Vehicle Rigging in Maya

Learn to rig a car model in Autodesk Maya for use in animation, games, design visualization, and visual effects.

Learn to rig a car model in Autodesk Maya for use in animation, games, design visualization, and visual effects. Author Adam Crespi starts with an overview of parenting and hierarchy, moving into separating the model into working components. From there, you'll learn about creating controllers, constructing functioning wheel assemblies, and constraining the suspension. Expressions are used to tie the rig components together and add a degree of autonomous motion and rotation. Last, a bonus chapter on materials shows how to add realistic shaders onto the car and tie the controls to functionality such as operable headlights and taillights.

Note: Some experience with polygonal modeling in Maya and beginning knowledge of rigging and constraints will help you get the most from this course.

Introduction

• Welcome
• What you should know before watching this course
• Using the exercise files

1. Sizing and Zeroing the Model

• Opening and assessing the model
• Scaling a model uniformly
• Separating and naming wheels
• Setting wheel pivots
• Checking the model for geometry problems

2. Creating the Controllers

• Creating and cloning wheel controllers
• Adding steering locators
• Creating steering, body, and master controllers

3. Assembling the Wheels

• Overview of wheel organization
• Parenting the tires and hubs
• Flattening the tires to the road
• Adding tire deformation controls
• Parenting and constraining the suspension

4. Stitching the Rig Together

• Parenting the wheel assemblies
• Parenting the body
• Writing expressions for the wheels
• Writing expressions for the steering and body
• Limiting rotation of the steering and body

5. Additional Functionality and Control

• Custom attributes for overspin on the drive wheels
• Creating normal and bright headlight controls
• Adding brake light and turn signal controls
• Connecting self-illumination and lights to controllers

6. Finishing Touches

• Exploring the mental ray Car Paint shader
• Creating chrome, rubber, and glass
• Applying interior finishes
• Working with headlight and taillight textures
• Creating a car camera rig

Conclusion

• Next steps