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| Publisher: Sybex |
| Author: John Kundert-Gibbs and Peter Lee |
| Pages: 798 |
| Retail Price: US$60.00 |
| Our Price: US$42.00 |
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Maya 4.5 Savvy is an update to the older Mastering Maya 3. Just like all books coming from the Sybex publishing house, it is printed on good quality paper and a quick flip through reveals that it is filled with illustrations, something that I consider important for a 3D graphics reference and tutorial book. This book also has the distinction of being the first of Sybex's authorized, Alias|Wavefront Approved titles. The included CD comes with all the Maya, image and movie files needed to complete the tutorials in the book including a copy of Alias|Wavefront's Maya Persona Learning Edition 4.5 software for both Windows and Mac OS X.
This is the 2nd John Kundert-Gibbs co-authored book that I'm reviewing, the first being Maya: Secret of the Pros. In the previous book, there were many contributors to the book and there were disparities in the quality of the chapters. Some of the chapters were very well written with many well laid out tutorials while others were not so well written with tutorials that are hard to follow and had seemingly missing steps. Unfortunately, this book falls mainly into the second category.
The problem could be that the book is aimed at all levels of users from beginners to professionals. Maya 4.5 is such a complex and yet powerful 3D tool that it is difficult if not impossible to address the needs of all levels of users. The many tools and features of Maya are covered in its many chapters but more advanced users will find the information on modelling and animation techniques a bit too shallow for their needs. On the other hand, beginners may find the tutorials a little too difficult to follow as it suffers the same "missing steps" syndrome of the Secret of the Pros book.
Although the book has a few flaws, there are a few areas which it has gotten it right. For one, the writing style is good. Books in this genre tend to be dry which is not surprising since they are usually meant to be instructive. Maya 4.5 Savvy breaks from this mould by giving explanations on why certain things are done a certain way. As a result, it makes it a little bit easier for the lesson to stick in your mind.
Maya 4.5 Savvy may not have fully succeeded as a tutorial book but as a reference tool, it manages to cover most aspects of Maya although some may find certain topics are covered too briefly. The chapters are well indexed and organized so it makes looking for information a breeze. It would make a good addition to your library on top of the Maya manuals that came with the software.
In conclusion, I would say that this is not the book for you if you are looking for a comprehensive tutorial book to guide you through the many intricacies of Maya. On the other hand, if you are looking for a reference book that is easy to refer to, Maya 4.5 Savvy might fit your needs. |
