# MAYA — Knowledge MOC > [!abstract] About this MOC > Everything related to **Maya** — modeling fundamentals (UVs, retopology), scene optimization, and pipeline handoff notes. Maya is the entry point for most asset work before it moves into Houdini/Solaris for scene building. Start with *Fundamentals* if you are new. --- ## 🧭 Reading Order for Newcomers 1. **UVs first** → [[Notes/Maya UV|Maya UVs]] — every asset ultimately needs a good UV layout. 2. **Retopology** → [[Notes/MAYA Automatic Retopo|Maya — Automatic Retopo]] — clean base mesh for animation / deformation. 3. **Scene hygiene** → [[../../PROTOCOL/OPTIMISATION/Notes/Asset modeling Clean - Leo Hanrion|Asset Modeling Clean (Leo Hanrion)]] — cleanup rules before publishing an asset. --- ## 📚 Modeling Fundamentals Core tasks on every asset. - [[Notes/Maya UV|Maya UVs]] — theory, unwrap process, UDIMs, texel density, pipeline handoff to Mari/Substance. - [[Notes/MAYA Automatic Retopo|Maya — Automatic Retopo]] — automatic retopology workflow for sculpted meshes. --- ## ⚙️ Scene Optimization Keep scenes light and export-ready. - [[../../PROTOCOL/OPTIMISATION/Notes/Asset modeling Clean - Leo Hanrion|Asset Modeling Clean (Leo Hanrion)]] — Leo Hanrion's checklist for clean, publishable assets. --- ## 💡 Suggested Future Notes Gaps worth filling when time allows — each would slot into one of the sections above. - **Maya scene setup for PROTOCOL** — project directory, working units (cm), linear workflow, up axis (Y/Z). - **Outliner hygiene** — naming, group structure, display layers, visibility flags (PROTOCOL `char` / `prop` / `env` / `clus`). - **Reference vs import** — when to reference an asset, when to import; impact on Prism publishes. - **Alembic / USD / FBX export matrix** — which format for which handoff (animation, layout, lookdev, rig). - **Prism publish from Maya** — practical walkthrough of the `usdModeling` and `maRiging` product publishes. - **Maya → Houdini / Solaris handoff** — expected USD layer, axis, units, material network. - **Hard-surface modeling best practices** — edge flow, bevels, support loops for smoothing. - **Organic modeling best practices** — topology for deformation, quads vs tris, poles. - **Rigging basics** — skeleton setup, skin weights, deformers, controllers, PROTOCOL naming for rigs. - **Blendshape / morph target workflow** — naming, wrap modeling, corrective shapes. - **Maya essentials** — navigation, hotkeys, workspace layout, Hypershade basics. --- ## 🔗 Related MOCs - [[../MARI/MARI MOC|MARI MOC]] — texturing picks up where UVs end. - [[../LOOKDEV/LOOKDEV KNOWLEDGE MOC|LOOKDEV Knowledge MOC]] — shading, downstream of modeling. - [[../KNOWLEDGE MOC|KNOWLEDGE MOC]] — top-level index.