK; wrapping up the setup; and, skinning your character. This title helps you: use simple NURBS and polygon modeling in Maya for greater flexibility in your workflow; create control rig setups for a biped character - both IK and FK; and, put your new skills to work with the models and tutorial assets on the free DVD!

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Quality rigging and animation preparation is vital for creating characters that can truly act and make an audience believe they are live, emotive beings. LightWave 3D [8] Cartoon Character Creation - Volume 2: Rigging & Animation includes both general theory and comprehensive tutorials for every aspect of rigging and animating 3D characters. Learn how, why, and when to use the most efficient techniques so you can have fun animating your own fantastic 3D characters.

• Learn all about rigging characters, including weight mapping, bone creation, IK, and deformations.
• Discover advanced rigging techniques, including expressions, FK/IK blending, quadruped rigging, and more.
• Find out how to use the animation controls and animate using inverse kinematics.
• Explore the intricacies of facial animation, including morphs, facial expressions, lip sync, and advanced morph controls.
• Learn how to use dynamics for secondary body motion and clothing.

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Character design, modeling, and texturing are the fundamental building blocks of character animation. LightWave 3D [8] Cartoon Character Creation Volume 1: Modeling & Texturing includes both general theory and comprehensive tutorials for every aspect of modeling and texturing 3D characters. Learn how, why, and when to use the most efficient techniques so you can have fun creating your own fantastic 3D characters.

• Find out how to configure LightWave 3D for character creation, and learn the necessary steps of the character concept, design, and planning stages.
• Discover multiple methods for modeling characters and clothing using subdivision patches.
• Understand the techniques for creating complex UV mapping.
• Learn about surface attributes and surfacing characters.
• Enhance the appearance of your characters through the use of gradients and procedural textures.
• Explore a variety of techniques for creating image maps and applying them to your characters.

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LightWave 3D is one of the most popular 3D packages on the market today, offering the most complete set of tools, the best-looking and fastest out-of-the-box renderer, and one of the most powerful IK engines available. Professional director and animator Timothy Albee updates the best-selling LightWave 3D 7 Character Animation with discussions of advanced animation tools, facial animation, and IK Booster. In addition, he details how to use LightWave to build strong, dependable character setups; provides proven, hands-on tools for mastering the complex mechanics of animation; and covers the importance of storytelling and acting through animation.

• Explore the complete crafting of powerful and reliable character setups.
• Master subtle acting techniques that imbue scenes with life, drama, and power, such as anticipation, gesture, overlapping action, and silhouette.
• Discover how IK Booster adds more power, ease, and functionality to LightWave’s existing Inverse Kinematics system.
• Use LightWave’s Dope Sheet, Dope Track, and Motion Mixer tools to improve your output in creating animation.
• Find out how to use morph targets to sculpt your characters’ facial performances.

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Complete coverage of DirectX 3D graphics programming. Topics include understanding how DirectX interfaces with PC graphics devices and Windows, mastering 2D and 3D animation basics, harnessing Direct3D retained mode programming to create true 3D animations, manipulating frames, meshes, textures, mipmaps, lights and shadows, and more. Softcover.

From the Publisher
Inside this book you'll find complete coverage of DirectX 3D graphics programming:

Understand how DirectX interfaces with PC graphics devices and Windows

Master 2D and 3D animation basics, from modeling and rendering to matrices

Take control of blitting and blit-time transformations using DirectDraw

Take advantage of sprites, flips, and other DirectDraw animation techniques

Harness Direct3D retained programming to create true 3D animations

Manipulate frames, meshes, textures, mipmaps, lights, and shadows

Fine-tune motion with tweening, morphing, and other animation techniques

BONUS CD-ROM INCLUDES:
All C++ source code from the book
Microsoft DirectX 7 Software Development Kit

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The Ultimate Resource for Professional Game Animators

Game animation is a demanding art. Not only do you have to deliver realistic, beautiful animations, but you have to do so under strict real-time, video-game constraints. The Game Animator's Guide to Maya is your focused resource for using Maya to create professional-level game animations for console and PC games. Written by a game industry veteran and featuring interviews with professional animators and artists from around the country, this focused book features specific, detailed, real-world game animation techniques. It's the perfect reference and tutorial for those looking to develop or refine their game animation skills.

The enclosed CD features more than $3000 worth of exclusive content, including models, high-resolution textures, animations, concept art, and animation reference videos. It also includes the Maya Personal Learning Edition and project files so you can complete the hands-on tutorials.

The Game Animator's Guide to Maya gives you an insider's view of the animation business and teaches the skills necessary to animate everything from characters to vehicles to lip-synching audio. First, you'll get an introduction to the industry and typical game development pipelines, then learn rigging and animation basics before moving on to advanced techniques and the detailed tutorials. Inside, you'll find:
* Game Career Guide: Industry information, demo reel advice, job descriptions, game asset pipeline overview
* Animation Techniques: detailed explanation of animation terms, techniques, tools, concepts, and editors
* Rigging and Animation Setup: IK and FK, joint hierarchies, skeleton controls, constraints, selection handles, and more
* True Game Animation: real-world assignments that mimic the day-to-day jobs of professional game animators–walk cycles, run cycles, idle cycles, action sequences, lip-synching to audio, and more

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