Earthworm
Film/TV

This advanced example project explores the usage of several new rigging features available in Houdini 21.

With Houdini 21, control groups consolidate several related controls together as a unit, AbstractControls are promoted into sliders, toggles, and menus, and custom python callbacks are executed in response to control events.

The earthworm rig makes use of several new features of the spline rigging nodes. The rig demonstrates how to create a fixed length joint chain rig. Pins, which connect a position on the joint chain to a position on the curve, allow for precise control over the position of the joint chain. Using a single pin, the joint chain can slide along the curve; or alternatively, multiple pins can stretch and squash the earthworm. The pins controls are configured as uvslider controls, allowing them to be dragged directly on the curve.

This example file serves as a starting point for creating complex, flexible, and dynamically configurable rigging setups.