Unlimited export to Unreal Engine 4
With Maya LT and Unreal Engine 4 installed on the same system, you can now deliver an unlimited number of polygons directly from Maya LT into your Unreal project using File > Send to Unreal.
Unlimited export to Mudbox
Send to Mudbox is now available in the File menu, letting you export unlimited polygons to Mudbox for detailed sculpting and texture painting. You'll need an equivalent version of Mudbox (Mudbox 2015 since you're using Maya LT 2015) for this feature to work.
Game Exporter Updates
Improvements in the Game Exporter make it even easier to export your models or animation clips. The interface is now a little more streamlined, with separate tabs to organize the model export or animation export options. The preset groups of FBX options are revamped to be even more efficient, and the Model Default preset now includes options to control whether you include lights, cameras, and animation as you export a model.
In addition, the new FBX Review toggle lets you launch your exported file seamlessly in the FBX Review app. See Preview files with FBX Review.
Modeling Toolkit integration
- Multi-Cut Tool enhancements: New snapping support makes cutting more accurate and flexible. You can now snap to perpendicular points and find perpendicular angles on existing edges, letting you quickly create 90 degree angle cuts. See Make 90 degree angle cuts with the Multi-Cut Tool and Snap cut points to an edge with the Multi-Cut Tool.
- Target Weld Tool integration: The Merge Edge Tool and Merge Vertex Tool have been removed, and these tools' options have been added to the improved Target Weld Tool, making it the new default method for merging components in Maya. Other improvements make it easier to make selections and preview your merge operation. See Merge polygon components with the Target Weld Tool.
- Reactivate the last used tool: You can now use the y hotkey to reactivate many of the mesh editing tools (Multi-Cut Tool, Quad Draw Tool, Connect Tool, Target Weld Tool) after switching to another tool.
- Selection constraints: The Angle, Border, and Shell constraints can now be used without activating the Modeling Toolkit. These constraints can be selected from the Propagation drop-down menu in the Polygon Selection Constraint window (Select > Select Using Constraints). New Edge Loop and Edge Ring propagation options have also been added to this menu, letting you quickly preview and select loops and rings on your mesh.
Improved pivot editing workflow
Complicated pivot editing is simplified with Maya's improved pivot editing mode. The new workflow integrates many features from the Modeling Toolkit's custom pivot mode, and also boasts new functionality, like support for object pivots.
Activate this mode (Hotkey: Insert or d) to take advantage of new hotkeys that let you aim, snap, and reset pivot position and axis orientation while modeling.
OpenSubdiv improvements
- Adaptive subdivision: The new OpenSubdiv Catmull-Clark Adaptive subdivision method uses the GPU to generate a high resolution mesh that can be rendered at a high frame rate, without affecting your scene's performance. Adaptive subdivision supports high levels of tessellation and adjusts tessellation based on camera position, providing you with a smooth mesh whether your model is close to the camera or far away.
- UV tiling support: Turn on the new Load Tiles with Displacements option in the OpenSubdiv Controls to load and display tiled textures in your scene.
FBX Version 2015.1 - Support for ShaderFX
This Extension release for Maya LT picks up the latest version of FBX (2015.1) in order to support import and export of ShaderFX graphs in your FBX files.
Color Management
Maya LT now includes a color management system based on Autodesk Color Management. Autodesk Color Management (also known as the Synergy color management component or SynColor) is a shared technology component that is integrated into several Autodesk applications. This allows for consistent processing, interpretation, and communication of colors throughout a mixed pipeline.