Free Maya Personal Learning Edition

[tegehel]

Maya Personal Learning Edition now available for Maya Complete 5

Maya Personal Learning Edition is a special version of Maya® software, which provides free access to Maya for non-commercial use. It will give 3D graphics and animation students, industry professionals, and those interested in breaking into the world of computer graphics (CG) an opportunity to explore all aspects of the award winning Maya Complete™ software in a non-commercial capacity

http://www.alias.com/eng/products-services/maya/maya_ple/index.shtml

[madster]

I like the free "lite" version of 3D Max, GMAX, better. It doesn't watermark your images, and you can download a Quake 3 engine to work with.

[tegehel]

It's good to know both, especially if you're looking for a job in the game industry as a modeler or animator. Companies use one or the other, or in some cases both. If you know both and are good, that will pretty much assure you a position.

C.

[Signature]

I shouldn't have downloaded it.
My god is it limited. That sucks :(

I already thought that might be the case.
And even looked in the forums!
Well the website sucks ...

[tegehel]

I don't think you get the point. Re-read the title: "Personal Learning Edition". The point is: with this download, you can now learn the basics of Maya, which will allow you to be familiar with the product and get a job much more easily later on. Of course they're not going to release the full version for free and you should expect limitations in any lite version anyway.

I think it's a good thing for people who would like to become modelers or animators and don't have the means to buy anything, or who have other packages but no access to the expensive Maya. As much as 3DStudio or Lightwave are great, they can't compare to Maya in the end...that's why all the major studios use Maya now, and so do some game companies. Some companies will allow you to learn on the fly, but most will ask whether you know the product in advance.

And I think this is the point of this release.

C.

[Signature]

What I meant is that I wanted it to try VRML ... webdesign stuff.
Without any export options that's impossible.
Sure they can limit it like that. But why don't they mention what the limits are?
All I found was
... an opportunity to explore all aspects of the award winning Maya Complete™ software in a non-commercial capacity

And with that version I can't produce anything to show that I'm actually familiar with the basics of Maya.
Will people believe me just bacause I say so?

[Wight Zombie]

its just crippleware with a bait and hook so maya can get a bigger low end user base which will never happen because of the price. if they came out with a low end package like photoshop le that let you work in the app and maybe not animate but modeling etc it would garner a new user base that would say they use maya. the only way to learn maya and make some cool products in it would be going to college and taking classes and getting to save real files for your portfolio or ouutright bying the app. or you could just take screen snaps of your work in the cripple version. they are doing you no favors except giving you a crapple product with hopes you will be driven insane enough to upgrade. companies do this all the time.