June 20, 2014 -- Today Autodesk announced the first extension release for Maya LT 2015. The update enhances the animation experience for professional indie game makers by allowing artists to create more elaborate characters and environmental objects. The animation export tool gives artists a completely new method of exporting multiple animations per FBX file, making it easier to get animated content into a game engine, while set driven key and utility nodes help artists better control the relationships between objects in a scene.

New features include:

• Game Exporter: simplifies how models and animations are exported from Maya LT for use in game engines, allowing artists to define their ideal export settings and have them saved the next time the file is opened. Artists can define multiple animation clips within the tool by giving each a name along with a start and stop frame.

• Added Set Driven Key: gives artists an easier way to link animations in one scene. For example, having one character jump, while another ducks, simultaneously. Set Driven Key also improves interoperability with certain auto-rigging tools, making it easier for Maya LT users to leverage those tools to create their character rigs.

• Rigging Utility Nodes: New utility nodes in Maya LT let artists finely tweak and adjust their character rigs and animations in the node editor, giving riggers and animators better control over character animations. The new utility nodes also make it easier for artists to use auto-generated character rigs.

The extension for Maya LT will be available today for all current monthly and perpetual customers.

You can download videos and assets of the new features in action here: http://autode.sk/1hF9kFA