What you'll learn

In this Maya tutorial we'll learn how to use the locator and wake features of Maya Oceans to make objects float on the surface, and create ripples in our ocean. Using advanced dynamic and boat locators we can define many attributes of our floating object to create realistic motion. We'll begin this tutorial by learning about the most basic locator, the Ocean Surface locator. We'll then branch into the more complicated locators that allow us to have dynamic motion including buoyancy, damping, and gravity. We'll finish the locator section with a lesson on the fun feature of Motorboats, which let us have a throttle and rudder on an object and make a realistic boat animation complete with pitching and rolling. We'll then learn the basics of using wakes to deform our surface as if something has just dropped into the water. We'll learn a few advanced techniques such as connecting a foam generator to our ocean as well as advanced color bleeding and foamy waves. Software required: Maya Unlimited.