Hello again folks! Welcome to Lesson 1.2, where we'll discuss file management, project structure, and naming conventions in Maya. Hopefully you've already got Maya loaded up—if not, get to it!
The Importance of File Management:
As in most software, you can save a Maya scene file to any location on your computer's hard drive. However Maya scene files can become quite complex, making proper project management very important. Unlike a simple Word document or PDF where all the information is stored in a single file, any given Maya scene might rely on dozens of separate source directories in order to display and render properly.
For example: If I'm working on an architectural interior, it's quite likely my scene might include the building model itself, and various associated texture files—maybe a ceramic floor, a wall material, a hardwood for cabinets, a marble or granite for counter-tops, etc. Without proper file structure Maya has a difficult time pulling these associated files into the scene.
Lets take a look at the steps that need to be taken to create a new project file in Maya.
Go ahead and click File -> Project -> New as shown in the image above.
