Simplify nodes chaos in a Maya model?

Kevin Albers

I'm getting back into using Maya (Maya LT 2016) after mostly being a Max user for many years. I spent a long, challenging day today trying to make progress on a partially completed model I started in Max a while back. I learned random small things and did all sorts of somewhat chaotic stuff, trying to replicate ways I would work in Max. I assumed that at some point I could simplify the increasing node complexity, similar to collapsing the stack in Max (or similar to converting a ton of meshes into one single object eventually). However, now that I'm looking at the Outliner and Hypergraph, it seems that I've created dozens of chaotic nodes with no rhyme or reason to their organization. There are now endless tranform nodes, for example.

Is there some way to simplify all of this node chaos? It doesn't seem like I can just ignore it, because now it's very hard to select part of my model with any predictability. Maybe the day's work is a write-off, and I need to learn more about some sort of careful Maya modeling approach I was unaware of. 

Any thoughts?

Bartalon

With your object selected, go to Edit > Delete by type > History.  Press Ctrl + Shift + MMB to add any menu option to your active shelf.

Deleting history will "bake" your mesh modifications into a permanent shape and remove all nodes.  If some nodes persist it means you performed a few too many complex tasks (combine, separate, etc.) between deleting construction history.

Keep in mind you should always delete history after a few key operations:  Combine, Separate, Extract, and Duplicate Face.

CreativeSheep

You can't undo what you did, if you delete history.  Maya nodes needs a major clean up.

Bartalon

Deleting history is the equivalent of collapsing your modifier stack in Max.  The only difference is Maya keeps track of every action instead of a collective group of actions; but after a certain amount of history nodes, going back to edit older ones is more or less worthless or undesired so there is no harm regularly deleting your history.

CreativeSheep

I came from Softimage, Max is the closest thing to Softimage with regards to a modifier stack, although I've never used Max.  I like many former Softimage users came from Lightwave > Softimage now my final journey because learning new software, especially 3D software in a pain, is, Maya.

I have to live with it's problems and issues and hope Autodesk fixes them in the future.

I do know one thing viewport is faster in Maya then Max

Maya is more on the other hand a well organized puzzle of sorts; although they made some progress in 2016, but much more is needed.

Kevin Albers

Thanks for the information. I think the main thing I learned that day is to delete history frequently, after performing the operations Bartalon mentioned.

antweiler

You can't undo what you did, if you delete history.  Maya nodes needs a major clean up.

Of course you can do that. Mayas dependency graph /history may not be super convenient for modeling, but its very powerful for rigging, materials, fx, etc, because all aspects of maya are based on it.