Creating a Walk-through in Maya
After hours googling and googling I couldn't for the life of me find a way to make a Maya walk-through! So here! I hope someone in the world wide web finds this one day and can use it.
In Maya, the easiest way I found to make a walk-through is to create two motion
paths (from EP curves). The first path is to put an object (which will later become invisible) that the camera will be aimed at throughout the animation. The second is a path for the camera itself to follow.
1. Make the First Curve
In the top view, create the path for the camera to follow so keep in mind what views and specific things you want to been seen in this walk-through and make sure they are part of this curve.
Create>EP Curve Tool
Select the curve,then hold right-click>Edit point.
The points used to create this curve will be show and in different views you can toggle them to correct the path that you want your aim to be set more accurately (whether you want height changes along your walk through or a more specific view). You will most likely need to return to editing these points again.
2. Make a Polygon and Attach it to Motion Path
Make some polygon. Spheres are my preference. (smaller is probably better and less distracting)....
Create>Polygon Primitives>_____
Select the Polygon and then the path you just created (shift-click)
Animate>Motion Paths>Attach to Motion Paths
This attaches the polygon to the motion path. You can play with it by toggling the animation frames at the bottom of your screen.
4. Make a Camera and Parent the Aim with the Polygon
Create>Cameras>Camera and Aim
You will see that there are two parts of the camera you can select. The physical camera and its target.
Select the target and the polygon you created (shift-right click). Then Edit>Parent.
5.Create a Path for the Camera.
Now that there is a camera, for a walk-through the camera needs to have a motion path as well so follow the same steps to create a curve and attach the physical camera to the curve as its motion path.
Create>EP Curve Tool
Select curve and physical camera Then Animate>Motion Paths>Attach to Motion Paths
Remember to make this curve a bit longer than the one for the polygon and keep in mind that in each frame the camera will be focused on the polygon wherever it may be positioned at that moment. Also keep in mind that like a analog camera, this camera's path needs to have some distance between itself and the polygon it is following to make a successful picture.
6. Edit Points on Curve
Again turn on the edit points for this curve and move them around to your liking.
Hold right-click>Edit point
You may find it easy to work with the points in a top and side view while having another view set to your camera. That way, while you toggle with the animation frames at the bottom of the of the screen you can see the camera's view and alter the placement of either motion paths to your liking.
7. Hide Polygon
After you are done with working out the kinks, you will probably want to hide the polygon. To do so, select the polygon then in the right-hand side Channel Box/Layer Editor, you will see an option for visibility where it will say on. Click and type off and you should be set.
Gluck!
