
One of the common challenges I've encountered, and that I often see discussed within the art community, is efficiently transferring multiple animation takes from Maya to Unity. We frequently create various animation variations for characters and assets—walks, runs, jumps, and more—and managing these takes can become complex during the asset pipeline. A standard FBX export from Maya doesn't always preserve all the animation takes, which can lead to extra work and frustration. I've been exploring different workflows to address this, and I wanted to share a method using Maya's Game Exporter that I've found quite effective. This post outlines the process, hoping it can be a helpful resource for others facing similar challenges.
Tip #1 – Understanding the Game Exporter
Maya's Game Exporter is a powerful tool designed to prepare assets for game engines. It offers specific features for handling animations, which are crucial for preserving multiple takes during export.
Tip #2 – Defining Animation Clips within the Exporter
Inside the Game Exporter (File > Game Exporter), navigate to the "Animation" tab. Here’s a breakdown of the key steps:
Creating Clips: In the "Clips" section, click the "+" button for each animation take you intend to export. This defines the separate animation segments.
Naming and Timing: Give each clip a descriptive name (e.g., "Walk," "Run," "Jump"). Then, and this is important, set the "Start Frame" and "End Frame" for each clip to precisely match the timing of your animation takes within Maya’s Time Editor. This ensures accurate transfer of the animation data.
Export Settings: Select your desired export location and FBX version, ensuring compatibility with your Unreal or Unity project.
As many experienced technical artists point out, accurately defining animation clips within the Game Exporter is a fundamental part of a smooth transfer.

Tip #3 – Baking Animations for Consistency
If you've utilized Maya's Time Editor with override layers for animation modifications, baking the animation to your control rig before exporting is generally a good practice. This helps ensure data consistency and minimizes potential issues in Unity. You can do this by selecting the clip in the Time Editor and using “Edit > Bake to Control Rig”.
Tip #4 – Verification in Unity
After exporting the FBX from Maya, import it into your Unity project. Select the imported model in the Project window and check the "Animations" tab in the Inspector panel. You should see all the animation clips you defined in the Game Exporter, ready for use. This step helps confirm a successful transfer.
Tip #5 – Building a Reliable Workflow
Establishing a reliable and consistent workflow for exporting animations is essential for efficient asset management. Using the Game Exporter with these steps can contribute to a smoother pipeline.
I hope this is helpful to artists and animators. This workflow has proven useful in my own experience, and I believe it can be a valuable tool for others as well. I’m always eager to learn from others’ experiences, so please feel free to share your own tips and insights in the comments below!

Comments