Need some help!

[Doros]

Hello all,

I am a PhD Student, working on stage performance and animation. I come from a computer animation background, and I am now considering on working with game engines. My aim is the following : Create a virtual environment (preferably using maya), have some dynamics in the scene (wind, water etc) and create a camera so you are able to navigate in the scene.
Just this for now :)

I have limited programming skills, but lots of time to learn.

Anyone can suggest the easier and most efficient way to do what I want?
Which game engine? Do all of them need programming skills? Can i import a model straight from maya? Are there ready made scrips that do what I want?

Thank you very much!

[SamuraiCrow]

Most game engines do require programming skills for the simple reason that engines that don't require programming end up producing simple variations on the same game over and over and over again. ::BORING!::

The good news for you is that many engines allow scripting in a simpler language such as Lua or Python.

C++ is way too complicated for scripting even though some people choose to do it that way. It takes a long time to master that language so I'd steer clear of it if I were you. Certainly an engine can be written in C++ and still use a scripting language like one of those listed above.

[NiCoX]

About engines, I suggest you to use ShiVa : it can import datas from Maya (with a free COLLADA exporter plugin), it includes a dynamics subsystem for your simulations, and you can make AI scripts in Lua.

And something good for you : the PLE version is free for non commercial use and not limited in time ;).