Rumors and thoughts on Houdini 20.5?

Dude H20 is so new that even wikipedia hasn't updated the list and you're already asking for H20.5

Rumors: August.
Thoughts: As good as always.

I hope that 20.5 will be released ASAP so work on AI in H21 can be main focus and also huge redo of UI will be wery well welcome.And of course animation stuff so whole pipeline can be done in Houdini.

And few modeling updates as it looks like this area is on hold for the last few versions; a few tools need fixing while others, some refining.
Better snapping behavior and management (transient hotkey, preferences that are permanently saved).
Improved animation editor (Maya does this right). It's great that rigging(kinefx, apex) is being further developed, but we need better tools for manual keyframe animation.
The UI/UX subject seems to attract some controversy, for some say it's fine as it is while others say it needs an overhaul. I fall somewhere in between - I don't think it needs a radical change, but it could use some improvements from an aesthetic and functional PoV. Not very high priority on my wish-list.

citizen
Better snapping behavior and management (transient hotkey, preferences that are permanently saved).

I was trying to stay out of this perhaps-a-little-too-early thread, but couldn't resist adding "+100" to this : )

Mike_A
I was trying to stay out of this perhaps-a-little-too-early thread, but couldn't resist adding "+100" to this : )

Waiting until on the verge of release probably wouldn't be of much help. Make sure you file RFEs as well, as forum posts are not a guarantee devs will see it nor do they constitute a reliable metric of what users want.

I absolutely agree - I filed an RFE on this very matter back in the days of 19.5... so that's at least two of us I hope : )

There are indications suggesting an early release, similar to the one from 19 to 19.5

1)
Some interesting notes in this interview at 37:15 min.
https://youtu.be/a9_5vRm1Bfo?t=2235 [youtu.be]

"we'll now rewrite the geometry library, that takes two years".
"now u can do so much more with graphics cards than u could if I'd rewritten this thing before"
"we'll do some more character stuff before Annecy festival in June, and maybe some other pieces of the pipeline"

2)
Sidefx Dev Mark Tucker, confirms a revamp of Stage Manager for the next release, but the Layout LOP ll have to wait until h21



3)
Current real build is 20.5.215 . Some nodes related to the "other piece of the pipeline" are being introduced.

Is 20.5 actually available? I don't see it on the downloads page (I'm using Indie). However, I just installed Renderman for Houdini (ver 26.1) and there is an entry in json file for 20.5 although the actual supported release still states 20.0.653.

Pixel8d
Is 20.5 actually available? I don't see it on the downloads page (I'm using Indie). However, I just installed Renderman for Houdini (ver 26.1) and there is an entry in json file for 20.5 although the actual supported release still states 20.0.653.

20.5 have been available for tester for some time it seems.