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Technical Discussion » Houdini Apprentice + Linux Problems
- mta
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sorry to sound like a fanboy but the problem isn't with houdini it's worked flawlessly for me on linux. I admire you building linux from scratch but there's plenty of options other than redhat… gentoo for example!
Houdini Lounge » mandrake linux
- mta
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i've used houdini exclusively on mandrake and gentoo, with no problems at all (under KDE). Under gnome i had some issues with the “are you sure you want to quit” prompt which was hidden, thus you couldnt click it, and exit the program.
as you said your problems probably arent with houdini. mandrake 9.2 initiall release was quite buggy, as is fedora from what ive heard?
as you said your problems probably arent with houdini. mandrake 9.2 initiall release was quite buggy, as is fedora from what ive heard?
Technical Discussion » Global illumination issues
- mta
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re: render times, tell me about it i have a p3 cpu!
if you havent already try the irradiance caching it makes a huge difference
if you havent already try the irradiance caching it makes a huge difference
Houdini Lounge » Where to get Houdini rig for animate,biped and quadripled
- mta
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Technical Discussion » a trim sop question
- mta
- 47 posts
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manually typing in those numbers is the key to it, i got some grey hairs trying to learn that too. as much as i like the concept, nurbs and me just werent destined to be together.
Houdini Lounge » Where to get Houdini rig for animate,biped and quadripled
- mta
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Hi Ben,
in the downloads->houdini section at 3dbuzz.com (not the online course section) there are 8 videos which show you how to make a rig. the same section that has the head modelling tutorial.
a pre-made rig would be nice, but try those buzz videos and you will learn a lot 8)
in the downloads->houdini section at 3dbuzz.com (not the online course section) there are 8 videos which show you how to make a rig. the same section that has the head modelling tutorial.
a pre-made rig would be nice, but try those buzz videos and you will learn a lot 8)
Technical Discussion » light instancing problem
- mta
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Hi again, just wondering if anyone can explain the using a null as a container object. i assumed Edward meant make the last SOP in the heirachy a null - but this doesnt hide the object from the renderer. if its in the video or PDF's pls say so, i have looked at a lot of the material but not everything.
also i want to make the object self illuminated.. i made the diffuse, specular and ambient all white.. that seems ok.
but, anyway to easily add a glow? i cant see it anywhere.. do i need to colour key this in post or is there a better way? i thought there might be a glow VOP or similar…
thanks!
Mark
also i want to make the object self illuminated.. i made the diffuse, specular and ambient all white.. that seems ok.
but, anyway to easily add a glow? i cant see it anywhere.. do i need to colour key this in post or is there a better way? i thought there might be a glow VOP or similar…
thanks!
Mark
Technical Discussion » 8-bit vs 16-bit shaders
- mta
- 47 posts
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theres a link (which i cant find doh) on SESI site that shows examples of textures using TIFF and RAT, the results suggest that converting textures to RAT gives a noticeable difference in quality… it looks like this was for an old version of houdini im not sure if this would still be the same…
Technical Discussion » light instancing problem
- mta
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thanks Edward, the null sop tip is handy. like you, i just made a basic scene and tried this and it worked perfectly … heh, didnt have to move the light at all. so something is wrong with my main scene. i'll export the geometry to a new file and try again
Technical Discussion » GI, UV mapping...
- mta
- 47 posts
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ahh i get you… if you wanted a dull scene but intense caustics for example..
i can see how that would be useful.
cheers
Mark
i can see how that would be useful.
cheers
Mark
Technical Discussion » light instancing problem
- mta
- 47 posts
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another day another question… i promise it won't be everyday
in one of my models i have a panel that i want to be a light. so i followed the light instancing tutorial precisely multiple times, but my results differ from theirs… im considering just using a normal light not instancing, bu the geometry shape is irregular id like to solve this problem..
i created a shop light shader, i assigned this to my ‘light’ geometry by choosing point instancing. i then created a light, which under the render tab i set to use point instancing and selected the ‘light’ geometry. according to the video i should be all set.
the video implies that the light will not be used, that the points on the ‘light’ geometry will be instead, and they will use the shop light shader. so what i concluded from the video is the light that you create is partly redundant, like a GI light… not used directly but needs to be included in the scene.
anyway i found out that the light does affect the scene - the geometry is actually emitting light - but from the position of the actual light - not from where the geometry is… strange indeed !! (i can tell its the geometry emitting the light, because adding a shadow shader to the shader SOP makes it render very slowly indeed… like an area light.. so its working just not in the right place)
i dont understand what is happening..
in the help file is says that any transforms applied to the light will also be applied to the instanced points. i tried creating a light, and the only transform was rotating to the correct direction… same problem., my light is emitted from the place of the light not the instanced geometry. so, i dont think the transforms in the light is causing the problem.
perhaps i need to move my light into place, then somehow reset the transforms to null, then instance it? i dont know how to do this, or even if i need to…
i will try again with a new scene and basic geometry, but if anyone can see what im doing wrong that would help a lot
ugh it turned into a thesis not a question. thanks for reading if you got this far! hopefully in the future other newbies can benefit from these posts and replies too if they use the search function.
in one of my models i have a panel that i want to be a light. so i followed the light instancing tutorial precisely multiple times, but my results differ from theirs… im considering just using a normal light not instancing, bu the geometry shape is irregular id like to solve this problem..
i created a shop light shader, i assigned this to my ‘light’ geometry by choosing point instancing. i then created a light, which under the render tab i set to use point instancing and selected the ‘light’ geometry. according to the video i should be all set.
the video implies that the light will not be used, that the points on the ‘light’ geometry will be instead, and they will use the shop light shader. so what i concluded from the video is the light that you create is partly redundant, like a GI light… not used directly but needs to be included in the scene.
anyway i found out that the light does affect the scene - the geometry is actually emitting light - but from the position of the actual light - not from where the geometry is… strange indeed !! (i can tell its the geometry emitting the light, because adding a shadow shader to the shader SOP makes it render very slowly indeed… like an area light.. so its working just not in the right place)
i dont understand what is happening..
in the help file is says that any transforms applied to the light will also be applied to the instanced points. i tried creating a light, and the only transform was rotating to the correct direction… same problem., my light is emitted from the place of the light not the instanced geometry. so, i dont think the transforms in the light is causing the problem.
perhaps i need to move my light into place, then somehow reset the transforms to null, then instance it? i dont know how to do this, or even if i need to…
i will try again with a new scene and basic geometry, but if anyone can see what im doing wrong that would help a lot
ugh it turned into a thesis not a question. thanks for reading if you got this far! hopefully in the future other newbies can benefit from these posts and replies too if they use the search function.
Technical Discussion » GI, UV mapping...
- mta
- 47 posts
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Hi Jason, I was just thinking last night that 2 solutions might be needed if using caustics in a GI scene! you saved me a question, cheers sounds pretty complex, ill give it a go when im on top of all this… getting there!
Technical Discussion » GI, UV mapping...
- mta
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i'm pretty happy to now see 1 monkey instead of 30 projected on to my surface
like you said not intuitive, i wouldnt have worked that out this century. but after clicking the ? it makes some sense, this VOP is used for different layered UV sets for layered shaders.. sounds good i'll try that another day
about the shadows it sounds like a seperate pass is the way to go, maybe even the GI which id never thought of but makes sense. compositing is something i neglected in my pre-houdini days. ill have a go at your suggestions for the shadows and get into some compositing.
thanks!
Mark
like you said not intuitive, i wouldnt have worked that out this century. but after clicking the ? it makes some sense, this VOP is used for different layered UV sets for layered shaders.. sounds good i'll try that another day
about the shadows it sounds like a seperate pass is the way to go, maybe even the GI which id never thought of but makes sense. compositing is something i neglected in my pre-houdini days. ill have a go at your suggestions for the shadows and get into some compositing.
thanks!
Mark
Technical Discussion » GI, UV mapping...
- mta
- 47 posts
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first i need to say irradiance caching is a great feature. it makes GI usable without needing dual xeons
here's a couple more questions if people dont mind..
im sure it doesnt - but does the position of the GI light in my scene matter, or is it just there to enable the solution? only one needed per scene? as i increase the samples, my shadows disappear… not totally but they are too light..
the solution was to include a shadow shader on the non-GI lights… this works well, although it isnt the perfect realistic shadows that the GI makes… its good enough but im wondering if this is what you pros would do or is there a trick for the GI shadows?
finally, ive followed the training videos but im still having a problem with UV mapping.
i make a tube, UV Project set to cylinder and made to fit, then assigned a shader. i would expect the texture to be wrapped around the tube, the problem is that it is assigned to each face of the tube, not the tube as a single object.
the shader has a UV Project VOP with U and V plugged into S and T on the texture. but no matter what i do with the texture gives the same results.
Edit: it frustrated me all weekend - i just now thought there might be a global/local setting like a polyextrude… i will check tonight and update the post… if thats the answer pls disregard this question!
thanks for reading, in the past months ive asked questions that cover a huge range of material, maybe im trying to learn too much at once.. I just want people to know its all been a huge help, and in time I will fully appreciate those answers that go beyond my current skill level. In other words im not just asking a million questions and then not using that info, thereby wasting people's time… its all noted 8)
here's a couple more questions if people dont mind..
im sure it doesnt - but does the position of the GI light in my scene matter, or is it just there to enable the solution? only one needed per scene? as i increase the samples, my shadows disappear… not totally but they are too light..
the solution was to include a shadow shader on the non-GI lights… this works well, although it isnt the perfect realistic shadows that the GI makes… its good enough but im wondering if this is what you pros would do or is there a trick for the GI shadows?
finally, ive followed the training videos but im still having a problem with UV mapping.
i make a tube, UV Project set to cylinder and made to fit, then assigned a shader. i would expect the texture to be wrapped around the tube, the problem is that it is assigned to each face of the tube, not the tube as a single object.
the shader has a UV Project VOP with U and V plugged into S and T on the texture. but no matter what i do with the texture gives the same results.
Edit: it frustrated me all weekend - i just now thought there might be a global/local setting like a polyextrude… i will check tonight and update the post… if thats the answer pls disregard this question!
thanks for reading, in the past months ive asked questions that cover a huge range of material, maybe im trying to learn too much at once.. I just want people to know its all been a huge help, and in time I will fully appreciate those answers that go beyond my current skill level. In other words im not just asking a million questions and then not using that info, thereby wasting people's time… its all noted 8)
Houdini Lounge » Posting errors
- mta
- 47 posts
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Failed sending email ::
DEBUG MODE
Line : 217
File : /usr/html-docs/forum/includes/emailer.php
DEBUG MODE
Line : 217
File : /usr/html-docs/forum/includes/emailer.php
Houdini Lounge » Posting errors
- mta
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Technical Discussion » In how many units should I model ?
- mta
- 47 posts
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the scale would also affect lighting… is that point light the power of a candle or a football stadium floodlight…
i couldnt find where to adjust the unit scale anywhere, ill check again but if its in a non-obvious place can someone let me know please
happy christmas/holidays to all !
i couldnt find where to adjust the unit scale anywhere, ill check again but if its in a non-obvious place can someone let me know please
happy christmas/holidays to all !
Houdini Lounge » Render Engine Selection
- mta
- 47 posts
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there's some nice examples of mantra's rendering here:
http://odforce.net/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=15&t=1340 [odforce.net]
http://odforce.net/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=15&t=1340 [odforce.net]
Technical Discussion » edgeloops [solved?]
- mta
- 47 posts
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thanks for that Jason. i was a bit caught up in the hype of edgeloops - it seems more of a modelling technique/philosophy than any big new technical idea.. and edgeloop functionality in the app is as simple as being able to select an edge like you suggested..
Technical Discussion » edgeloops [solved?]
- mta
- 47 posts
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this technique looks good
http://www.secondreality.ch/tutorials/modelling/head.html [secondreality.ch]
im using 6.1.208, i can see in the online help example using polybevel, and pressing r to reverse direction of an edge selection, and f to add further edges to the selection.. is there more im missing? do i need to define the loop, ie a group of edges?
http://www.secondreality.ch/tutorials/modelling/head.html [secondreality.ch]
im using 6.1.208, i can see in the online help example using polybevel, and pressing r to reverse direction of an edge selection, and f to add further edges to the selection.. is there more im missing? do i need to define the loop, ie a group of edges?
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