So our current project is done, and now we are going to work on something else.
I know it’s probably not a good idea to come here and whine about my employer but we artists are in for a real bloody headache with this project and it’s really annoying me (and would annoy any serious TA out there - not that I am one but I guess I have the mentality of one).
The pipeline is going to suck and we on the art side of things can’t do much about it (for several reasons I do not dare to get into - but lets say we won’t have much help on the code side). So yea… I’m trying to mitigate some damage here before I lose my mind.
Pipeline atm is like this:
Create a tileset in Maya -> top-down print screen of the tiles -> make sprites for the tile editor based on said print screen -> import tileset (3d and 2d) into an external tile editor -> make level -> export back to maya as some weird XML format -> prepare level for lightmap bake -> bake lightmap -> export back to said weird XML format
Me and the other artists have tried telling “them” (the ppl in charge) that this needs to be improved, but for several reasons it doesnt seem that much can change.
What I personally would prefer here is to skip that external tile-editor tennis-bullshit (export/import back and fourth all the time) and just create levels in Maya using references (or scene assembly). But in order to “sell” that idea to “them” we would need something to paint tiles with in Maya that is equally fast as this external tile editor or they are not going to listen.
So I’m wondering if anyone knows about a tile editing script/tool/plugin for Maya? Something that can read in a tile set, render preview thumbs of said tile set and then just allow the user (level designer) to paint out tiles with ease.
Playing the devils advocate here… but could it be that you don’t have the whole picture?
One reason I can see straight away for doing it their way is that the level designers might not be comfortable in Maya on the same level as you are?
Or just the fact that you will need extra licenses for them if they don’t already use Maya.
What is the problem with doing the import/export, is it just time consuming or does it mess up things in the process?
It might be better to focus your energy on writing a better tool for that part. Can’t you automate the sprite generation and lightmap baking?
Look into “Levels Tools”, it’s provided by Autodesk, sort of like Bonus Tools.
It’s a set of tools for maya that treat maya more like a level editor.
Unless you are leaving out some vital details, that doesn’t sound like the worst pipe.
If they don’t know how to get out of Maya what they need, then they will find tools to do so.
If Maya can do what you need, why don’t you show them the efficiency?
it can be automated somehow
if you can move the light baking part into the tile editor, you would save yourself the last round of import/exports.
modeling tile > export thumbnail > export tile > import tiles > construct level > bake lighting > done!
if you can’t do that, then you should look into maya standalone. It’s a way to spawn a maya process with no UI, mostly used in renderfarms to distribute the work.
I could see a workflow that kicks off a light bake from your tile editor by spawning a maya standalone process, imports the level by parsing the XML, performs the light bake, exports back to XML, imports the result back into the tile editor.
Eiktyrner: Level designer has no problem working in Maya. Licenses are not a problem.
The import/export -tennis is time-consuming yes
And no I can’t automate the sprite generation/lmap baking - I’m not a TA 
rgkovach123: I have bonus tools installed (maya 2012) so this must be some maya 2013? If that is the case then we can’t use it. The news for today is that all artists will have to revert back to Maya 2009 in order to actually be able to export things to the game. Light baking in the tile editor is not an option: they refuse to do updates to it (“it’s good as it is” they claim). And running a standalone Maya process sounds like a good idea - but that is also not an option. We artists are not allowed to do tech research and our coders will go on vacation (so basicly all artists will have to play level designers for this entire summer).
ahosking: We have an exporter for maya 2009 which they refuse to update for maya 2012. They also refuse to let us use maya for level editing. And showing them that Maya can do what we need (and more) would require me to make some simple MEL-tools - which I’m not allowed to do. Anytime I try and do anything TA-related my boss gets pissed.
Thread can be closed as they have already made up their minds… Never before have I felt such a strong desire to just quit. Sadly that is not an option as I need the money…
[QUOTE=Nightshade;21816]Thread can be closed as they have already made up their minds… Never before have I felt such a strong desire to just quit. Sadly that is not an option as I need the money…[/QUOTE]
Life is too short to work at a crappy job. When you are young it may seem like you don’t have an alternative because you need money. Take your portfolio and your experience with MEL and start networking. You will be able to find a job. It may take some time, it may not pay well, but you’ll be happier.
Edit: Also, you can get Level Tools for 2009, it’s separate from Bonus Tools, but it is provided by Autodesk and is a free download.
I wish I could do that Robert but sadly I have not updated my portfolio for 2 years. (which has been a mistake, I know)
But now I know what to do with my vacation this year: a new portfolio.
