Skeleton > Joint Tool – chain joints (Hip → Spine → Neck → Head).
Arnold 5 provides a powerful, physically-based ray tracer that is now the default rendering engine, ensuring high-fidelity visual output.
As of the latest updates, Autodesk continues to release new versions of Maya, incorporating cutting-edge technologies such as real-time rendering, cloud-based collaboration tools, and integrations with other software platforms. For those interested in exploring alternatives, options include Blender, Cinema 4D, and 3ds Max, each offering unique strengths and communities.
Maya 2018 still uses Bullet 2.x (not 3.x). For advanced RBD, consider Dynamics > Rigid Bodies (classic).
Another excellent resource was (CADCIM Technologies), which included 17 chapters covering Paint Effects, nHair, Fur, Fluids, Particles, nParticles, and Bullet Physics. The guide was complemented by training videos totalling approximately 341 MB.