Maya

Description
''Award-winning Autodesk® Maya® software is a powerful, integrated 3D modeling, animation, effects, and rendering solution. Because Maya is based on an open architecture, all your work can be scripted or programmed using a well-documented and comprehensive API (application programming interface), or one of two embedded scripting languages. This, combined with an industry-leading suite of 3D tools, means Maya enables you to realize your creative ideas.'' URL: www.autodesk.com/fo-products-maya Tutorials: Current Version: Newest version is 2009 Unity Documentation: http://unity3d.com/Documentation/Manual/HOWTO-ImportObjectMaya.html
 * Easiest way to find tutorial about Maya
 * Maya Video Tutorial Series

Maya and Unity relation
If you are a Maya user, you will be surprised because Maya and Unity have a similar way to work.


 * RMB,LMB,MMB + Alt key for 3D view
 * QWER for transform model
 * The Hierarchy is similar to Outliner
 * ... and many other things you will find out when using Unity

Setting Unit in Maya
In Maya, you can set your unit size to the same as Unity units by clicking on on Window => Settings/Preferences => Preferences then clicking on Settings => Working Units => Linear and changing it to "centimeter". From now, centimeter is the unit we work on in Maya.

Modelling Rules

 * Each MESH can not go above 65000 tris. (*NOT* faces).
 * There are no limits for tris in a scene/files.
 * Delete History after modelling is a MUST.
 * Clean Up with default setting will help you delete zero faces and zero edges
 * No need to tri-angulate because Unity will do it for you. However, a tip is you should Mesh -> Tri-angulate, and then Mesh -> Quadrangule to make a proper topology.

UV Rules

 * UVs layout and position: Any kinds you could think of: Overlapped,Out of (0,1) range...So this means there are *NO* LIMITATIONS
 * UV Set: Unity supports up to 2 UV Set. However, my tips are: Use the main/base UV set for UV your model and let the Second for Lightmap or any other blending type you could think of.

Setting up your Maya Project/files for Unity Project
Maya2Unity Toolkit