Maya has a Modeling Toolkit since 2014 and it is quite similar to Softimage Move Tool. And it is IMHO the best addition Maya has had in the last few years from a Modeler POV. I mean it is now pretty close to Softimage (without the
The GUI is not as simple and straight forward as the M key, but it does the job done and I guess a simple script to change the options automatically and assign it to a hotkey may do the trick. - Move Tool Select your object, Active Multi-Component in the MTK, press W to change the mode to Translate, Activate Tweak/Marquee option and now you have your Move Tool. - Slide Components If you want to slide like the magnet tool, Change the Transform Constraints. I asked this in another thread. - Weld point Although you have the Merge Vertex Tool for this, MTK has also it's own Target Weld. Pretty similar to the M key + weld, but this one works with edges too. - Split Edges The equivalent to Split Edge would be MTK Connect, MMB to control the number of segments. The same Connect tool has an option of Slide that would be the equivalent to Split Edge with split Control (slide with MMB). - Raycast This MTK also has a selection mode with a Raycast Option that would work just like SI raycast. The good thing is that now with MTK, unlike the previous Maya preferences, you can select backfaces that you are seeing in wireframe mode ala Softimage. The problem with the Raycast/Marquee option is that the Marquee only works if you start to drag outside the object. So if you want to do a drag select a bunch of polygons in the center of your object just like you could with Lasso or Raycast Rectangle in SI, you can't. You'll have to do it with a Raycast. I miss SI Lasso tool. Martin On Thu, Mar 27, 2014 at 3:48 PM, Tim Leydecker <[email protected]> wrote: > Can I trade the MMB functionality against the "M" key workflow? > > Personally, I don´t use MMB much because when modeling, I will usually > resort to using either the "M" key or rick-clicking to access polygon > operations. > > Sliding a component (selection) around on a polygon surface is a wonderful > feature > in Softimage. > > I would say that using a combination of variations of the M key settings, > add edge, > and extrude is covering 65% of my work for modeling, with a Split Edge > (with split control) > here and there. I tend to model my bevels due to legacy shortcomings in > tools. > > A good 15% is the ease of using "U"/"T"/"E" with raycast perference > options that prevent > selecting unwanted (backfaced) areas. > > 10% is viewport interaction. Tumbling around and view modes. > > 10% is unfold3d. (It´s a lot more this brings but it´s become so easy :-) > > Using wheighting edges in subD models I refuse to use until it is > consistenly supported > in something as reliable as a blank *.obj format in any other app > available. > > There´s no point in wheighting a (subD style) edge hardness when you > realize you can´t import/export it anywhere > like that. > > Cheers, > > tim > > P.S: Merging vertices in Maya is nicer, with it´s treshhold options. > >
