1. Can I just quickly move verticles without RMB for confirmation after every selection and pushing Q?
2. Can I work without backface mesh selection?
3. I made “symmetry modeling” using mirror and merge - but it was quite… slow. Is there any better way?

4. Generally: are there any tips for fast viewport polymodeling?

kloss

1. You don't need to push q if you have secure selection off and using the Edit SOP. From the top main menu, choose Settings > Main Preferences > Objects and Geometry. Turn off Object-Level Secure Selection On by Default and SOP-Level Secure Selection On by Default. Now when you start houdini next time, you can just re-select points by box picking once you're in the Edit SOP tool. Try checking out the Intro to SubD Modelling tutorial here [sidefx.vislab.usyd.edu.au]. It's for Houdini 5.5 and some of the changes since then can be found here [sidefx.vislab.usyd.edu.au]. You'll still need to right-click if you want to see the handle though. However, you can simple just pick a point and drag it without the handle appearing first. For this mode, you should turn on the Construction Plane (on the horizontal toolbar below the viewport). Then when you drag and move anything, it will be parallel to the construction plane. Holding down the Alt key will move perpendicular to it.

2. In the left viewport toolbar (open it by clicking on the thin vertical line if you don't see it), click on the icon button that looks like F/B to change this.

3. If you use the Mirror SOP, why do you need to Merge at all? By default, it keeps the original. You're only mirroring half of your model right? As for the Edit SOP, it has a symmetry mode. In the Parameters pane of it, scroll down and turn on Use Mirror.

4. The Edit SOP is cool, it has sculpting, proportional modeling, and move along normal all built in. If you right-click on the handle, there's also some more options. Learn to use the construction plane for viewport modeling. You can also assign hotkeys to your commonly used SOPs. I think this odforce thread [odforce.net] touches on that.

Thanks.
So….
5. Edit SOP Mirror - I cannot use it… how is it work?

kloss

Tab > Edit. In the parameters pane, turn on Use Mirror. Model away. I just tried it now again and it works. To reselect a point that is already selected, you'll need to click on the reselect button in the left toolbar or hit the backtick (`) key.