I've got some basic questions about the licenses - I find the page a bit unclear.
So for example I've read before the name adjustment, that some file interchanges were restricted between versions. But at a studio there might be different teams with different needs. Can users in a studio with Core and FX interact seamlessly?
Or: If someone uses Indie, can the files be used with someone using Core or FX? I.e. what if a freelancer that is supplying assets for a bigger company using another license? What if one starts with Indie and later switches the version up - are all old files useless?
I'm a bit scared that it won't be “future-proof”.

And what specifically does the “Engine” mean? Is that license necessary for anyone working in Unreal/Unity who wants to use sliders to adjust procedural assets? What if a studio has lots of people working on a project, does everyone have to have licenses - or only people that adjust items? … or am I misunderstanding what Engine is?

Hope someone can help. Anyways, I'm really excited about the v16 changes - the modeling and terrain additions especially look very useful.

The basics are you can't use an Indie license on the same network that other licenses run on.

To supply assets from Indie to a larger network you would have to export them from your Indie scene, offsite (i.e at your freelance home/location), and then bring them into your work (i.e Core and FX location).

Houdini scenes created using Indie license can be opened by the full version of Houdini.

Houdini scenes created using Apprentice license have to be “converted” to a new format using the Orbolt tool (visit orbolt.com)

Engine is for game developers.

This is my simplified understanding, I am not a SideFX employee or specialist in licensing.

Houdini scenes and Digital Assets cannot be shared between Houdini Indie and Commercial Houdini (Core and FX) pipelines. That breaks the EULA in two ways - one mixing files from two different types of products and the commercial customer likely makes more than 100K therefore indie shouldn't be involved.

Freelancers using Indie can export results in other formats (exr, geo, obj, tiff) to larger clients but cannot share native Houdini file formats. If a Freelancer needs to work with a commercial client using native Houdini file formats then a commercial license of Houdini (Core or FX) is required.

If you upgrade from Indie to a commercial version of Houdini then we will do a one-time conversion of files that you need in the standard .hip file format. Indie uses .hiplc and Apprentice uses .hipnc.

Thanks a lot for the answers! How do companies that use Houdini handle freelancers typically then? Do they get them temporary Core licenses? Since I suppose the exports have draw-backs - like not supporting the node structure‽

Could someone chime in on the Engine? Who exactly needs the engine license? As in the example of Unity: Anyone who opens an Unity scene that contains a digital asset? Or just people that change the values of those assets?
I'm thinking here of a bigger team were some work on specific aspects like the sound, and wouldn't need access to the engine themselves.

Been doing some simple tutorials to try Houdini out, really loving it so far.
I expected the dynamic assets to work on runtime in Unity though - seems the most logical usage… would be a killer feature if SideFX gets that working some day.

Just have to rant a little: this whole license situation is bizarrely frustrating. I sincerely want to switch over from Maya, but even after weeks trying to figure it out, and I'm still unsure how it all works… or how, with so many unknowns, I can convince a company to jump in for a games department.

Even the test versions break and conflict with another. Thanks to HoudiniEngine I seem to be locked out of my Unreal Engine 4.14 project, and have yet to get it to work in UE 4.15. And I can't figure out for the life of me why I'm supposed to learn how to compile the Unreal source code to get a fitting HoudiniEngine version.

Indies get a fantastic deal, where they get everything with a license… I bought it for myself for home. But then I'm not allowed to use it in the studio after work, heck if I use it at my PC at home I'm then not even allowed to sometimes work on my laptop. Which also means: If I buy two licenses then, and work with one more person then I'm already above the allowed limit.
For a freelancer that is highly unpractical. And if I see this right - whenever my internet is broken I'm not allowed to work with my Houdini License at all‽ Was a real WTF moment seeing that.

The next step would be to get Core… but then that restricts the features you most specifically were looking at Houdini for anyways. The price step to FX seems ‘out there’.
And if I think about all the file formats for the licenses and how they could interact, my brain breaks completely.
Compare this with Substance Painter - their “rent to own” license is extremely simple and fair. So much that I enjoy paying them.

I'm sure it's all good once you know how it works, and that there are reasons like fear of piracy behind it, but it probably scares honest users instead. Even I (with determination and time to spare on research) end up with a big question mark. Maybe this works for AAA game studios, but I can't see how smaller game studios are supposed to pick this up.

oxpal
Even the test versions break and conflict with another. Thanks to Houdini Engine I seem to be locked out of my Unreal Engine 4.14 project, and have yet to get it to work in UE 4.15. And I can't figure out for the life of me why I'm supposed to learn how to compile the Unreal source code to get a fitting HoudiniEngine version.

The plug-in for UE 4.15 comes with the Houdini Production installation and doesn't need to be compiled. When you acquire Houdini from sidefx.com > get > download, the installer will offer you the plug-in as part of the installation process. Note that if your Ue4 is not on your main drive then you may need to move the plug-in to the UE4 plug-ins folder. If you are having technical difficulties with your installation in 4.14 or 4.15, then please contact support@sidefx.com

Indies get a fantastic deal, where they get everything with a license… I bought it for myself for home. But then I'm not allowed to use it in the studio after work, heck if I use it at my PC at home I'm then not even allowed to sometimes work on my laptop. Which also means: If I buy two licenses then, and work with one more person then I'm already above the allowed limit.
For a freelancer that is highly unpractical.

Workstation licenses work the same for indie and commercial licenses - the license we generate is tied to your computer and it is not easy to move that around - otherwise it would essentially be a floating license.

And if I see this right - whenever my internet is broken I'm not allowed to work with my Houdini License at all‽ Was a real WTF moment seeing that.

Workstation licenses get installed from the internet but once they are in place you do not need an internet connection to use them. Where did you read that an internet connection would be needed? I think that was referring to installation not long term use.

The next step would be to get Core… but then that restricts the features you most specifically were looking at Houdini for anyways. The price step to FX seems ‘out there’. And if I think about all the file formats for the licenses and how they could interact, my brain breaks completely. Compare this with Substance Painter - their “rent to own” license is extremely simple and fair. So much that I enjoy paying them.

Choose Houdini Core if you want procedural modeling or terrain generation tools in your game pipeline. Many game studios using Houdini are creating this kind of game art and Houdini Core fits the bill. If you want to create in-game VFX then you would need Houdini FX. The rent-to-own option is interesting - thanks for pointing that out. We have recently announced new rental pricing that makes it easier for freelancers to access licenses as they need them. You could consider getting Houdini Core for your day-to-day work then renting (or have your client rent) a Houdini FX license when a project demands it.

I'm sure it's all good once you know how it works, and that there are reasons like fear of piracy behind it, but it probably scares honest users instead. Even I (with determination and time to spare on research) end up with a big question mark. Maybe this works for AAA game studios, but I can't see how smaller game studios are supposed to pick this up.

I really appreciate the time you have taken to bring up these issues. Our licensing is definitely wired more for a studio setup and it is good to hear the issues freelancers and smaller studios face. This feedback will help us figure out better solutions in the future.