Hector Bermudez with a quick little tip for Maya where he has created a simple polygon explosion effect without using dynamics or simulation at all. This is something that I have been doing and showing for years, and it is a feature that is sometimes missed in Maya.
…This tutorial will explain how to get some nice effects using a simple tool in Maya the “Transform Component”…
Hector shows to use Extract Polygons in this video, however you can save a couple of steps by simply selecting vertices and choosing Detach Component which will separate all the faces but keep the faces under one shape node… which is the end result of Hector’s efforts in the video.
It’s important to note that the Transform Component tool will only show in the Marking Menu if you are in any Component mode in Maya, if you have an object selected, choosing the Transform Component tool from the application menu will kick you to component mode.
Also, if you are using the extract polygon method shown in the video, it’s imperative to Combine the separated faces together again so Maya sees them as one object. If not, the transform component tool will be placed on every single object giving you a Transform Manipulator for each face… which is not useful at all.
The transform Component will give you a polyMoveFace node in the channel box with plenty of items that can be keyed and animated to your taste.
