@efxlab:
- You can set “Scene Polygon Limit” under the Display options “Optimize” tab in Houdini.
- Fast Point Instancing is needed for Arnold instances to cast shadows. Don't ask me why
- I will guess that you in fact mean time 32:07 with the tree branches. and if so it is right there. you just allow editing of the quixel scatter node, go in and bypass the normals as shown in the video.
@Dusmus:
- That could be either that your using a old RedShift (we've had people using over 1 year old RS before with similar issues) or perhaps a new one. Which RS version are you using ?
@pbowmar:
- something coming for you in future updates, see attached images.
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BYOC + Illume » Quixel Bridge / Houdini Live Link Integration
- MagnusL3D
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BYOC + Illume » Quixel Bridge / Houdini Live Link Integration
- MagnusL3D
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@efxlab, I am not 100% sure how they do it in Unreal plugin but the Quixel Assets comes with Vertex Color information where R is a mask for wind effects and G is meant to be used to offset the wind. The plugin renames these to ‘q_wind’ and ‘q_offset’ vertex attributes in Houdini since I didn't want it to use the Cd attribute. However it remains as a vertex attribute and you might want to promote them to point attribute depending on what you want to do.
With that said I have been developing something similar automated, for the Houdini plugin that does wind on instance and source object level instead of shader since I wanted it to be usable for all the render engines, it will hopefully be finished soon.
I've posted early tests of it here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrcgjtQnsCI/ [www.instagram.com]
@pbowmar, I will forward these things to the linux / bridge and mixer people since it falls on their table. I would also recommend that you put in a formal requet in the Zendesk form so that it gets logged propperly. But I do agree with all things And I am not sure of the plans regarding the Mixer.
https://megascans.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new? [megascans.zendesk.com]
With that said I have been developing something similar automated, for the Houdini plugin that does wind on instance and source object level instead of shader since I wanted it to be usable for all the render engines, it will hopefully be finished soon.
I've posted early tests of it here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrcgjtQnsCI/ [www.instagram.com]
@pbowmar, I will forward these things to the linux / bridge and mixer people since it falls on their table. I would also recommend that you put in a formal requet in the Zendesk form so that it gets logged propperly. But I do agree with all things And I am not sure of the plans regarding the Mixer.
https://megascans.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new? [megascans.zendesk.com]
Houdini Indie and Apprentice » Bullet Soft Constraints
- MagnusL3D
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Is there any documentation or example files to do what looks like “plasticity deformation” on the truck on this page with the new bullet soft constraints ?
https://www.sidefx.com/docs/houdini/news/17/rbd.html [www.sidefx.com]
There is a example file in the documentation on a simple box falling but that doesnt look to me to have and plasticity going on.
https://www.sidefx.com/docs/houdini/news/17/rbd.html [www.sidefx.com]
There is a example file in the documentation on a simple box falling but that doesnt look to me to have and plasticity going on.
Edited by MagnusL3D - Dec. 21, 2018 09:51:36
BYOC + Illume » Quixel Bridge / Houdini Live Link Integration
- MagnusL3D
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Today a new update of the Houdini LiveLink plugin was released, version 1.9.4. Here is a little change log since the previous 1.8 version.
- The LiveLink UI will now only show Render engines actually loaded by Houdini.
- There is a new “Settings” window in “Quixel Megascans” drop-down menu, making it easier to edit the settings.
- There is a new direct link in the “Quixel Megascans” drop-down menu to the online documentation.
- Export for PNG / TGA / TIFF file formats should now work better.
- The “Use EXR Displacement” toggle on all the HDAs have been removed, it now happens at export time instead.
- Arnold Warning for No extension for filename “” have been fixed.
- Arnold .TX generation has been changed to ON by default.
- Arnold and Octane HDAs have been updated to output fallback values when no textures are assigned, which should result in some materials looking better now.
- Redshift TriPlanar Quixel HDA input pins now work as expected.
- Octane Scattering had broken, should now work again.
- a “UI UpScale” options was added in the new settings window.
- Arnold Instances changed to ‘Fast Point Instancing’ so they cast shadows.
- Arnold default material added to instance sphere and grid so they can receive shadows.
- Exporting Atlases such as leaves with opacity would crash the exporter when exported materials had opacity and was exported for Arnold. This has been fixed.
- The Display flag for the objects created inside the “SOURCE” Subnets are now turned off.
- The Octane ‘Hide object’ parameter to fix scattering didn’t work correctly for none scatter objects that had multiple objects. This should now work correctly.
- A rare case when a scatter object consisted of several source files instead of one with several items with in it, would set the display flags wrong for Octanes ‘hide object in render’ parameter. This should now work correctly.
Edited by MagnusL3D - Dec. 12, 2018 15:10:46
BYOC + Illume » Quixel Bridge / Houdini Live Link Integration
- MagnusL3D
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CYTE
Is there a way to fix this?
Hey Cyte.
Try adding a treeview pane to your custom desktop, it is used to locate your current location. Without that it falls back to create it in /mat.
BYOC + Illume » Quixel Bridge / Houdini Live Link Integration
- MagnusL3D
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@Eldiren, Future release will have .TX generation set to default on since people are running into this, and there will be a new interface to easier access the settings through a interface. I will forward the ABC request to the main Quixel team since I am only making the plugin for Houdini. But it makes a lot of sense to me!
@Stevenshook, I have mailed with Steven regarding his Arnold problem and this has now been solved. I would like to share our findings here for anyone else running into similar issue. It turns out that if you have both Redshift and Arnold installed, Arnold has to be “first” in the .ENV file or they will conflict with each other causing this issue.
@Stevenshook, I have mailed with Steven regarding his Arnold problem and this has now been solved. I would like to share our findings here for anyone else running into similar issue. It turns out that if you have both Redshift and Arnold installed, Arnold has to be “first” in the .ENV file or they will conflict with each other causing this issue.
Edited by MagnusL3D - Nov. 25, 2018 13:41:53
BYOC + Illume » Quixel Bridge / Houdini Live Link Integration
- MagnusL3D
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Well I have come up with a solution so that it doesn't connect empty material slots anymore. Hopefully it will get into the next update. Have to test it a bit tomorrow.
However it is very strange that it works for Redshift but not Arnold since it essentially just copies over filepaths to both in the same way.
Does it work with Mantra as well ?
Could you link the assets this is happening with ?
However it is very strange that it works for Redshift but not Arnold since it essentially just copies over filepaths to both in the same way.
Does it work with Mantra as well ?
Could you link the assets this is happening with ?
BYOC + Illume » Quixel Bridge / Houdini Live Link Integration
- MagnusL3D
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@Stevenshook:
So if I understand your problem correct the material HDA comes in with no textures at all assigned ? But you can assign them manually and then it works but you get the console warning messages.
I've myself run into some issues similar to this which was due somehow the asset definition having become corrupt, re-downloading the asset helped in those cases. Could you try and see if that helps ?
Regarding the console warning message “no extension for filename” happens because the HDA connects up channels that can have textures, but they do not always have textures. Simple example is that the wood generally do not have the metal texture, but since the HDA does not know that at creation time it still hooks it up.
It is annoying but still renders. It is something I am aware of but have no good solution at this point.
So if I understand your problem correct the material HDA comes in with no textures at all assigned ? But you can assign them manually and then it works but you get the console warning messages.
I've myself run into some issues similar to this which was due somehow the asset definition having become corrupt, re-downloading the asset helped in those cases. Could you try and see if that helps ?
Regarding the console warning message “no extension for filename” happens because the HDA connects up channels that can have textures, but they do not always have textures. Simple example is that the wood generally do not have the metal texture, but since the HDA does not know that at creation time it still hooks it up.
It is annoying but still renders. It is something I am aware of but have no good solution at this point.
BYOC + Illume » Quixel Bridge / Houdini Live Link Integration
- MagnusL3D
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@RobW: Just and update so people reading the thread know. Me and Rob have spoken directly.
The Atlas splitter needs a Opacity texture currently, which older assets sometimes did not have. Today they should have these so new downloads (or re-download) should be fine.
If you are in a situation where you can not re-download Rob seems to have come up with a work around. My understanding is that it involves creating a opacity map from the preview image.
I will look into a potential fallback incase the opacity texture is missing, but in most cases just re-download should fix it.
@Eldiren: it's not a bug it is a feature Joking a side. What is happening is that the default state of the Arnold material nodes have the generate .TX files not clicked, since I didn't want to spam peoples hard drive unknowingly with lots and lots of .TX files.
The solution is to either go into the settings.json file and change the ‘arnold_tx’ from ‘False’ to ‘True’, or you go into your Arnold ROP and enable ‘Auto-tile’ which allows Arnold to render without generating .TX files.
There is a screenshot, links to the settings file documentated on page 6 in the documentation regarding this here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1hAuh-9_g37htwBYcUd3pz8hL9B6AQTgL2h3F9GPW7y4 [drive.google.com]
I am currently working on making a proper UI for the settings to hopefully make this a bit more obvious.
Also if Arnold users want to I could change the default to be True in future releases, I just wanted to be a bit careful about potentially filling up peoples harddrives with .TX files.
The Atlas splitter needs a Opacity texture currently, which older assets sometimes did not have. Today they should have these so new downloads (or re-download) should be fine.
If you are in a situation where you can not re-download Rob seems to have come up with a work around. My understanding is that it involves creating a opacity map from the preview image.
I will look into a potential fallback incase the opacity texture is missing, but in most cases just re-download should fix it.
@Eldiren: it's not a bug it is a feature Joking a side. What is happening is that the default state of the Arnold material nodes have the generate .TX files not clicked, since I didn't want to spam peoples hard drive unknowingly with lots and lots of .TX files.
The solution is to either go into the settings.json file and change the ‘arnold_tx’ from ‘False’ to ‘True’, or you go into your Arnold ROP and enable ‘Auto-tile’ which allows Arnold to render without generating .TX files.
There is a screenshot, links to the settings file documentated on page 6 in the documentation regarding this here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1hAuh-9_g37htwBYcUd3pz8hL9B6AQTgL2h3F9GPW7y4 [drive.google.com]
I am currently working on making a proper UI for the settings to hopefully make this a bit more obvious.
Also if Arnold users want to I could change the default to be True in future releases, I just wanted to be a bit careful about potentially filling up peoples harddrives with .TX files.
Edited by MagnusL3D - Nov. 23, 2018 03:35:05
BYOC + Illume » Quixel Bridge / Houdini Live Link Integration
- MagnusL3D
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Hey Rob,
Great to hear that it helped.
Regarding the atlases, try re-downloading the assets to see if Quixel have updated them with Opacity maps.
Also if you could send me link to them so I can check them out if they still dont have opacity maps and come up with a solution.
Thank you.
Great to hear that it helped.
Regarding the atlases, try re-downloading the assets to see if Quixel have updated them with Opacity maps.
Also if you could send me link to them so I can check them out if they still dont have opacity maps and come up with a solution.
Thank you.
BYOC + Illume » Quixel Bridge / Houdini Live Link Integration
- MagnusL3D
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Hey RobW,
Yeah the ‘use density’ toggle was from a earlier version of the scattering node. Now you just have, or don't have the f@density attribute on your incoming mesh and it will use that.
What can throw you off a bit when using it on a grid is that the “slope” is by default set to “add” which means on a grid it will seem like the density attribute doesn't do anything. Either set the ‘slope’ to ‘none’ or ‘multiply’ instead. It might be a bad idea of me to have the ‘slope’ set to add by default, the idea was to get a nice results by default with slope set to add and noise to multiply, but it sort of makes the f@density not show up as well unless you change.
Here is a example file how I usually do it, first a paint then a wrangle with f@density = @Cd.r; or similar.
let me know if it helps.
Yeah the ‘use density’ toggle was from a earlier version of the scattering node. Now you just have, or don't have the f@density attribute on your incoming mesh and it will use that.
What can throw you off a bit when using it on a grid is that the “slope” is by default set to “add” which means on a grid it will seem like the density attribute doesn't do anything. Either set the ‘slope’ to ‘none’ or ‘multiply’ instead. It might be a bad idea of me to have the ‘slope’ set to add by default, the idea was to get a nice results by default with slope set to add and noise to multiply, but it sort of makes the f@density not show up as well unless you change.
Here is a example file how I usually do it, first a paint then a wrangle with f@density = @Cd.r; or similar.
let me know if it helps.
Edited by MagnusL3D - Nov. 22, 2018 07:18:10
BYOC + Illume » Quixel Bridge / Houdini Live Link Integration
- MagnusL3D
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I don't think this was mentioned in the webinar and it is a pretty new feature as of plugin version 1.8, for UV mapped objects you can add a texture to the Quixel Scattering node to have it deform the incoming geo, that way scattered objects can sync up with displaced geo. And there is a ramp exposed to control where to scatter the objects on the displacement value.
Edited by MagnusL3D - Nov. 21, 2018 12:58:47
BYOC + Illume » Quixel Bridge / Houdini Live Link Integration
- MagnusL3D
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limbicnation
Where can I find the recorded webinar?
https://vimeo.com/301884509 [vimeo.com]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72MpU8wFA2U [www.youtube.com]
Houdini Engine for Unreal » Production blockers and issues list
- MagnusL3D
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Are there any movement on any of this ? because we are mostly getting more and more issues and spending more time solving issues than time gained by using smart and powerful tools.
Houdini for Realtime » Game Dev Tools - crash Houdini on open
- MagnusL3D
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Houdini Engine for Unreal » Can't select Spline Mesh Actor as a World Outliner Input data source
- MagnusL3D
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In the Houdini Inputs, change the dropdown that says ‘World Outliner Input’ to ‘Curve Input’, that will use Houdini's own curve. Or you can make a editable Node inside your HDA that is a curve sop.
As far as I know that's how you are supposed to work and that the Spline Mesh Actor can't be used the way you want.
As far as I know that's how you are supposed to work and that the Spline Mesh Actor can't be used the way you want.
Houdini Engine for Unreal » Production blockers and issues list
- MagnusL3D
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Recently we witch both from 4.19 to 4.20 and to a C++ project, and the dbgeng.dll issue seems to maybe ….maybe have dissapeard…it is still to early to call it 100% but it is looking very promising so far.
Houdini Engine for Unreal » Production blockers and issues list
- MagnusL3D
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Damien helped out with this. Turns out it there is a houdini.exe in the HE install folder and if the “houdini custom location” is pointing at that, houdini will start with a splash screen and then not load. The custom location must point at a propper houdini install not just the houdini engine install despite there beeing a houdini.exe in there.
I belive the fix will be to gray out the option to ‘open in houdini’ unless it is pointing at a propper installation. which would make this a bit more visible.
THanks for the help Damien !
Edited by MagnusL3D - Oct. 10, 2018 11:36:59
Houdini Engine for Unreal » Production blockers and issues list
- MagnusL3D
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Today a HDA crashed the UE Editor, the error message popping up was a blank window with no information.
I restarted the UE Editor and it wanted to restore the map and the HDA I was working before crash, the restore failed on the HDA and crashed again.
I restarted the Editor for a 2nd time, and now the map is broken, as soon as you open the map the engine will crash.
Even after cleaning up any cache files etc it happens. So now I have to delete this map and restart.
You could argue that it is a Unreal Problem but since it crashed because of the HDA and then crashed on restor on the HDA again…well.. here we are..
logged as bug #91876, with the .umap attached.
I restarted the UE Editor and it wanted to restore the map and the HDA I was working before crash, the restore failed on the HDA and crashed again.
I restarted the Editor for a 2nd time, and now the map is broken, as soon as you open the map the engine will crash.
Even after cleaning up any cache files etc it happens. So now I have to delete this map and restart.
You could argue that it is a Unreal Problem but since it crashed because of the HDA and then crashed on restor on the HDA again…well.. here we are..
logged as bug #91876, with the .umap attached.
Edited by MagnusL3D - Oct. 10, 2018 07:05:00
Houdini Engine for Unreal » Production blockers and issues list
- MagnusL3D
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After a lot of back and forth and changing from 4.19 to 4.20 I can now confirm that the file save/open thing is fixed. 16.5.605
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