I started working through the Getting Started tutorial on here a few weeks back and got stuck at one point trying to create a poly cap on the column (around 22:44 in the tutorial). It just never successfully caps it. It basically just screws up the geometry (or at least the normals) of the cylinder's polygons beneath where it should cap. I started the whole thing over from scratch and painstakingly checked that my settings matched the tutorial's.

Has anybody successfully completed this tutorial with version 14? I tried updating to the latest (14.0.258) and it still doesn't cap it properly.

I just decided to move forward with the tutorial without the caps but then something strange happens when I begin the dynamics portion. When I start the simulation after making the objects breakable, the columns seem to collapse under their own weight before the ball ever strikes them. I have no idea if capping the columns makes a difference in causing/preventing that or not.

I replaced the column I constructed using the tutorial and made my own out of a simple tube that I could easily cap. Upon starting the simulation, the bottom of each column still immediately crumbles under its own weight.

I tried moving the cylindrical portion of the column to sit just slightly above the base, rather than slightly inside it but it makes no difference.

I officially declare this tutorial mostly useless with v. 14 in so far as being able to follow along step by step. I'm learning more about other parts of the program than I expected, though, so I guess that's the silver lining But climbing that steep learning curve of a program like Houdini is tough enough without constantly being knocked off of it. Better (updated) tutorials would be most welcome.

Could you link the tutorial you are refering to?

can you upload your file?

I had some problems with the sim in H13 too when I tested this tut, but this comment helped:
http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_forum&Itemid=172&page=viewtopic&t=26668&highlight=&sid=12605a478d8a6d277de789dffe6f4da9 [sidefx.com]
not sure about the caping tho. just upload your file.

I guess thats the tutorial you are referring to:
https://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1846&Itemid=346 [sidefx.com]

skaven
I had some problems with the sim in H13 too when I tested this tut, but this comment helped:
http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_forum&Itemid=172&page=viewtopic&t=26668&highlight=&sid=12605a478d8a6d277de789dffe6f4da9 [sidefx.com]

Thanks Skaven. The suggestion in that link to change the solver from Bullet to RBD solved the problem of the columns collapsing under their own weight before the ball ever hits them.

But to my point about the tutorials being ineffective for current versions of Houdini, that's still an issue. Nowhere in the tutorial is that ever mentioned, neither by the instructor, nor as a title-over addendum for the user since something is clearly being set differently as the default in later versions. A novice user would never know to look for RBD vs. a Bullet solver to fix their problem and move on.

Anyhow, thanks. At least the user community is effective in helping to train users who are new to the software even when Houdini's own training material isn't.

I am having the exact same issue with the capping, I have to say I've yet to encounter a Houdini tutorial that actually completely works either due to v14, or to the instructor just moving way too fast, although its true it does make for some good problem-solving I guess. Anyway I would like to know why the capping on the column is completely messed up, here's the file-

Bump, Yeah, I'm just taking my Houdini baby steps, and I can't figure the capping out, as per the OP. Would love it if someone more experienced would do this tute in 14 and let us know how to proceed, since something critical has clearly deprecated the tutorial.

Please help

:cry:

EDIT: Tried adding a fuse node after the duplicate node and adding polycap after that. Almost worked but still gives a big gash in the middle with faces shooting down through the column.

IF I add it after the mirror-fuse it works, but then You need to add 2xnodes (top and bottom cap) instead of 1 mirrored one, which defeats the logic of the node structure I would have thought.

Cry for help still valid…

Seems to work fine from over here, I used one with an edge group and one with no groups and all was fine.