Date: Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:48:08 -0500 (CDT)
   From: Mark Jacobson <jacobson@cns.uni.edu>
     To: 810-088-11-spring@uni.edu
Subject: Friday summary, Monday classroom class (NOT Lang 213)

Hello Maya students,

   Friday summary, Monday classroom class (NOT Lang 213)

   1. Monday's class will be in the classroom, ITT 322, as usual.
      (Do NOT go to Lang 213 on Monday, April 6th)
          ---

   2. The Friday StudioIT 1 lab class covered:

            Dynamics menu set and Maya Special Effects with Particles.

                  http://www.cs.uni.edu/~jacobson/maya/dy/Fountain1.jpg

            Creating a Color RAMP (default RAMP is R, G, B
                                   for Red, Green, Blue).

            Suppose a particle has a lifetime of 21.

                Lifespan Mode: Constant instead of default Live forever
                               --------                    ------------

                     Lifespan: 1.00       (Note: quote Rilke poem
                               ----                  here, relate
                                                     Wings of Desire and
                                                     City of Angels movies
                                                     themes to Disney
                                                     animations.)

     Check the Window menu > Settings/Preferences > Preferences

         Looking at that Preferences dialog box you will see

         Categories
           Interface
              UI Elements
              Help
           Display
              Kinematics
              Animation
              Manipulators
              NURBS
              Polygons
              Subdivs
           Settings      <---------------- Select the Settings
              Animation
              Cameras                       Under the Working Units
              Dynamics                         you will see it is at:
              ...
              ...                               Time: Film (24 fps)
              ...
              Sound                                 as the default.
              Timeline
              Undo                              NTSC (30 fps)
              Save Actions                         is another setting
           Modules                                 that is commonly
           Applications                            used for Time: setting.

    So, suppose we use the default COLOR RAMP of RED, GREEN, BLUE.

    If you emit particles that have a Lifespan of 1, which is the default,

      and if you use the "Step forward one frame" button
         on the Time Slider
             you will see the following:

    At what frame do you see particles first looking more GREEN than RED?

    At what frame do you see particles first looking more BLUE than GREEN?

    At what frame do you first see particles disappear as you step through
       the frames from frame 1 onward with "STEP FORWARD ONE FRAME"
       operations, the 2nd to last button on the Timer Slider bar?

   2. The Friday StudioIT 1 lab class review page will be posted
      over the weekend, probably on Friday evening or on Saturday.
      Due to the MISA trip to the Twin Cities company, there were lots of
      students absent from the Friday class this morning.

      You will find that this morning's class is especially helpful for:

         i. Wednesday's quiz, and

        ii. The homework on creating a colorful particle fountain,
               that is due next Thursday.

            http://www.cs.uni.edu/~jacobson/maya/dy/particlesFountain.html

    Have a nice weekend, weather or not it warms up at all!
                         -------
    Mark

P.S.    Monday's class will be in the classroom, ITT 322, as usual.
              (Do NOT go to Lang 213 on Monday, April 6th)
                  ---