Square games featured in The Art of Maya

[03.24.01] » Alias|Wavefront's new book gives readers a look at how their favorite FMV scenes are actually made.

   Though not a name that many gamers will recognize, Alias|Wavefront's 3D animation software Maya is one of the industry-leading computer animation programs. While it is used by a multitude of companies, Alias|Wavefront has chosen to include some of Square's artwork, as well as production notes, in their new book The Art of Maya.

   The majority of the 250 page, full-color book is dedicated to teaching general techniques for the multi-thousand dollar program. The final section, though, is dedicated to how Maya has been used in actual projects, including Final Fantasy VIII. It is also likely that the volume contains more Squaresoft material in the many examples that the book provides, considering that art from Vagrant Story made the book's cover. Finally, it is worth noting that the book also includes a CD-ROM with scene files, images, and so forth, but the likelihood of it including Square material is quite slim.

   Unfortunately, as the book is geared toward industry professionals, many gamers will find the $75.95 price tag a bit much. Luckily, Maya has released PDF files of a few of the page spreads. The Art of Maya is available now via Alias|Wavefront's online store.