Mastering Maya® 2009

Chapter 16. Maya Fluids

Maya Fluids is a suite of tools designed to create a number of fluid-based effects. The tools available in Fluids consist of containers and emitters, which are designed to simulate gaseous effects like clouds, smoke, flames, explosions, galactic nebulae, and so on, as well as dynamic geometry deformers and shaders, which can be used to simulate rolling ocean waves, ripples in ponds, and wakes created by boats.

In this chapter you will learn to:

• Use fluid containers

• Create a reaction

• Render fluid containers

• Use fluids with nParticles

• Create a pond

• Create an ocean

Use Fluid Containers

Fluid containers can be thought of as mini scenes within a Maya scene. Fluid containers are best used for gaseous and plasma effects like clouds, flames, ...