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Houdini Lounge » Octane 4 announcement
- oxpal
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Seems pretty clear that Otoy is aiming at real time raytracing also. The inclusion into Unity seems primarily for that goal - and all the other features are further steps toward it. Add in improvements (especially in denoising and load speed) and the more powerful GPUs - and this could work in a couple years.
Houdini Lounge » Octane 4 announcement
- oxpal
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The cool thing is that it'll possibly be for free. We'll have to see, they mention Blender and Unity as free plugins, but others may need the subscription ($20 per month). No specific mention on Houdini, but they say the plugins are soon upcoming.
The AI de-noising is impressive - might really speed up things especially if you need quick results vs. super high quality.
@Midphase: Not sure I get it. The link you post shows proof that the guy they sued has stolen their source code and resold it.
The AI de-noising is impressive - might really speed up things especially if you need quick results vs. super high quality.
@Midphase: Not sure I get it. The link you post shows proof that the guy they sued has stolen their source code and resold it.
Edited by oxpal - March 21, 2018 10:55:19
Houdini Lounge » UI/UX: Share your screenshots & tips & tricks & ideas
- oxpal
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Good idea to hide the shelves, never really use them either.
One thing I picked up in a tutorial: I have a textport panel open - you can type exhelp XXX to get help for any command and such without having to open a website or help window.
I've also turned on “Color Pane Headers with Network Contexts” to get pane colors for the context I'm in.
Other than that my main window is close to the default (technical) view. It's my second screen that I setup for deep diving into networks.
One thing I picked up in a tutorial: I have a textport panel open - you can type exhelp XXX to get help for any command and such without having to open a website or help window.
I've also turned on “Color Pane Headers with Network Contexts” to get pane colors for the context I'm in.
Other than that my main window is close to the default (technical) view. It's my second screen that I setup for deep diving into networks.
Houdini Engine for Maya » Pivots to and from Houdini
- oxpal
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juliap
I will enter a bug to bring in local pivots for objects, and to provide output pivots in some form - maybe both local and world. Not sure what to do if you have an object output in parts that you need to re-assemble. Any thoughts?
Thanks. Sounds good. I'm not an expert of what happens under the hood in Maya. As far as I see, what's needed is the information of the offset from the world origin (for position and rotation). Once it's parented that offset counts from the pivot of the parent. So that should work for assembled elements.
Maya has an additional weirdness with “FreezeTransformations” where it hides that information (so the object says it's at transform 0,0,0), but the real offset is still there somewhere (resetPivot reveals it).
Anyways, it's one of the things that got me a bit by surprise that it was missing - pivot points are so essential in game development.
juliap
You could potentially output the modified pivots as custom attributes, but…
Do I understand it correctly that this means I would then see these params in Maya and could fix it there?
BTW: On the “object merge” node I found a “transform” setting, that seems to accept the pivot/offset from origin. I guess that gets at least the position offset into Houdini.
Houdini Engine for Maya » Pivots to and from Houdini
- oxpal
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I'm using Houdini Engine to adjust an object I have in Maya. The problem is that Houdini can't seem to handle pivot points. So when an object's pivot is moved to some place in Maya, Houdini resets it, and moves the pivot to the world origin (and the object along with it).
Neither can I move the pivot point in Houdini and output it with Houdini Engine - if I transform an object (also tried pivot transform and pre-transform), the pivot in Maya always ends up in the world origin.
So as far as I see I can't read the pivot position in Houdini. And I can't output the pivot. … or am I missing something?
Specifically my goal is to duplicate an object, and move the copies to various locations, but keep their local pivot. Does anyone have an idea how to go about it?
Neither can I move the pivot point in Houdini and output it with Houdini Engine - if I transform an object (also tried pivot transform and pre-transform), the pivot in Maya always ends up in the world origin.
So as far as I see I can't read the pivot position in Houdini. And I can't output the pivot. … or am I missing something?
Specifically my goal is to duplicate an object, and move the copies to various locations, but keep their local pivot. Does anyone have an idea how to go about it?
Houdini Lounge » Houdini 16.5 must be imminent...
- oxpal
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Better hotkey manager! Awesome. Really like that SideFX puts a lot of thought into the UI.
Also love the UV packing updates.
Also love the UV packing updates.
Houdini Indie and Apprentice » FBX export with materials and textures
- oxpal
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So I see from the FBX documentation of Houdini [www.sidefx.com] that it supports import of texture assignments (like specular, ambient textures and normal maps), but not the export. Seems a bit bizarre that it works only one-way. Is there a workaround for this?
Good export is at the moment the major thing holding me back from using Houdini in my indie-project. I need DAE-files - but that support doesn't seem to exist at all. I could go with FBX if I can get them into Maya and then export there, but the material/texture assignment is missing.
Any other format that could help me? Maybe via the Houdini engine for Maya? How would I have to set up materials and textures so they work in Maya then?
Good export is at the moment the major thing holding me back from using Houdini in my indie-project. I need DAE-files - but that support doesn't seem to exist at all. I could go with FBX if I can get them into Maya and then export there, but the material/texture assignment is missing.
Any other format that could help me? Maybe via the Houdini engine for Maya? How would I have to set up materials and textures so they work in Maya then?
Houdini Lounge » License confusion
- oxpal
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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.
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.
Technical Discussion » Exporting flow maps for Engines
- oxpal
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Does someone know how I could export flow or comb maps from Houdini so I can use them for shaders in engines? There are good tutorials about how to set up fur itself for example, but mostly for rendering.
The outcome should look something like this:
It's pretty much like a normal map - except with a bit different mapping of the directions. Like this:
The outcome should look something like this:
It's pretty much like a normal map - except with a bit different mapping of the directions. Like this:
Technical Discussion » 3D Mouse and camera/view pivot
- oxpal
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Thanks Marc and ikoon, that was it - must have downloaded the wrong Houdini version (a bit unclear what q4 is supposed to be).
Also having the tilt issue now, where rotating would slowly mess up the horizon. But anyways, it's nice to be able to use it.
Also having the tilt issue now, where rotating would slowly mess up the horizon. But anyways, it's nice to be able to use it.
Edited by oxpal - March 16, 2017 11:51:01
Technical Discussion » 3D Mouse and camera/view pivot
- oxpal
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Do I have to click any option to make it work? I have the SpaceNavigator and it doesn't let me move around (trying in Houdini Apprentice).
Houdini Lounge » Houdini in comparision to 3ds Max?
- oxpal
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Would just add here that you're gonna get some serious bias asking in a Houdini forum if Houdini is better
At the end: Just give it a shot. You have the free version. Take a week to follow some tutorials, and then you'll get what it's about and if it's for you.
To me it feels like it works how I put things together in my head anyways. But I know many people that won't touch any math with a yardstick, and thrive in an linear “add, see and adjust” worktlyle (the kinda peeps that never care about their layers in Photoshop). For these Houdini will just not be the one.
At the end: Just give it a shot. You have the free version. Take a week to follow some tutorials, and then you'll get what it's about and if it's for you.
To me it feels like it works how I put things together in my head anyways. But I know many people that won't touch any math with a yardstick, and thrive in an linear “add, see and adjust” worktlyle (the kinda peeps that never care about their layers in Photoshop). For these Houdini will just not be the one.
Houdini Lounge » Houdini in comparision to 3ds Max?
- oxpal
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> What I want to know is simply how different 3ds Max and Houdini are, except the fact that Houdini is node based.
I would say then, that it's really a paradigm shift. You have to think really different when modeling in Houdini. First of all in how you approach even simple modeling jobs (which will take longer in Houdini) - but also in how you then actually use the benefits of having done it in Houdini (which depending on the assets will pay back the effort ten-fold).
Only Cinema4D is remotely close in the procedural workflow. 3DsMax's modifier stack is more of a poor analogy, since it's so very limited.
I had also some trouble finding resources for Houdini, and especially answers to specific questions. And I found some issues so far with the Houdini Engine integration in Unity and Unreal. I suppose all this has to grow yet.
And I can totally relate to your pain with Maya… I haven't stepped over to 2017 yet, but word on the street is that it's even more buggy than usual :O
I would say then, that it's really a paradigm shift. You have to think really different when modeling in Houdini. First of all in how you approach even simple modeling jobs (which will take longer in Houdini) - but also in how you then actually use the benefits of having done it in Houdini (which depending on the assets will pay back the effort ten-fold).
Only Cinema4D is remotely close in the procedural workflow. 3DsMax's modifier stack is more of a poor analogy, since it's so very limited.
I had also some trouble finding resources for Houdini, and especially answers to specific questions. And I found some issues so far with the Houdini Engine integration in Unity and Unreal. I suppose all this has to grow yet.
And I can totally relate to your pain with Maya… I haven't stepped over to 2017 yet, but word on the street is that it's even more buggy than usual :O
Edited by oxpal - March 4, 2017 16:33:50
Houdini Lounge » Houdini in comparision to 3ds Max?
- oxpal
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I'm not a Houdini expert, but have started learning it. I have worked for a decade in Max though and for the last year in Maya. Generally the “what program is best” question always goes back to what you are aiming at. Do you want to create detailed organic characters, then Houdini is probably not for you at this point in time. Most job requirements in games ask for Maya or Max knowledge. I also suspect that since Houdini is not yet often used as allround solution for games, that many small bits and pieces are still missing that you might need (i.e. I was looking for OpenCollada export, and that doesn't seem to exist).
That being said: For anything with FX and procedural generation (e.g. big landscapes/planets) and architecture, Houdini is the one to go for. It's like the modifier stack of 3DsMax, but on steroids - you never have to ‘collapse’ it and it just works for all modifiers.
I've heard that rigging works great in Houdini. The vast majority of game animators work in Maya though.
So yeh, that's how much I can say with my limited insight into Houdini. So far I'm loving what I see, and I think it has a great future in games. Especially since SideFX seems to want to push the needed features for this area. I'm personally fed up with the buggyness of Maya - it's just no fun anymore.
That being said: For anything with FX and procedural generation (e.g. big landscapes/planets) and architecture, Houdini is the one to go for. It's like the modifier stack of 3DsMax, but on steroids - you never have to ‘collapse’ it and it just works for all modifiers.
I've heard that rigging works great in Houdini. The vast majority of game animators work in Maya though.
So yeh, that's how much I can say with my limited insight into Houdini. So far I'm loving what I see, and I think it has a great future in games. Especially since SideFX seems to want to push the needed features for this area. I'm personally fed up with the buggyness of Maya - it's just no fun anymore.
Houdini Engine for Unity » Change to paramter interface not updating in unity
- oxpal
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Ah ok, works now.
I had used right-click on the package and “Edit Parameter Interface…” - which leads to the wrong (but similar looking) menu. Should have used right-click “Type Properties…” and then go to the Parameter tab. That fixed it.
Thanks!
I had used right-click on the package and “Edit Parameter Interface…” - which leads to the wrong (but similar looking) menu. Should have used right-click “Type Properties…” and then go to the Parameter tab. That fixed it.
Thanks!
Houdini Lounge » License confusion
- oxpal
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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.
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.
Houdini Engine for Unity » Change to paramter interface not updating in unity
- oxpal
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I have the same issue. Just trying to follow some very basic tutorials. Unity isn't updating the parameters.
Though I think the problem is already in Houdini: The parameter interface shows existing parameters grayed out and I can't change all their settings. While the new one is in black letters (“Rows” and even “Separator” in the screenshot below). Maybe that's the issue? Hope I can figure it out - probably just a simple beginners error.
Though I think the problem is already in Houdini: The parameter interface shows existing parameters grayed out and I can't change all their settings. While the new one is in black letters (“Rows” and even “Separator” in the screenshot below). Maybe that's the issue? Hope I can figure it out - probably just a simple beginners error.
Houdini Lounge » License confusion
- oxpal
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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.
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.
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