Right now I'm pricing different 3D software packages and Houdini has definitely caught my eye…the price seems right for me..but I'm unsure from the web page info of what each package contains..

For example, does Select also include cloth or particles in some form…obviously not as extensive a form as the full Master, but particles nevertheless? If not, is is possible to purchase additional individual plug ins as you proceed in your education, or are you stuck with the 4 or 5 basic packages which may contain stuff you'll never use? I'm not into animation, but I do want a really powerful 3D package for constructing hyper realistic scenes. Houdini looks like it could be it..

If you download the apprentice version you can see exactly what you will get with each package and try them out for free too!!

Simon
If you download the apprentice version you can see exactly what you will get with each package and try them out for free too!!

Sounds cool. Thanks Simon..

about prices… dont forget.. that SideFx is really cool at supporting you and finding the best solution for you…. dont count just on the online prices… they have various way to make you happy with the best you need … i'm living this right now cause i'm close to buy licenses for the company i work for.. and its awesome how SideFx supports this step.

cheers.

I dont think the particles in Select is that bad though, I did see somewhere mentioned that the ParticleSOP, which is the particles you get in Houdini-Select, was the reason why Houdini got its attention for being so good for doing particle effects to begin with. I might be completelly wrong about this but from watching the video tutorials from buzz (tornado,funnel etc.) you can achieve lots of particle simulations using Select that is comparable to what you can do in Maya.

HiNMity
I dont think the particles in Select is that bad though, I did see somewhere mentioned that the ParticleSOP, which is the particles you get in Houdini-Select, was the reason why Houdini got its attention for being so good for doing particle effects to begin with. I might be completelly wrong about this but from watching the video tutorials from buzz (tornado,funnel etc.) you can achieve lots of particle simulations using Select that is comparable to what you can do in Maya.

So I can do fluids and stuff in Select?? I thought that was only in Master…

Does Select cover Nurbs tubes hair, for instance?

And thanks for the SideFX licensing idea…that is what I was looking for…why purchase packages I'll never use? I just want modelling, texturing, a deep paint type program, and enough particles to properly do mists and aerial perspective and stuff like that…with lighting…Maybe later I'd like some fluid dynamics for liquid flows and cloth..

In Select there is the SOP_Particles operator which allows you to do some particles work. I will say it will do enough to play with it but it wont replace totally POPs.
But as the BUZZ tutorials show, you can still do a lot (ie Twisters ).