Appendix B. Maya Headstart for LightWave Users

LightWave's latest releases offer a surplus of new features for NewTek's venerable animation product. Although these new features, such as fur (Sasquatch) and SkyTracer, add functionality to the product, its core methodology for creating animation remains much the same as in previous versions. LightWave users will find details in Maya that are similar to what they are used to, but overall, Maya is fundamentally different. Also, the two programs use some terminology differently, such as LightWave's MetaNURBS versus Maya's NURBS. The two NURBS are completely different, but Maya's Subdivision Surfaces is the most like LightWave's MetaNURBS.

Appendix A, "Maya Headstart for max Users," offers a thorough quick-start guide for 3ds max users that focuses on where to find the primary interface tools an animator would need. Most of the information a LightWave user would seek is already detailed in that appendix, so you should review it after reading this appendix to get additional details on commonly used functions, such as grids and snapping. This appendix covers only the major differences unique to LightWave users.