Introduction

Learning Resources > Tutorials > Getting Started with Maya > Fluid Effects > Lesson 4: Creating an ocean effect >

Introduction

An ocean effect is defined by a plane with an ocean shader assigned to it. Ocean effects are not created with fluid containers like the dynamic and non-dynamic fluid effects you created in the first three lessons.

A shader is a collection of attributes that define color and other surface characteristics of the plane it is assigned to. For an ocean shader, these attributes define realistic waves on large bodies of water.

In this lesson, you create an ocean, put a cube in it, and see how the cube floats in the ocean. You learn how to:

Create an ocean plane and shader.
Create a preview plane to see the effects of the shader, including displacement, without rendering.
Modify the ocean shader attributes to make the waves bigger.
Make an object a boat in the scene.
Modify the attributes for an expression that controls the buoyancy of the boat in the ocean.

Before beginning the lesson, do the steps in Preparing for the lessons.