Actually I have found Houdini to be way more artists friendly than many other options out there. I have been using many different apps all these years. And I have found Houdini to be much more fun and much more sophisticated to work with. Also Houdini is a software that is done right or at least nearly done right in many levels. No part of Houdini will feel flakey to you once you start using it seriously.
Use Houdini to make simple or very sophisticated stuff. It is just a tool but once you learn it, it limits you way less than many other software out there will limit you. With Houdini you do not need developers to develop stuff for you, you just build them if you are little more technical than average.
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Houdini Lounge » Versatility or Specialty
- kursad
- 88 posts
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Houdini Lounge » Is mantra only for rendering balls and cubes?
- kursad
- 88 posts
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werwackDid you know you can store renders in the Render View? (…)Well, no, I didn't. And thanks again for this tip.
In fact if I don't know that, and many other things I am sure, it is because for me there are some major weaknesses in the documentation regarding basic concepts and first steps for beginners. These tips are not mentionned either in the video tutorials I've seen so far because as good as they can be they cannot mention everything.
From a more global point of view, this is quite representative of the current way of learning Houdini (or at least how Side FX lets newcomers learn Houdini - this is not bad-mouthing, this is feedback): basic concepts are just outlined in the documentation and tutorials are given mixed in a big bag, with some general directions but not sorted. Basically you learn on the stack. It is the “you know because you faced the issue and someone told you” way, not because you've found the answer in the documentation or because the GUI is intuitive.
As a newcomer (I must admit I also have a GUI development background) I find some inconsistancies in the GUI of Houdini that don't make life easy when you don't know every tips.
Some of those tips sometimes make some advanced users be kind of proud of what they know and very protective about that and the way Houdini can be learn. This kind of community doesn't really exist with applications that are more accessible (although Houdini is quite technical, I would say that part of the accessibility comes from the content of the documentation).
So my current point of view is: Yes Houdini is a really great application, very powerful, but you have to know why you are learning it or you may give up from the very start. And I find it sad, somehow…
If you want to learn Rendering in Houdini, you need to study Renderman. They are pretty close to eachother, once you understand Renderman basics , they are applicable to Houdini, just that Houdini rpovides you way more sophistication than just a notepad and a commandline renderer.
Technical Discussion » set driven key in houdini
- kursad
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If I remember correctly in one of 3dbuzz old free Houdini tuts(probably rigging), there was a basic set driven type although in that one it was tied to a slider, but I am sure you can hook it up to another object`s channel.
Houdini Lounge » Python scripting editor
- kursad
- 88 posts
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Houdini Lounge » Non-flash version houdini website for iPad and iPhone users
- kursad
- 88 posts
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I had a Motion Tablet. The interface was fine but was not suitable for every application. I used drawing apps and Zbrush with it. Come to think of it, due to node based nature of Houdini (or TouchD) would be a good app to work with on a tablet pc. I can totally see that making VOPs and nodes would work out.
Houdini Lounge » Vim autocomplete dictionary file for Vex
- kursad
- 88 posts
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Technical Discussion » import hou
- kursad
- 88 posts
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Hi
“ImportError: DLL load failed: %1 is not a valid Win32 application.”
Is this error related to issue that is mentioned here? I have been trying to use interactive python session
thanks
“ImportError: DLL load failed: %1 is not a valid Win32 application.”
Is this error related to issue that is mentioned here? I have been trying to use interactive python session
thanks
Houdini Lounge » Vim autocomplete dictionary file for Vex
- kursad
- 88 posts
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Houdini Lounge » Non-flash version houdini website for iPad and iPhone users
- kursad
- 88 posts
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Work in Progress » Rig test
- kursad
- 88 posts
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Hi
Here is a test rig with a simple walk cycle. The cycle is not meant for any real character animation project, I was just testing the rig.
Here is a test rig with a simple walk cycle. The cycle is not meant for any real character animation project, I was just testing the rig.
Houdini Lounge » Vim autocomplete dictionary file for Vex
- kursad
- 88 posts
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Mark, that is very nice indeed. Thanks for the tip.
I just needed a simple dictionary file, so I just copied the content from the help and ran a macro to clean up the file. It works very well. I will use your method to see if I can extend it to tooltip help in Vim.
I just needed a simple dictionary file, so I just copied the content from the help and ran a macro to clean up the file. It works very well. I will use your method to see if I can extend it to tooltip help in Vim.
Houdini Lounge » Vim autocomplete dictionary file for Vex
- kursad
- 88 posts
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Hi
I have created this basic dictionary file for Vim. This is to get auto completion while writing Vex code in Vim.
You need to set couple things to get it working properly like sourcing in the command line, or in your .vimrc or in vex filetype plugin(if you have one)
Here is what I have in my vex.vim filetype plugin
“set dictionary+=~/.vim/dict/houdini/Vcc_Dictionary.txt iskeyword+=.,”
So for example everytime I have .vfl file loaded in Vim I get autocompletion of Vex functions.
I have created this basic dictionary file for Vim. This is to get auto completion while writing Vex code in Vim.
You need to set couple things to get it working properly like sourcing in the command line, or in your .vimrc or in vex filetype plugin(if you have one)
Here is what I have in my vex.vim filetype plugin
“set dictionary+=~/.vim/dict/houdini/Vcc_Dictionary.txt iskeyword+=.,”
So for example everytime I have .vfl file loaded in Vim I get autocompletion of Vex functions.
Houdini Indie and Apprentice » reflectlight() function and VOP node question
- kursad
- 88 posts
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Technical Discussion » Help needed rendering a textured 3d model to a 2d image
- kursad
- 88 posts
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Try these great tutorials from Peter Quint. There are alot of information in there includind basic stuff to complex stuff.
http://www.vimeo.com/user2030228/videos/sort:date [vimeo.com]
Easiest way to bring geometry is using file->import. I would say that for now go with .obj format for time being because it would be easier for you. In many cases .fbx might offer you complete solution, but for a starter the way the imported fbx network looks inside Houdini panes might be confusing.
-import the obj
-open material palette
-create a decal material(double click)
-drag and drop the new material icon over your model in 3d view
-in the material settings there is a texture slot, go find your texture using the browser icon in the slot
If your model has uvs by default, these steps should be sufficient for loading a simple .obj file
http://www.vimeo.com/user2030228/videos/sort:date [vimeo.com]
Easiest way to bring geometry is using file->import. I would say that for now go with .obj format for time being because it would be easier for you. In many cases .fbx might offer you complete solution, but for a starter the way the imported fbx network looks inside Houdini panes might be confusing.
-import the obj
-open material palette
-create a decal material(double click)
-drag and drop the new material icon over your model in 3d view
-in the material settings there is a texture slot, go find your texture using the browser icon in the slot
If your model has uvs by default, these steps should be sufficient for loading a simple .obj file
Technical Discussion » Max, min value and number of unique values of an attribute?
- kursad
- 88 posts
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Att Promote Sop worked like charm, thanks for the tip again graham.
I will try the Python solution, but I am wondering if I could do it with Vop SoP as well?
I will try the Python solution, but I am wondering if I could do it with Vop SoP as well?
Technical Discussion » Max, min value and number of unique values of an attribute?
- kursad
- 88 posts
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Technical Discussion » Max, min value and number of unique values of an attribute?
- kursad
- 88 posts
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Hi
How can I determine minimum or maximum value of any sop attribute?
For example I have connectivity sop that creates some attributes on the primitives. I would like to figure out the min-maximum values of particular attribute.
I also would like to find out how many unique attributes there are in given Sop
thanks
How can I determine minimum or maximum value of any sop attribute?
For example I have connectivity sop that creates some attributes on the primitives. I would like to figure out the min-maximum values of particular attribute.
I also would like to find out how many unique attributes there are in given Sop
thanks
Technical Discussion » reflect sky in houdini
- kursad
- 88 posts
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If you are more worried about the reflection color not the background color, then you need to add reflection map to your shader.
Technical Discussion » reflect sky in houdini
- kursad
- 88 posts
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-You can add image to your camera
-You can use a constant shader with a sphere or plane that has texture
-You can use a constant shader with a sphere or plane that has texture
Houdini Indie and Apprentice » How do light/shadow shaders work?
- kursad
- 88 posts
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There is a Mantra master class video from Sidefx. It explains some very basics of Mantra, might be helpful to you to see how Mantra handles various calls
Masterclass: Rendering With Mantra
http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1414&Itemid=259 [sidefx.com]
It would be nice to have more technical Mantra videos from Sidefx on the other hand. Mantra is very appealing.
Masterclass: Rendering With Mantra
http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1414&Itemid=259 [sidefx.com]
It would be nice to have more technical Mantra videos from Sidefx on the other hand. Mantra is very appealing.
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