Hi. I am little confounded how to feed COPs into VEX SuperMAt texture slots. In the Texture tabs, there is only option for existing on-disk textures, and it does not recognize file sequences, only single files. What is the procedure for defining COPs and file sequences as textures in Supermaterial?
Thank you
Dave Rindner
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Technical Discussion » Feeding COPs into VEX Supermaterial texture slots.
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
Technical Discussion » Running Houdini on massively parrallel Linux system.
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
Now that it would ever happen, at least by me, but I was wondering if its at least theoretically possible.
There is a high tech firm called Linux NetworkX. They build MSMP machines out of XEON and AthlonXP proccessors. One of their machines installed at Lawrence Livermore Lab is the 4th fastest in the world and runs, get this, 2304 2.4GHZ XEON CPUs, under modified Linux. With peak performance at , hold on now, 11060 Gigaflops. Hows that for render farm. Now if Houdini is installed on it along with 2303 Mental Ray render nodes, it should work right. Theoretically you would run Houdini on one CPU and rest are for rendering. So a 1 minute animation with 1,000,000 polys, 10 GI lights, 160gb of textures, rendering at 2048X1536 into Cineon LOG format would render in few hours. Hows that for meeting deadlines. One wonders what resides in basement of SPIW. LINUX seems to be wave of the future for Intel desktop. Wonder if Microsoft will ship its own version of Linux.
Dave Rindner
There is a high tech firm called Linux NetworkX. They build MSMP machines out of XEON and AthlonXP proccessors. One of their machines installed at Lawrence Livermore Lab is the 4th fastest in the world and runs, get this, 2304 2.4GHZ XEON CPUs, under modified Linux. With peak performance at , hold on now, 11060 Gigaflops. Hows that for render farm. Now if Houdini is installed on it along with 2303 Mental Ray render nodes, it should work right. Theoretically you would run Houdini on one CPU and rest are for rendering. So a 1 minute animation with 1,000,000 polys, 10 GI lights, 160gb of textures, rendering at 2048X1536 into Cineon LOG format would render in few hours. Hows that for meeting deadlines. One wonders what resides in basement of SPIW. LINUX seems to be wave of the future for Intel desktop. Wonder if Microsoft will ship its own version of Linux.
Dave Rindner
Technical Discussion » Are Win2KPro or WinXP the ideal platforms for Houdini?
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
Thanks. Looks like Linux is it. The following is my planned config for my next box. My plan to purchase it along with Houdini Select. Wish I could afford the whole thing, but that won't happen for a while.
The machiine is from XiComputer
AthlonXP 2600+
1gb 400mhzDDR Corsair SDRAM
GeForce4 Ti4200 128mb AGP
Primary dist for WinXP Pro: 80gb UDMA-133 8ms
Second disk for RedHat: 60gb UDMA-133 8ms
The rest are accessories
OS: Dual boot; WinXP Pro/Red Hat Personall V8
This is a question for SESI techies.
How is that configuration for Houdini Select Linux? Is Red Hat Personall 8 an approved OS.
This maybe a sales question. For dual boot installations, can a single seat of Houdini Select be installed on both OS's. I can see dropping into Houdini for texture and UV work under WinXP, to test with Photoshop textures. Also, one of my clients proviodes me with Windows Maya Unlimited. They don't run SGI or Linux Maya. Hard core work be done under Linux. This would all be done on a single machine.
Also I heard from SPIW (thats what the badge said) that there is a script or executable for Win/Linux/SGI that lets Shake 2.4 act like COPs. So there is no need for HALO part of Houdini. I am assuming that HALO is a standalone COPs part of Master. Is this true, if so, how does it work, and where does one get it?
I am not a Shake user, I can't afford it, but was wondering if that was true, or my chain was being yanked. I like COPs. A nice node based compoisitor. I sence an oppourtunity for SESI to fill a void for high end desktop compositor for WinXP, sence Apple in its wisdom has killed Windows version of Shake. They also killed entire line of Silicon Grail products after aquiring Silicon Grail. So now there is only Matrix Film and Combustion2 left on WinXP that use node based compositing approach, and can handle high resolution at decent speeds.
Dave Rindner
The machiine is from XiComputer
AthlonXP 2600+
1gb 400mhzDDR Corsair SDRAM
GeForce4 Ti4200 128mb AGP
Primary dist for WinXP Pro: 80gb UDMA-133 8ms
Second disk for RedHat: 60gb UDMA-133 8ms
The rest are accessories
OS: Dual boot; WinXP Pro/Red Hat Personall V8
This is a question for SESI techies.
How is that configuration for Houdini Select Linux? Is Red Hat Personall 8 an approved OS.
This maybe a sales question. For dual boot installations, can a single seat of Houdini Select be installed on both OS's. I can see dropping into Houdini for texture and UV work under WinXP, to test with Photoshop textures. Also, one of my clients proviodes me with Windows Maya Unlimited. They don't run SGI or Linux Maya. Hard core work be done under Linux. This would all be done on a single machine.
Also I heard from SPIW (thats what the badge said) that there is a script or executable for Win/Linux/SGI that lets Shake 2.4 act like COPs. So there is no need for HALO part of Houdini. I am assuming that HALO is a standalone COPs part of Master. Is this true, if so, how does it work, and where does one get it?
I am not a Shake user, I can't afford it, but was wondering if that was true, or my chain was being yanked. I like COPs. A nice node based compoisitor. I sence an oppourtunity for SESI to fill a void for high end desktop compositor for WinXP, sence Apple in its wisdom has killed Windows version of Shake. They also killed entire line of Silicon Grail products after aquiring Silicon Grail. So now there is only Matrix Film and Combustion2 left on WinXP that use node based compositing approach, and can handle high resolution at decent speeds.
Dave Rindner
Technical Discussion » Preview controls have disappeared?
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
I am feel completely silly. I am unable to find preview controls for creating shaded AVI, trhough Mplay. Not rendering, just GL shaded saved to a an animation file. Its like they have disappeared from menues. I must have forgotten something, casuse when I opened the Interface PDF, I still am not able to find information. What is it called? I realise it's stupid question, and feel even more stupid asking about it. I remember doing it when I first installed Houdini, but have been so wrapped in learning its modeling, and of course fulfilling client projects, that I have tottally forget where those options lie. I naturally assumed that Preview controls would named as such and be in the menus in Objects. But theres nothing there, like that.
Thanks so much
Dave R
Thanks so much
Dave R
Technical Discussion » Are Win2KPro or WinXP the ideal platforms for Houdini?
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
I am learning Hodini through Apprentice program. Very impressive application. But I am wondering if Win2K SP2/WinXP PRo are ideal platforms for Houdini. On the AthlonXP or P4 box, would RedHat8 Linux be a better choice. The reason I am asking is that though I have a decent 3d production box, Houdini does issue more crashes then I expected. More importantly, OS recovery after crash take ridiculously long amount of time. Lets say I used Houdini for one hour, then it crashed, btw UV Edit is particulary prone. THen Windows and Hoiudini goes through writing the error log file, and doing whatever. I had Maya4 crashes, and its pretty quick, about 15 second, recovery to OS. Same with MAX. Lightwave3D crashes, recovery is instantenous. With Houdini, I have to wait 5-10 minutes before I can relaunch. And attempting a force quit with Task Manager generates “This program cannot be closed…..” message. I understand, all 3d apps crash from time to time, but why is the recovery for Hoiudini under Windows so darn long? I a suspect that the Undo buffer is not being properly cleared on large projects, becouse the hard disk grind after crash is inordinarily long.
My system is as follows;
Athlon 1.1gb
1gb ram
GeForce3 GTS 64mb
Windows 2K Pro SP2
UltraATA100 drive.
The reason I am asking, is that I am will probably opt to purchase Houdini Select, so I can have modeling features, and $1200 tag is reasonable. I provide custom character design and 3d modeling services to VFX houses. I think I found my modeling Nirvana with Houdini. My clients are in advertising industry. My next machine is going to an AhtlonXP 2800+ that is a dual boot WinXP/RedHat8. So I need to choose which platform I would run on. I would prefer to stay on WinXP, as I can jump into Photoshop or DeepPaint3D in same session. But if stability and performance of Houdini is better under Linux, why not get that version? I would like some objective advice from developers and users.
Dave Rindner
My system is as follows;
Athlon 1.1gb
1gb ram
GeForce3 GTS 64mb
Windows 2K Pro SP2
UltraATA100 drive.
The reason I am asking, is that I am will probably opt to purchase Houdini Select, so I can have modeling features, and $1200 tag is reasonable. I provide custom character design and 3d modeling services to VFX houses. I think I found my modeling Nirvana with Houdini. My clients are in advertising industry. My next machine is going to an AhtlonXP 2800+ that is a dual boot WinXP/RedHat8. So I need to choose which platform I would run on. I would prefer to stay on WinXP, as I can jump into Photoshop or DeepPaint3D in same session. But if stability and performance of Houdini is better under Linux, why not get that version? I would like some objective advice from developers and users.
Dave Rindner
Technical Discussion » Camera Roto crash.
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
I am using 5.5.136 under Win2KPro SP2
One adittional item that has come up before, and has been pestering me since I installed Houdini. I hate mice. I use WACOM Intuos. I have it programmed for three buttons. It works great in all apps I use. Except Houdini. Unfourtunatly I can pnly describe Houdini's handling of Wacom as between barely accepatable to abysmal. I am really sorry, becouse in other respects I really love the application. The right click pop-up menu in Viewer does not work at all with Wacom. I have to grab my trackball to get to that menu. Basically the one or two pixel float of the pointer in the viewer is enough to prevent from Houdini from accepting a RMB click as it thinks that mouse is still moving. Also a tip click (LMB) is not stable. Basically I would select a point on which to click, say during Polysplit SOP, and at that point its snapped to a vertex. But at the moment of click the pointer moves away so slightly and target is missed. Very frustrating. I think that whatever sensitivity setting is programmed into Houdini is to high.
DaveR
One adittional item that has come up before, and has been pestering me since I installed Houdini. I hate mice. I use WACOM Intuos. I have it programmed for three buttons. It works great in all apps I use. Except Houdini. Unfourtunatly I can pnly describe Houdini's handling of Wacom as between barely accepatable to abysmal. I am really sorry, becouse in other respects I really love the application. The right click pop-up menu in Viewer does not work at all with Wacom. I have to grab my trackball to get to that menu. Basically the one or two pixel float of the pointer in the viewer is enough to prevent from Houdini from accepting a RMB click as it thinks that mouse is still moving. Also a tip click (LMB) is not stable. Basically I would select a point on which to click, say during Polysplit SOP, and at that point its snapped to a vertex. But at the moment of click the pointer moves away so slightly and target is missed. Very frustrating. I think that whatever sensitivity setting is programmed into Houdini is to high.
DaveR
Technical Discussion » Camera Roto crash.
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
My Win2K Apprentice is crashing when I define roto imags for camera.
I have this 1280X960 JPG that I would like match camera to. So I first define a Camera that is looking at a null. It is NTSC Full rez. In Roto tab, I select ti to use the File option and select the image. Then goto Preferences and define Automatic Placement and 100% quality. The image does initially shows. However when the camera is moved the Quality slider goes to zero, and images becomes soild gray. Basically everytime I move the camera I have to go to Prefs and reset the quality to 100. Setting quality to 100 then saving prefs as Defaults does not solve the issue. This also makes it impossible to camera match the view.
Next thing I tried is setting it up as COP. I loaded my backround image into Input COP as File Still. However when I define Roto to use COP, Houdini crashes. Is there a patch for Win2K Apprentice that solves this issue?
Thank you
Dave Rindner
I have this 1280X960 JPG that I would like match camera to. So I first define a Camera that is looking at a null. It is NTSC Full rez. In Roto tab, I select ti to use the File option and select the image. Then goto Preferences and define Automatic Placement and 100% quality. The image does initially shows. However when the camera is moved the Quality slider goes to zero, and images becomes soild gray. Basically everytime I move the camera I have to go to Prefs and reset the quality to 100. Setting quality to 100 then saving prefs as Defaults does not solve the issue. This also makes it impossible to camera match the view.
Next thing I tried is setting it up as COP. I loaded my backround image into Input COP as File Still. However when I define Roto to use COP, Houdini crashes. Is there a patch for Win2K Apprentice that solves this issue?
Thank you
Dave Rindner
Technical Discussion » Automatic spherical array
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
Hi
I am wondering what is the best way to go about creating a spherical of models. I modeled a vase with a funky end, now I need to create a spherical array of vase instances. I was trying to find an Array SOP, or ArrayOnSurface SOP. But there is nothing like that How is this done. Is this done through particle system? The thing is that the vases can't be placed uniformly but should have semi random distribution, and they cannot intersect each other. What I have been doing so far is using Mirror SOP to place instances of the original about origin point. But thats time consuming, as I have align Mirror direction of each one. Does anyone have a script or something, or another idea.
Thank you kindly
Dave Rindner
I am wondering what is the best way to go about creating a spherical of models. I modeled a vase with a funky end, now I need to create a spherical array of vase instances. I was trying to find an Array SOP, or ArrayOnSurface SOP. But there is nothing like that How is this done. Is this done through particle system? The thing is that the vases can't be placed uniformly but should have semi random distribution, and they cannot intersect each other. What I have been doing so far is using Mirror SOP to place instances of the original about origin point. But thats time consuming, as I have align Mirror direction of each one. Does anyone have a script or something, or another idea.
Thank you kindly
Dave Rindner
Technical Discussion » CHOP motion displayed in Channell Editor graph window. How?
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
http://sv2.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/imgView.php?imgID=5760 [sv2.3dbuzz.com]
Modeling is almost complete. I have started on shader design. Usually I start with displacement and bump maps. I am still learning how to properly apply multiple shaders and maps with multiple UVs, I combined Houdini with Lightwave. Basically I applied some VEX Shaders to flat planes, and created some patterns in COPs. I then rendered them out and did some filtering in Photoshop. I then combined the images with some built in procedurals in Lightwave. I had to render in Lightwave as Houdini apprentice is limited to 640X480.
I had this strange idea that those wisply stringy bumps could actually be subcuteneous symbiotic organisms. I imagine it would be weird to see the skin of this creature crawl.
Dave Rindner
Modeling is almost complete. I have started on shader design. Usually I start with displacement and bump maps. I am still learning how to properly apply multiple shaders and maps with multiple UVs, I combined Houdini with Lightwave. Basically I applied some VEX Shaders to flat planes, and created some patterns in COPs. I then rendered them out and did some filtering in Photoshop. I then combined the images with some built in procedurals in Lightwave. I had to render in Lightwave as Houdini apprentice is limited to 640X480.
I had this strange idea that those wisply stringy bumps could actually be subcuteneous symbiotic organisms. I imagine it would be weird to see the skin of this creature crawl.
Dave Rindner
Technical Discussion » CHOP motion displayed in Channell Editor graph window. How?
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
Hi all.
Quick question. The way that I do Set Driven Keys(Maya and Lightwave name for feature), where a channell is used to drive another chanell, is import that channell in CHOP with Fetch CHOP, adjust it with Delay CHOP, then Export it to a target channell. I like the way it works, fairly simple, and reliable. My question is that right now the only place where I can see the F-curve of the target channell is in CHOP Graph viewer. Any ‘driven’ channell does seem to display in Objects Channell Editor. Only manually created F-Curves appear there. However I would like to be able to see F-vurve of any channell in Channell Editor, regardless of how its generated. But I am unable to find a way to see driven channell (those with OVERRIDE) in the graph editor. I don't want to jump continiously between Objects and CHOPs, and besides there are many cases where I may need to adjust f-curves using driven channell as visual reference. So how do I view Override channels f-curves (from CHOPs) in Channell Editor? Thank you so much.
A little update on my creature training project, since some guys here and SideFX gents asked to keep them informed. The latest work in progress model screen cap are available at URL below;
http://sv2.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/imgView.php?imgID=5741 [sv2.3dbuzz.com]
I was not happy with development of the limbs, and decided to redo them, starting with arms. I decided to give the creature a pseudo-humanoid arm. That is its anatomically similar to human, with four digits and opposable thumb, but at the same time, I did not want exact same musculature. I have also decided to make the finished model available free to any Houdini user. My hope is that Side Effects will accept the model and post it on their web site for anyone to download. No strings attached, just the usual stuff. No comercial use without permission, etc.. Otherwise, do with it what you will.
This is really the best way I have to thank folks at Side Effects and guys and girls here who were kind enough to help me overcome some initial difficulties and take time to answer my questions. AFAIK Houidini is the best character modeling app I have used. At this point I am competent enough with Houdini's modeling tools to offer my freelance modeling services to Houdini community. My specialty are character models and any complex hard surface or organic geometry. I am wizz with sub-division surfaces. I also suppourt Maya, 3DS MAX, and Lightwave.
I may be contacted at daverindner@yahoo.com or my cell at 917-378-6308.
I hope I am not breaking any rules by tuting my horn here.
Dave Rindner
http://sv2.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/showcase_page.php?userid=318 [sv2.3dbuzz.com]
Quick question. The way that I do Set Driven Keys(Maya and Lightwave name for feature), where a channell is used to drive another chanell, is import that channell in CHOP with Fetch CHOP, adjust it with Delay CHOP, then Export it to a target channell. I like the way it works, fairly simple, and reliable. My question is that right now the only place where I can see the F-curve of the target channell is in CHOP Graph viewer. Any ‘driven’ channell does seem to display in Objects Channell Editor. Only manually created F-Curves appear there. However I would like to be able to see F-vurve of any channell in Channell Editor, regardless of how its generated. But I am unable to find a way to see driven channell (those with OVERRIDE) in the graph editor. I don't want to jump continiously between Objects and CHOPs, and besides there are many cases where I may need to adjust f-curves using driven channell as visual reference. So how do I view Override channels f-curves (from CHOPs) in Channell Editor? Thank you so much.
A little update on my creature training project, since some guys here and SideFX gents asked to keep them informed. The latest work in progress model screen cap are available at URL below;
http://sv2.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/imgView.php?imgID=5741 [sv2.3dbuzz.com]
I was not happy with development of the limbs, and decided to redo them, starting with arms. I decided to give the creature a pseudo-humanoid arm. That is its anatomically similar to human, with four digits and opposable thumb, but at the same time, I did not want exact same musculature. I have also decided to make the finished model available free to any Houdini user. My hope is that Side Effects will accept the model and post it on their web site for anyone to download. No strings attached, just the usual stuff. No comercial use without permission, etc.. Otherwise, do with it what you will.
This is really the best way I have to thank folks at Side Effects and guys and girls here who were kind enough to help me overcome some initial difficulties and take time to answer my questions. AFAIK Houidini is the best character modeling app I have used. At this point I am competent enough with Houdini's modeling tools to offer my freelance modeling services to Houdini community. My specialty are character models and any complex hard surface or organic geometry. I am wizz with sub-division surfaces. I also suppourt Maya, 3DS MAX, and Lightwave.
I may be contacted at daverindner@yahoo.com or my cell at 917-378-6308.
I hope I am not breaking any rules by tuting my horn here.
Dave Rindner
http://sv2.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/showcase_page.php?userid=318 [sv2.3dbuzz.com]
Technical Discussion » Output ROPs to Maya's MentalRay2 and 3DS MAX Entropy 3
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
Hi. Simple and stupid question.
Maya now comes with free seat of MentalRay. So I am wondering if Mantra ROP with RAY in Render Command line will interface with version of Mental Ray that comes with Maya 4.5?
Same question for Entropy plug-in renderer for 3DS MAX.
The reason I am asking, is that at Digital Sculpture, one of my clients, I set up a MAX based pipeline. Working with DigitalFauxtagraphy on Chtorr, their pipeline in Maya with Entropy.
While I don't own Maya, I do own a seat of MAX. So if I install Entropy for MAX, which is in form of MAX plug-in. Can I then hook to it from Houdini, without having to get a different non-MAX version of Entropy.
My understanding on MAX-Entropy plug-in, is that it is an Entropy ‘RIB’ exporter, which just sends Entropy RIBs to the Entropy renderer. So logically it should be possible for Houdini to use Entropy. With Maya's Mental Ray I am not sure. I don't know if MR2 for Maya is tuned to accept only Maya's MR files.
Thanks
Dave Rindner
Maya now comes with free seat of MentalRay. So I am wondering if Mantra ROP with RAY in Render Command line will interface with version of Mental Ray that comes with Maya 4.5?
Same question for Entropy plug-in renderer for 3DS MAX.
The reason I am asking, is that at Digital Sculpture, one of my clients, I set up a MAX based pipeline. Working with DigitalFauxtagraphy on Chtorr, their pipeline in Maya with Entropy.
While I don't own Maya, I do own a seat of MAX. So if I install Entropy for MAX, which is in form of MAX plug-in. Can I then hook to it from Houdini, without having to get a different non-MAX version of Entropy.
My understanding on MAX-Entropy plug-in, is that it is an Entropy ‘RIB’ exporter, which just sends Entropy RIBs to the Entropy renderer. So logically it should be possible for Houdini to use Entropy. With Maya's Mental Ray I am not sure. I don't know if MR2 for Maya is tuned to accept only Maya's MR files.
Thanks
Dave Rindner
Technical Discussion » Resetting smoothing angle. Which SOP tile does this?
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
Yes. With help from Steve and Pete from SideFX.
Its done with Attribute SOP.
First step is acertain of there are attributed normals. This is done by middle clicking on the last SOP. In message box there should be a line with 'Point #'. In place of point there can be Vertex, Primitive or Detail.
So the topological level of normal attribute is important.
Second step is to append Attribute SOP. In Point tab (or appropriate tab) place N in the Delete Attribute.
While the sub-d cage may STILL exibit some shading anamolies, those shading anamolies, are not passed down to the sub-division mesh in Subdivision SOP, or into the sud-d render-mesh, of cage is used w/o Subdivision SOP but with ‘Polygons as Subdivision Surfaces’ in Render attributes tab in OBJECTS.
I only encounter this problem when I merge (Merge SOP) polygonal geometry that was made in Houdini with imported OBJ geometry (from Maya, Lightwave, MAX, Rhino, or formZ).
Often what happens immidiatly at Merge SOP is that one of the merged areas looses all shading attributes. That is, its shaded flat black. This problem is solved by appending Fuse SOP immidiatly after Merge. If shading anamolies remain, and are passed down to sub-d geometry, then I have to append Attribute SOP as described above.
Dave Rindner
Its done with Attribute SOP.
First step is acertain of there are attributed normals. This is done by middle clicking on the last SOP. In message box there should be a line with 'Point #'. In place of point there can be Vertex, Primitive or Detail.
So the topological level of normal attribute is important.
Second step is to append Attribute SOP. In Point tab (or appropriate tab) place N in the Delete Attribute.
While the sub-d cage may STILL exibit some shading anamolies, those shading anamolies, are not passed down to the sub-division mesh in Subdivision SOP, or into the sud-d render-mesh, of cage is used w/o Subdivision SOP but with ‘Polygons as Subdivision Surfaces’ in Render attributes tab in OBJECTS.
I only encounter this problem when I merge (Merge SOP) polygonal geometry that was made in Houdini with imported OBJ geometry (from Maya, Lightwave, MAX, Rhino, or formZ).
Often what happens immidiatly at Merge SOP is that one of the merged areas looses all shading attributes. That is, its shaded flat black. This problem is solved by appending Fuse SOP immidiatly after Merge. If shading anamolies remain, and are passed down to sub-d geometry, then I have to append Attribute SOP as described above.
Dave Rindner
Technical Discussion » Best darn sub-div modeler I've used!
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
Thanx Jason. Them's are kind words a mean a lot coming from D2 guy. I wanted to get into Houdini, since late 1995, when I was doin' 3d modeling at Electric Image in Pasadena, for Osiris Chronicles, and Houdini 1.0 shipped. But no employer , I ever worked for, used it. Everyone pretty much said, that modeling in Houdini was lacking. I admit, GIU had me stomped at first, but once over that, modeling is very easy in Houdini.
Personally I like Hoiudini more then Maya, for sub-divs. In Hoiudini I can be more experementive. Houdini also handles high valences, much better then Maya and waayy.. better then Lightwave. 5+ valence vertex in Lightwave will generate creases. Same in Maya, depending on angle-offs. Houdini, though, the subdivision is beatifull. It generates quads, even at 3-valence vertices, and no creases at 5+ valence vertices. Cool thing is, cages from Houdini go into Lightwave perfectly. I never liked LW Modeler. I tend to agree that it would be nice to have Knife and Plane Slice SOPs. But at this point, I don't really miss them. Other SOPs make up for them. I modeled that creature using only a handfull of Poly tools. The key there, was that I was able to distribute the modeling across different Geometries, then Object Merge them together. NURBS wise, Alias Studio (aka Power Animator V9) is still best NURBer I know. SHHH, don't tell A/W, but IMHO, Maya was a step down from Power Animator in modeling department. When will I be ready. Modeling wise, I am ready now, in Houdini. I can make any model, hard surface or organic, UV it, and pass it along to painters. Shaders, lighting, rigging, in Houdini, well thats yet to be learned. Best thing I ever did, was to pick up Apprentice CD from SideFX booth. Praise be them for creating Apprentice program.
Design wise, I knew I wanted a centaur, sort off. I saw Clones, and the creature that I liked most was that six legged bug thing in the Arena. Same night I caught old Sinbad marathon on satelite, and I liked the Harryhausen creatures. THAT MAN IS DA'MAN. Then remembered how creature from Black Laggoon was designed. I liked the overlapping flesh in that design. For some reason, I remembered that in Forbidden Planet, Krell were gleamed to have wide stances from the wide doorways. So I sort of threw everything together. My primary intent was Houdini training. Originally my intention was to model an aquatic animal like creature, but as I was designing the head, it took on appearance of intelligent being. So I pursued that line of thinking.
Dave Rindner
http://sv2.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/showcase_page.php?userid=318 [sv2.3dbuzz.com]
Personally I like Hoiudini more then Maya, for sub-divs. In Hoiudini I can be more experementive. Houdini also handles high valences, much better then Maya and waayy.. better then Lightwave. 5+ valence vertex in Lightwave will generate creases. Same in Maya, depending on angle-offs. Houdini, though, the subdivision is beatifull. It generates quads, even at 3-valence vertices, and no creases at 5+ valence vertices. Cool thing is, cages from Houdini go into Lightwave perfectly. I never liked LW Modeler. I tend to agree that it would be nice to have Knife and Plane Slice SOPs. But at this point, I don't really miss them. Other SOPs make up for them. I modeled that creature using only a handfull of Poly tools. The key there, was that I was able to distribute the modeling across different Geometries, then Object Merge them together. NURBS wise, Alias Studio (aka Power Animator V9) is still best NURBer I know. SHHH, don't tell A/W, but IMHO, Maya was a step down from Power Animator in modeling department. When will I be ready. Modeling wise, I am ready now, in Houdini. I can make any model, hard surface or organic, UV it, and pass it along to painters. Shaders, lighting, rigging, in Houdini, well thats yet to be learned. Best thing I ever did, was to pick up Apprentice CD from SideFX booth. Praise be them for creating Apprentice program.
Design wise, I knew I wanted a centaur, sort off. I saw Clones, and the creature that I liked most was that six legged bug thing in the Arena. Same night I caught old Sinbad marathon on satelite, and I liked the Harryhausen creatures. THAT MAN IS DA'MAN. Then remembered how creature from Black Laggoon was designed. I liked the overlapping flesh in that design. For some reason, I remembered that in Forbidden Planet, Krell were gleamed to have wide stances from the wide doorways. So I sort of threw everything together. My primary intent was Houdini training. Originally my intention was to model an aquatic animal like creature, but as I was designing the head, it took on appearance of intelligent being. So I pursued that line of thinking.
Dave Rindner
http://sv2.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/showcase_page.php?userid=318 [sv2.3dbuzz.com]
Technical Discussion » Vertex Numbers?
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
This sounds like the problem I have been experiencing. Heres my solution, that I got with help from SideFX guys(thanx btw).
Merge two meshes using Merse SOP. Append Attribute SOP and put N in the Delete Attribute under Point tab. Append Fuse SOP.
This ‘should’ work.
Dave Rindner
Merge two meshes using Merse SOP. Append Attribute SOP and put N in the Delete Attribute under Point tab. Append Fuse SOP.
This ‘should’ work.
Dave Rindner
Technical Discussion » Resetting smoothing angle. Which SOP tile does this?
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
Tried that, no go. While it gets rid of shading anamolies, the cusped vertices do not subdivide. The cage sub-divides, in both Sub-Divide tile and Mantra, as if there are cracks in it where vertices are cusped.
I attempted to compensate with Overid Crease Weight in Sub-Divide tile and Stitching Cracks Close in Sub-Divide tile, but to no effect.
Then attempted to follow Facet tile with Fuse tile, and it returns the model to its weird shading state. If you want I can send you the BGEO, OBJ or HIP file for you to look at. My email is daverindner@yahoo.com
http://sv2.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/imgView.php?imgID=5489 [sv2.3dbuzz.com]
This is how it should shade. This is the latest development of the creature. I imported the cage into Lightwave to do screen caps.
Dave Rindner
I attempted to compensate with Overid Crease Weight in Sub-Divide tile and Stitching Cracks Close in Sub-Divide tile, but to no effect.
Then attempted to follow Facet tile with Fuse tile, and it returns the model to its weird shading state. If you want I can send you the BGEO, OBJ or HIP file for you to look at. My email is daverindner@yahoo.com
http://sv2.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/imgView.php?imgID=5489 [sv2.3dbuzz.com]
This is how it should shade. This is the latest development of the creature. I imported the cage into Lightwave to do screen caps.
Dave Rindner
Technical Discussion » Best darn sub-div modeler I've used!
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
Hey guys. Couple of you asked me to repost. Sorry about that. Not my fault. Every time I replace an image on my 3DBUZZ page, the image gets a different URL, though the image goes in the same slot as previous. Afraid, theres not much I can do about that, untill I get my own dedicated site.
Here is the updated URL:
http://sv2.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/imgView.php?imgID=5489 [sv2.3dbuzz.com]
First, this is my Houdini training project, not a production job. I am new to Houdini, but have been modeling and animating proffessionally since 1996. Being foremost a 3d modeler, first tools I dove into in Houdini are it modeling tools. Sence, for organics, I use 100% sub-divs, the poly/sub-div tools are the first things on my list. Right now, with sub-divs, I can model anything with Houdini. Its poly modeler, is just frigging outstanding. Easily, the best I have used. She's'it, I said that before didn't I! I mean it, they are so easy to use. Some of the NURBS tools I am not comfy with as they work different from what I am used to in NURBS, mainly Maya/Alias, and Rhino.
I am fairly comfortable with CHOPS and VEX, as long as stick to stock tiles. I don't know how to write my own expressions and tools just yet.
Its awosome how VEX and CHOPS ties together, and how CHOPs can tie into Objects and COPs. Houdini is definatly, a large melon to swallow. Gotta cut it up into peices. My main difficulty right now is creating shaders (light, shadow, and surface), and figuring how complex materials are created. I can't seem to create shadow shaders. Any light with shadow shader freezes Mantra. UV mapping is fairly straighforward, similar to Maya and Lightwave. COPs are cool, very similar to RAYZ and Chalice.
Dave R
Here is the updated URL:
http://sv2.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/imgView.php?imgID=5489 [sv2.3dbuzz.com]
First, this is my Houdini training project, not a production job. I am new to Houdini, but have been modeling and animating proffessionally since 1996. Being foremost a 3d modeler, first tools I dove into in Houdini are it modeling tools. Sence, for organics, I use 100% sub-divs, the poly/sub-div tools are the first things on my list. Right now, with sub-divs, I can model anything with Houdini. Its poly modeler, is just frigging outstanding. Easily, the best I have used. She's'it, I said that before didn't I! I mean it, they are so easy to use. Some of the NURBS tools I am not comfy with as they work different from what I am used to in NURBS, mainly Maya/Alias, and Rhino.
I am fairly comfortable with CHOPS and VEX, as long as stick to stock tiles. I don't know how to write my own expressions and tools just yet.
Its awosome how VEX and CHOPS ties together, and how CHOPs can tie into Objects and COPs. Houdini is definatly, a large melon to swallow. Gotta cut it up into peices. My main difficulty right now is creating shaders (light, shadow, and surface), and figuring how complex materials are created. I can't seem to create shadow shaders. Any light with shadow shader freezes Mantra. UV mapping is fairly straighforward, similar to Maya and Lightwave. COPs are cool, very similar to RAYZ and Chalice.
Dave R
Technical Discussion » Resetting smoothing angle. Which SOP tile does this?
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
Sorry. It just doesn't work for me. Like you showed, my geometry does have 1 Point Attribute N. I appended Attribute SOP (the icon with UV letters in it) to the end of network. Placed N in Point tab. While there is no error, there is no change shading either.
Thank you for your time and effort though. The odd thing is that I can't seem to get rid of shading anamolies at all. I tried exporting it as OBJ then bring it back in. Same with BGEO format. The OBJ imports into MAX and Lightwave perfectly and shades great in those apps, both as a cage and as sub-division surface. Only in Houdini I have problem with it. I even tried re-exporting the OBJ out of MAX and LW and bring it into Houdini, hoping that vertex normals would be filtered. I exported w/o normals and smoothing option. But when it comes back into Houdini its like it never left the app at all. Definatly a head scratcher.
Dave Rindner
Thank you for your time and effort though. The odd thing is that I can't seem to get rid of shading anamolies at all. I tried exporting it as OBJ then bring it back in. Same with BGEO format. The OBJ imports into MAX and Lightwave perfectly and shades great in those apps, both as a cage and as sub-division surface. Only in Houdini I have problem with it. I even tried re-exporting the OBJ out of MAX and LW and bring it into Houdini, hoping that vertex normals would be filtered. I exported w/o normals and smoothing option. But when it comes back into Houdini its like it never left the app at all. Definatly a head scratcher.
Dave Rindner
Technical Discussion » Resetting smoothing angle. Which SOP tile does this?
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
Thanks. I am sorry if I am being dense, but I just cannot make your suggestion work. Right now my cage is a single mesh. The last merging was done generations of files ago. I have sence deleted history dozens of times and edited, split, re-edited, the mesh countless times.
I appended AttributeCreate but there is not Delete Attribute option in it. In any case this SOP doesn't fix my problem. The only Attribute SOP that has it is AttributeUV and if I put N in either Point, Vertex, Primitive,or Detail tabs Delete Attribute options, the SOP generates an error (red play button). Likewise the Delete Attribute SOP has no Delete Attribute line in it. So I am not sure how to implement your advice. I would appreciate more advice on this.
Dave Rindner
I appended AttributeCreate but there is not Delete Attribute option in it. In any case this SOP doesn't fix my problem. The only Attribute SOP that has it is AttributeUV and if I put N in either Point, Vertex, Primitive,or Detail tabs Delete Attribute options, the SOP generates an error (red play button). Likewise the Delete Attribute SOP has no Delete Attribute line in it. So I am not sure how to implement your advice. I would appreciate more advice on this.
Dave Rindner
Technical Discussion » Resetting smoothing angle. Which SOP tile does this?
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
Thanks guys. But I am sorry, your suggestions did not work. I had previously tried Facet SOP. Though I did it again with new suggestions, but it did not change anything. I did check normals, one of the 1st things that I did. They are all facing in the right direction, both vertex and face, but some vertex normals are skewed. Especcially on areas where the angle between segments is extreme, more then 90 degrees. Using Comb SOP shifts the normal like it should, but instead of getting rid of the dark area it merely shifts it about the vertex normal. Its very frustrating. What I want is actually very simple. Like LW, Maya, and MAX, I am looking for Smoothing Angle control. In Lightwave it is done through Surface Manager. That is smoothing is defined by material, in MAX and Maya, smoothing is assigned to vertex or face selections. MAX, for example, has smoothing groups. Maya has command, under Model->Polygons->Smoothing Angle. What SOP is used to alter smoothing angle in Houdini?
Dave Rindner
Dave Rindner
Technical Discussion » Resetting smoothing angle. Which SOP tile does this?
- Dave_ah
- 436 posts
- Offline
Hi.
I am running into a minor, but frustrating problem. When I began modeling the creature, it was shading great. Then , as model got more complex, and I merged it with some legacy mesh, its shading went south. I am modeling it as a sub-division model. To check shading I append Sub-Divide tile to finished mesh. However I only send the cage, without Sub-Divide tile, to OBJECTS and set its Render/Geometry as Polygons As Sub-Division Surfaces. I use Sub-Divide tile to check shading in OpenGL, and sub-division Mantra rendering to check render quality. In both cases I am having shading anamolies in same places.
So to check myself, I exported the cage mesh as OBJ, and imported it into Lightwave. There I converted it into Lightwave's sub-division surfaces. As the cage mesh has only quads and triangles, without vertex weights, the sub-division in Lightwave and Houdini yields same smooth surface. The sub-divided surface in Lightwave shades as it should.
Since I know that Lightwave's OBJ importer ignores vertex normals, and resets face normals, and becouse the model shades great in Lightwave, my conclusion is that somehow, vertex normals in my Houdini model got screwed up. I need to reset them to a consistent smoothing angle of 25 degrees across the whole mesh. However I cannot find the SOP tile that does the trick.
Please take a look at the OpenGL caps I posted;
http://sv2.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/imgView.php?imgID=5463 [sv2.3dbuzz.com]
The Lightwave shading is being done with smoothing angle of 25. Notice that Houdini OpenGL shading , of sub-divided mesh, is alot smoother, with subtle details being lost, and serious darkening where there shoudn't be any.
I tried using COMB sop but it just shifts darkening from one side of the effected vertex to another. Other SOPs don't do it. Perhaps I haven't used the right one, or haven't used them as they should be.
I need to reset the smoothing angle of the whole mesh. Which SOP or SOPs should I use?
Thank you in advance
David Rindner
I am running into a minor, but frustrating problem. When I began modeling the creature, it was shading great. Then , as model got more complex, and I merged it with some legacy mesh, its shading went south. I am modeling it as a sub-division model. To check shading I append Sub-Divide tile to finished mesh. However I only send the cage, without Sub-Divide tile, to OBJECTS and set its Render/Geometry as Polygons As Sub-Division Surfaces. I use Sub-Divide tile to check shading in OpenGL, and sub-division Mantra rendering to check render quality. In both cases I am having shading anamolies in same places.
So to check myself, I exported the cage mesh as OBJ, and imported it into Lightwave. There I converted it into Lightwave's sub-division surfaces. As the cage mesh has only quads and triangles, without vertex weights, the sub-division in Lightwave and Houdini yields same smooth surface. The sub-divided surface in Lightwave shades as it should.
Since I know that Lightwave's OBJ importer ignores vertex normals, and resets face normals, and becouse the model shades great in Lightwave, my conclusion is that somehow, vertex normals in my Houdini model got screwed up. I need to reset them to a consistent smoothing angle of 25 degrees across the whole mesh. However I cannot find the SOP tile that does the trick.
Please take a look at the OpenGL caps I posted;
http://sv2.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/imgView.php?imgID=5463 [sv2.3dbuzz.com]
The Lightwave shading is being done with smoothing angle of 25. Notice that Houdini OpenGL shading , of sub-divided mesh, is alot smoother, with subtle details being lost, and serious darkening where there shoudn't be any.
I tried using COMB sop but it just shifts darkening from one side of the effected vertex to another. Other SOPs don't do it. Perhaps I haven't used the right one, or haven't used them as they should be.
I need to reset the smoothing angle of the whole mesh. Which SOP or SOPs should I use?
Thank you in advance
David Rindner
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