Hey, guys, I'm going to try to make a couple vids. I thought I'd start out simple, just to get back into it and do some instructional vids as opposed to project vids. Here's some thoughts:

1) Using Maya 2008's new Transfer Surface commands for creating Normal maps, Displacement maps, etc.

2) Creating Textures for game objects

Hopefully can do these this weekend while the new wife's at work.

If you guys have any ideas on some vids I could do, that'd be great. I'd really like to get back into the vid making! It's been too long! I'm more inclined to do instructional type things as opposed to the project vids. I think Kurt is handling the projects really well!

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-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

Well i would really like to see some effects vids, like water effects and explosions and earthquakes

As elephantinc mentioned effects videos would be great, both particle stuff and fluid stuff would be great!!

Chris

well, I know allot of noobs (including myself) at first have problems creating custom marking menus, and setting up custom Hot keys. This would make a nice little Vid.

Also, perhaps some form of guide to Maya Nodes. The Hypershade is full of Nodes that allot of people have no idea how to use. That would probably go down well.

Perhaps I vid that guided you through setting up a psd network, and also setting up Nodes for texturing. Allot of people seem to have problems with texturing and projections.

The transfer Attributes sounds like a nice idea. Show people how to Transfer surface detail from a Hi-res model to a Low. This will be a great help the growing number people interest in Next Gen Game content creation.

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Did you ever think about updating some of the older ones? The latest free one from you is 4 years old, so there's bound to be some changes!

that's a good idea, JR, I might do that!

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-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

One on Shader networks would certainly be useful, as Mayaniac said there are loads of features that I'm sure people would love to learn about.

Chris

Ok, here's what I'm thinking I'll be doing soon:

1) Game texturing (probably replacing the need for the old Texture basics and Alpha vids)
2) Texture Map baking

Then, updating the following:

1) Split Poly Tool overview
2) Extrude overview
3) render globals overview
4) rain and snow effects
5) basic lighting

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-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

rain and snow effect video sounds like a great idea... or a video on dirt/sand blowing in the wind.

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- Mike

https://rhetoriccamel.blogspot.com

I'd like to see a general 'how to approach projects tutorial', things like workflows and general saving time tutorials. I would like to get an insight in the industry and how they do large projects.

I wanna get into the games industry myself and would really appreciate learning more about how things are done within it.

Hi Mike,
Glad to see you're going to get back into some video tutorials

I'd say:
1) shader networks. A couple of real basic examples would help demistify that area
2) render layers. A real basic scene with a couple of components and examples of how to add them to a render layer and only render that part out.

I'm tempted to have a go with some basic video tutorials on python/mel scripting but it could be a big can of worms

Simon

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i do like the render layers idea... especially one that shows how to do multiple passes on a single object (for reflections, specularity, beauty, etc).

i know there's a tut out there dealing with something similar, but most times they neglect to show you how to take what you've rendered and composite them together CORRECTLY.

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I´d like to see a tutorial on how to set up a outdoor scene for animation. How to make the ground, background and sky look realistic and get the sense of dept right.
I´m having a big problem with that right now

thanks for all the ideas, guys. If anyone has any game art related themes for vids, that'd be cool too. That's kinda my bread n butter.

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-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

on the topic of game art what about futuristic (along the lines of the unreal tournament series), Roman, or a western theme

On another note, I'm not sure if you know or can even create a vid/tutorial on it but I've looked EVERYWHERE and can't find any tutorials on properly setting up mental ray light nodes in maya. I see them in hypershade taunting me but have no idea how to get em going.

If anyone knows for that matter please let me know

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