Maya 2020

SHAPE UP Has the creative community been listened to for the latest release of Autodesk’s powerhouse modelling software?

Price £234 per month/£1,872 per year Company Autodesk Web www.autodesk.co.uk

Autodesk has released Maya 2020, the latest update on its 3D modelling, animation, visual effects and 3D rendering software. We put the program through its paces to see if the new features justify the high asking price.

Maya is over 22 years old, and there was a time when you needed a Silicon Graphics machine to run it. Such hardware was expensive enough, but when coupled with the price of a Maya licence it meant you had to spend a small fortune to be creative in 3D. While the software is now more affordable and runs on standard computing hardware, there’s an argument that it’s still too pricey, especially when compared to other 3D programs such as the free Blender and Cinema 4D (from £662/year).

Animators can now see past and future movement with the improved Ghosting preview tool.

Since its early days, Autodesk has released updates annually. These usually saw new tools and features being added to Maya’s arsenal. Such features were welcome additions but were often aimed more at higher-end animation and simulation work.

The past few years has seen a shift in the direction Autodesk has taken with the updates to Maya. They’re now more focused on improving existing systems and implementing features that have been voted on by the artistic community. Taking this approach has transformed Maya into a much-improved application.

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