please let me know are there any other links to other sites for good tutorials.

try odforce
there are a ton of resources there
in particular
http://odforce.net/wiki/index.php/Tutorials [odforce.net]
and
http://odforce.net/downloads/videos/v6/ [odforce.net]
the latter being old Ver 6 tuts but will help you get up to speed,
most everything should still work.

Thanks alot

digital tutors has 8 online vids to get ppl started.

3dbuzz has VTMs for an older version, but still very useful and they're coming out with new ones “any day now.”

and if it hasn't been hammered away enough, there are a ton of tutorials, including video tutorials, on sidefx's website. check the tutorial section, H9 blog, and old school blog.

peace & 42

I fully recommend all of the side effects tutorials.

I fully recommend to start to read odForce forum from the beginning

I am always surprised how many times I see “ there aren't any tuts for Houdini, where can I get information?”

That was kinda the case back during V5, but after that tuts came out from everywhere. (even then there were a lot of PDF tuts.)

It seems to me it's all over , but I'm really looking I guess.
It's not to the saturation point of say Maya or somesuch but still,… currently there are a boatload of videos and tuts available, not only from Sidefx, but from odforce, 3dbuzz, and the community at large (if you checked the users web pages), and now Digital tutors.

Great time for learning Houdini.

Hi Guys,

Ill preface this message with - bare in mind I am coming at this as a complete newbs set of eyes who see's Houdini as a large complex app. Please keep this in mind in your replies. A bit of objectivity from current users please

I am a complete newb to Houdini also, recently acquired the HD version. All along I have used other apps including mainly - Modo. The way Luxology have done their video tutes is tops. A huge repository of FREE organised up to date tute vids is at Luxology.tv:

http://www.luxology.com/training/ [luxology.com]

With the app download comes a huge batch of short video tutes - one for EACH tool in Modo.

Also their are some excellent and more comprehensive video tutes available for sale. The price typically $25 for the full set of any one topic:

http://www.luxology.com/store/training_materials.aspx [luxology.com]

But you can buy them in parts for $5 each in some cases.

I am saying all this as an example of a well organised and very accessible (price wise) training series of videos.

My two cents as a new comer to Houdini - a similar implementation for Houdini training would go a huge long way to endearing new users to this app. OK - you have version 6 tutes, how fully applicable to v9 are they? I intend looking at these shortly as I have only become aware of them as of here.

Any of the modo tute packs are a start to end solution in the area they deal with, liberally infused with real life example projects. Recently Andy Brown released an excellent “Real time asset and Level creation” video set. How to adjust models for the game industry, uv / texture, Bake and export. These having been done in consultation with actual top gaming companies. Now - I see that as progressive.

Cheers
Aidan

Tell me about it. Houdini tuts are all over the place and are not very detailed for someone like myself we ZERO exp. They should spend like 4 days making tuts for people like me

~this is the interface this is how you change it these are the tools and this is what each tool does
~This is how you render. This is the other way to render
~this is how you connect nodes
~this is what a nurbs is
~this is what a UV map is
~This is basic for modeling
~This is the basic for paricles and spend 20 or 30 min on each subject but man I am with you modo has the best set up. There are tuts out for houdini but alot of them are for 8x

If you are like me that makes it even harder to undstand if you can't find a tab. ah well I will learn it either way.

aidanodr
Hi Guys,

Ill preface this message with - bare in mind I am coming at this as a complete newbs set of eyes who see's Houdini as a large complex app. Please keep this in mind in your replies. A bit of objectivity from current users please

I am a complete newb to Houdini also, recently acquired the HD version. All along I have used other apps including mainly - Modo. The way Luxology have done their video tutes is tops. A huge repository of FREE organised up to date tute vids is at Luxology.tv:

http://www.luxology.com/training/ [luxology.com]

With the app download comes a huge batch of short video tutes - one for EACH tool in Modo.

Also their are some excellent and more comprehensive video tutes available for sale. The price typically $25 for the full set of any one topic:

http://www.luxology.com/store/training_materials.aspx [luxology.com]

But you can buy them in parts for $5 each in some cases.

I am saying all this as an example of a well organised and very accessible (price wise) training series of videos.

My two cents as a new comer to Houdini - a similar implementation for Houdini training would go a huge long way to endearing new users to this app. OK - you have version 6 tutes, how fully applicable to v9 are they? I intend looking at these shortly as I have only become aware of them as of here.

Any of the modo tute packs are a start to end solution in the area they deal with, liberally infused with real life example projects. Recently Andy Brown released an excellent “Real time asset and Level creation” video set. How to adjust models for the game industry, uv / texture, Bake and export. These having been done in consultation with actual top gaming companies. Now - I see that as progressive.

Cheers
Aidan

Very true! Modo tutorial videos are great! I am learning Modo quicker than Houdini.

There is no sign of updates from 3DBUZZ since their announcement in August. SideFX tutorials are great but does not cover all the areas yet. If they follow Luxology and sell a video tutorial package covering all areas, I will buy immediately!

Besides, I am running Houdini in Vista (though not supported). It stops working every now and then. I have reinstalled Houdini 3 times so far. This is also slowing down my learning. Waiting for Houdini Vista Support and Vista SP1!

Also, Learning Modo has helped me in understanding 3D concepts! Now I know at least the basics of all types of mappings, displacements, rendering techniques etc! Hopeful I can apply this knowledge in Houdini too!

Hi Emkay and lads,

Yip - well I am having hanging issues with Houdini on xp -

http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_forum&Itemid=172&page=viewtopic&t=10241 [sidefx.com]

Maybe unrelated to your woes, but just in case. Enough of this though , dont want this topic to change direction

Aidan

Buy The Magic of Houdini, get the old VTM's from Buzz, get the old V5/V6 houdini videos from odforce, get the two gnomon dvd's, the 5 cmivfx dvd's, get the digital tutor stuff, get the vizy-acky stuff, buy the Houdini on the Spot, read the manuals and examples on Odforce, get all the videos from this site and then find the time to watch them all. And there is nothing wrong with any of these materials. Tehn if you still have question you can post them here and there are many willing people to help you with any question you might have….what more do you want? You can also buy some books dealing with basic animation and rsl shader writing to get you started on shop/vops/vex….Shit I got all the stuff on my hdd and now i need to buy some time to actually watch it…

Starting With
http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=14&Itemid=132&limit=10&limitstart=10 [sidefx.com]
and
http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=14&Itemid=132 [sidefx.com]

and dont forget H9 blog
http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=129&Itemid=241 [sidefx.com]

or Jeff's blog
http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=115&Itemid=216 [sidefx.com]

There is beginning interface/workflow up to some more sticky stuff, and thats just on the sesi site.


You are correct about much of it being spread all over the place, however just on this site alone there is enough to get you going a long way
towards actual productive use.
I think Sesi has gone a long way towards getting materials out to the public
and will continue to do so. I for one applaud them for it.

The legacy stuff from six is still pretty useful if your new but 9 is a big change in workflow.

Thing is,… is that Houdini is very atomic, and that base level kind of workflow is ( once groked ) is applicable all over the place. I once told someone I actually learned more about 3D in general , and my usual apps (XSI, Maya), because I was learning Houdini.
Think of Houdini as an operating system for 3D.

additionally

Garman has done three videos one for Gnomon and four
from his training classes
http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/dvds/ghe01.html [thegnomonworkshop.com]
http://www.vizyacky.com/vizy_acky/dir_dvd_training/dir_dvd_training.php [vizyacky.com]

and

Craig has the Rigid body DVD
http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/dvds/cze01.html [thegnomonworkshop.com]

and

CMI
http://www.cmivfx.com/ [cmivfx.com]
I don't agree with their current approach but still.
I do like frenchop's ( David Gary) tuts. They are excellent.

Of course 3dBuzz as well they have a host of stuff from V8

Then there are the books. OK so there is only two but both are great.
Magic of Houdini - Will Cunningham
and
Houdini on the Spot -Craig Zerouni

-Lyn-

isxaari
Tell me about it. Houdini tuts are all over the place and are not very detailed for someone like myself we ZERO exp. They should spend like 4 days making tuts for people like me

~this is the interface this is how you change it these are the tools and this is what each tool does
~This is how you render. This is the other way to render
~this is how you connect nodes
~this is what a nurbs is
~this is what a UV map is
~This is basic for modeling
~This is the basic for paricles and spend 20 or 30 min on each subject but man I am with you modo has the best set up. There are tuts out for houdini but alot of them are for 8x

If you are like me that makes it even harder to undstand if you can't find a tab. ah well I will learn it either way.

I would definitely check out the 3dbuzz vtm's. www.3dbuzz.com
There a good starting point even though their for an older version of Houdini.

M.

http://rapidshare.com/files/74573902/Houdini_HD.m4a.html [rapidshare.com]

This is a file of me talking about the problems I am having.

NOTE:

1. I understand that this is a very hard program to learn as your first one
2. I am hell bent on leaning this software and thats that

Hi Guys,

Appreciate all the love - some nice tutes. I for one - am coming at this from a stranger arriving at Houdini. I AM NOT KNOCKING HOUDINI, lets get that straight - so all relax

When I arrive at an app I usually see its vast potential first out. Because I am new and objective relative to this app - I see such things as organisation, learning, as an issue. I want to learn - fast and efficiently. Once it is reasonable - cost is not an issue, as one could spend way more time faffing around with dis-organisation on the net as opposed to a focused centre of learning. This is why I brought up the MODO example. With Modo I have stayed at the modo site for learning - WHY - Because everything you need is their - in full technocolour video .

So I have to say - Modo people are spoilt relatively, but it does not stop us from exploring foreign shores and bringing the good news to there. As I said before - yes - Houdini tutes are available, but in a disorganised fashion . All it needs is a centralised approach - some engaging video learning - both paid and unpaid with real world usage examples, in the process.

I wax lyrical, maybe too much,

BUT, my couple of cents at this time,

Cheers
Aidan

As they say you have to be able to walk before you can run .Many of the people here have mastered Houdini without the need for vast amounts of tutorials telling them what button to push. Maybe that gives you an idea of the sort of person you need to be and what attitude is required.
If it was easy to learn it would hardly make your acquired skills worth anything in the market place would it !

The first port of call should be the tutorials on this site and then you should look in the help at the various examples that come with every node !

R

Hi Circusmonkey,

We joust again

“If it was easy to learn it would hardly make your acquired skills worth anything in the market place would it !”

Maybe a new breed of user will turn up to Houdini forums now as a result of the Apprentice HD personal offer. Ironically, by its nature, an offer for the starving artist, who maybe purchases this for personal use as opposed to “acquiring skills worth anything in the market place”. Maybe these new users are not as technical as the true blue Houdini user pre this offer.

So you also state:

“Maybe that gives you an idea of the sort of person you need to be and what attitude is required.”

The greatest thing an application can achieve is market share and a rich customer experience while making profit. Sidefx - I assume are in the 3D market to make money. This, to afford the further development of Houdini for all users and hence more profit to keep the great programmers in a job .. and the owners sweet

I work daily with my own web company - I would love to spend all day doing nothing else but 3D and Houdini dedication. BUT - my customers want things yesterday. The faster and more efficiently I learn, the better in this environment. As they say - in this modern world - time is money. Not my choice by the way. Pragmatism.

Cheers
Aidan

Let me preface this by saying I would like to see many well organised tutorials for Houdini as well, however…

I think part of the issue with creating tutorials for Houdini is that unlike a lot of other apps, many of the tools in Houdini do not serve a very specific purpose. For instance, you could have someone explain something simple like the point SOP: Here's what all the options are, here's what all the buttons do, you can assign color, alpha, position, normal, etc, but even knowing that you still don't have any idea as a new user exactly how many uses this simple little SOP has.

You don't get that often in other software. You get a tool that has a specific workflow and a specific purpose, so it really is all about memorization and then development of technique. Houdini requires a different level of understanding and is better learned through exploration. In Maya often you know that if X happens you hit button Y and the problem is solved. In Houdini there may be three different OPs that can address that same issue, dozens of techniques, and all those OPs and techniques have many other applications as well.

When I was learning it, what I did was I went through the available tutorials (which were far fewer than what is available now) and honestly even with the tutorials and knowing to press this button or that key, I was still completely frustrated. What I did was I abandoned the tutorials and just started playing. I forced myself to use nothing but Houdini every day for a couple weeks no matter how frustrating it was. It didn't try to do anything big. I just tried to figure out how to do small specific tasks I was used to doing in Maya and Max. At some point during the third week it all just started making sense.

I think the best way to approach Houdini is to do the basic tutorials, so you know how to navigate, even if you don't really understand what you are doing, and then download all the hip files you find scattered on forums, broken or not, and pick them apart. There are tons of them out there. That's the one great thing about people who use Houdini that you don't find with any other application. You go to odforce or come here and you are going to find examples everywhere from professionals who use the software every day on major films, commercials and televisions shows, showing you some clever ideas. When was the last time you went to a Maya or XSI forum and saw some senior TD freely posting a file demonstrating how to do something, anything at all, much less something clever or difficult? Usually you have to pay for the information these guys are sharing.