Beginning 3D Game Assets Development Pipeline: Learn to Integrate from Maya to Unity

CHAPTER 1: What is the 3D Production Pipeline and Why is it Important?Who this Book is Intended forAbout the 3D Pipeline and How it Fits in the Game Design Process3D Modeling3D TexturingWait! What about Rigging and Animation?Textures before Rigging or Backwards?3D AnimationGame Development WorkflowWorking with a TeamHow to Use this BookNon-Linear Game DevelopmentEmbracing and Utilizing Computer ShortcutsUsing the Right ToolsWhat is Maya?What is Substance Painter?What is Unity?PricingGetting StartedThe Importance of Using ReferenceGathering ReferencesSummary
CHAPTER 2: Starting with MayaInstalling and Opening MayaWindows InstallationMac InstallationOverview of the InterfaceTop MenuStatus LineMenu SetsShelfChannel BoxAttribute EditorQuick Layout and Outliner ButtonsTime SliderRange SliderPlayback ControlsView PanelMarking MenusHow to Follow along with the StepsCreating PrimitivesTranslate, Rotate, and ScaleTranslateRotateScaleNavigationDuplicate ObjectsDelete ObjectsAdding Edge LoopsPivot ManipulatorMirroring Geometry MethodsDuplicate and ScaleDuplicate SpecialComponent Selection ModeFace, Vertex, and EdgeFace ModeVertex ModeEdge ModeSelectDelete Faces and EdgesTransformScaleRotateExtrude FacesBefore ContinuingShortcutsSet-Up ProjectSetting up the Mech ProjectSummary
CHAPTER 3: Creating the Base MeshBase MeshException to the RuleTopologyN-gonsConcave FacesMetricsImage Plane ReferenceSwitching Between Panel ViewsStarting to ModelSymmetryScaleDeselecting and Inverting ComponentsUsing the Channel Box for TransformationUsing Duplicates to Speed Up ModelingDisplay ModesX-Ray ModeModeling the Leg ConnectorsDuplicating the shapes of the Leg ConnectorsModeling the Foot StabilizersModeling Armor for the Motor UnitsBuilding the BodyShaping the HeadAdding Thickness to the HeadModeling the Head DetailsAdding the Neck ModelPositioning the LegInstancing the MechSummary

CHAPTER 4: Preparing the Asset for the Next PhaseAdopting Best PracticesPipeline RequirementsWhat is the Outliner and Why Do We Use it?Using the Outliner for Clean UpWhat is Construction HistoryCleaning Up the HistoryStarting to Use the OutlinerCombining, Naming and Freezing MeshesResetting TransformationsFreezing TransformationsPivot LocationsUsing Instancing for Fast PrototypingGrouping Our AssetSummary
CHAPTER 5: UV Mapping the 3D ModelWhat Are UVs?The Different Ways You Can UV MapWhat is the UV Editor and What is it Used for?Clean Up for UV MappingSetting Up and Using the UV EditorCreating a Basic UV Map for the MechUVing Multiple Meshes SimultaneouslyDeleting History if Our UVed MeshesOptimization of Mesh UVs

Nova Villanueva is a professor of game design at Pratt Institute, New York, USA. She has taught game development for more than five years at Pratt, Parsons, and New York's College of Technology, and is an independent game developer working on The Mills game. Nova is a game designer and artist who has previously worked as a 3D artist for Animatic Media, on the Webby award-winning Mafia Wars game developed by Zynga, and was a published artist featured in the Photoshop Creative magazine. She has an MFA degree in game design from the NYU Game Center in New York and a BS degree in media arts and animation from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.