yeah in terms of matching animation to chops is there an easy way to reference a CHOP from another context by using channel number instead of channel name?
I guess you could always concat strings, or use a delete operator in the actual chop context to isolate the channel, then rename, then null so that you could always reference channel 0 or whatever but that doesn't make for a very procedural workflow.
Like with while loop stuff here's a simple example of one of the problems I've run into (this asset parses MIDI values back into notes). I haven't tried the crowd system I want to do yet but I'm guessing it will be an issue there too (if this is on do this, if it's not on do this, iterate through the channels until one does this etc).
Any ideas on how to do this without 128 chains of nodes?
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Houdini Lounge » Old School Blog
- andrewlowell
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Houdini Lounge » Old School Blog
- andrewlowell
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jeff
As for enhanced integration of CHOPs, yes. We have been wanting to integrate them much tighter in to the rest of the product since they were first introduced. This is a big project and not in the immediate future.
What would be a possible/hypothetical example of this. One thing I've seen the need for a while has been a while loop that iterates through channels and/or inputs.
Houdini Lounge » Houdini for "Mainstream-Users"
- andrewlowell
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well, after doing a few projects with PFlow in 3ds Max I think Houdini particles are very easy. The problem in a lot of apps lies in their in-ability to use one part of the program in a different part of the program.
For instance, there was a post the other day in 3ds Max forum on how to get a local scale and animation for a whole particle system. In Max particles are locked to the “world” in a lot of ways and exist in their own context, and you can't simply get a system and move it around or scale it as one peice. Houdini easily accomplishes this task if it is used in the Geometry or Object context. There are a lot of complicated and scripted ways to do that in Max but in Houdini a very simple task is actually “simple,” due to the way it's set up. Something more complex like spawning stuff from collisions is a little more complex probably for giving the user the maximum control over the effect.
While a slightly faster/easier workflow in an app like Max might be good for the most simple effects once an effect quickly reaches a certain complexity there's normally a need to cross-reference more and more stuff from other areas of the program/project/scene.
So, to make that an effecient and easy process I really like how Houdini uses very basic peices like point sop, attribute, copy, delete nodes in every context, and subnetworks. Most of the problems I've had to solve with scripting, and probably most of the really “tough” questions you see on other forums could easily be solved with those.
For instance, there was a post the other day in 3ds Max forum on how to get a local scale and animation for a whole particle system. In Max particles are locked to the “world” in a lot of ways and exist in their own context, and you can't simply get a system and move it around or scale it as one peice. Houdini easily accomplishes this task if it is used in the Geometry or Object context. There are a lot of complicated and scripted ways to do that in Max but in Houdini a very simple task is actually “simple,” due to the way it's set up. Something more complex like spawning stuff from collisions is a little more complex probably for giving the user the maximum control over the effect.
While a slightly faster/easier workflow in an app like Max might be good for the most simple effects once an effect quickly reaches a certain complexity there's normally a need to cross-reference more and more stuff from other areas of the program/project/scene.
So, to make that an effecient and easy process I really like how Houdini uses very basic peices like point sop, attribute, copy, delete nodes in every context, and subnetworks. Most of the problems I've had to solve with scripting, and probably most of the really “tough” questions you see on other forums could easily be solved with those.
Houdini Lounge » Houdini for "Mainstream-Users"
- andrewlowell
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Well, even being a new user I've definately come to appreciate the “blank slate” approach and past the one-week mark I think it's helped me learn Houdini faster,
I think thats missing in most programs, as it might be hard to know what's essential and what's there for the quick / macro stuff.
If they added to much stuff it might end up being really bogged down or I've heard the term “saturated” like maya/max, where there are a lot of options spread all over the place and some are old and not used to much, some are giant and modern, some are even obsolete comaired to others etc.
So far I haven't run into anything in Houdini that wasn't really imporant in some context. So maybe something like expanding on the shared DA idea and they could have “sidefx assets” which could be developed by sidefx, installed and used for that stuff, and be well documented / tested / supported / seamlessly integrated … like autorig but not installed by default.
I think thats missing in most programs, as it might be hard to know what's essential and what's there for the quick / macro stuff.
If they added to much stuff it might end up being really bogged down or I've heard the term “saturated” like maya/max, where there are a lot of options spread all over the place and some are old and not used to much, some are giant and modern, some are even obsolete comaired to others etc.
So far I haven't run into anything in Houdini that wasn't really imporant in some context. So maybe something like expanding on the shared DA idea and they could have “sidefx assets” which could be developed by sidefx, installed and used for that stuff, and be well documented / tested / supported / seamlessly integrated … like autorig but not installed by default.
Houdini Lounge » Old School Blog
- andrewlowell
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Jeff your old-school blog has motivated me to redu this asset in using CHOPs and Lookup tables and also make a video tutorial for it (mainly for myself so I don't forget how to use it in a month).
Thanks for doing old school blog, expecially with CHOPs … maybe if enough users get into them they will get updated For those interested:
warning NC asset
asset
http://www.andrew-lowell-productions.com/andrew-lowell-productions/help/sops/alowell_interaction_distanceImpactAttributeNC.otl [andrew-lowell-productions.com]
video tutorial
http://www.andrew-lowell-productions.com/andrew-lowell-productions/help/sops/cust_interaction_distanceImpactAttributeHelp.mov [andrew-lowell-productions.com]
Thanks for doing old school blog, expecially with CHOPs … maybe if enough users get into them they will get updated For those interested:
warning NC asset
asset
http://www.andrew-lowell-productions.com/andrew-lowell-productions/help/sops/alowell_interaction_distanceImpactAttributeNC.otl [andrew-lowell-productions.com]
video tutorial
http://www.andrew-lowell-productions.com/andrew-lowell-productions/help/sops/cust_interaction_distanceImpactAttributeHelp.mov [andrew-lowell-productions.com]
Houdini Lounge » Houdini for "Mainstream-Users"
- andrewlowell
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well, as whalerider wrote if you look at the amazing stuff,
I would think Houdini's use in film makes the most elaborate effects compaired to the other programs.
I'm also gathering the Houdini community is much smaller and most of these people are employed and working on larger projects where lots of other applications are probably used to do the modeling etc / more standard stuff.
Sidefx should have an art gallery thread, or for Houdini maybe even a technical gallery thread, it's hard for the masses to appreciate an amazing DA or procedural system.
I would think Houdini's use in film makes the most elaborate effects compaired to the other programs.
I'm also gathering the Houdini community is much smaller and most of these people are employed and working on larger projects where lots of other applications are probably used to do the modeling etc / more standard stuff.
Sidefx should have an art gallery thread, or for Houdini maybe even a technical gallery thread, it's hard for the masses to appreciate an amazing DA or procedural system.
Houdini Lounge » Houdini for "Mainstream-Users"
- andrewlowell
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It's certainly a very strange paradox about proceduralism. For some tasks taking a procedural approach will get results that are faster or simply possible comapired to non-procedural systems.
For other things proceduralism will slow things down in a big way.
For instance, I still find it's much easier to model a character or organic form in 3ds Max. While it might not be very procedural the time it takes me to fix or redu an issue would be shorter than the time it would take to “find” or “re-evaluate” the issue with a procedural approach. For something like a defacto model, light setup, unwrap etc that will only need to be done once this could be the case compaired to Houdini.
On the other hand, you get a bunch of people together working on similar models or assembling a scene using a non-procedural system marked only by file-naming-convention on a network, add in a little sleep deprivation, and it's a sure recipe for things slowing down. People never like to get slow results and always want to see something right away, but I think this has more to do with production and planning than the software application anyway.
I've seen this happen with expert modelers and texture artists using 3ds Max at a broadcast studio where I was scripting. I had to redu my crowd like 8 times because they kept reduing the stadium and changing the scenes, sometimes they didn't even know which was the most current, with Houdini and DA's this could have been a much faster and more enjoyable process, even if people don't see results instantly, they could at least go home on time.
For other things proceduralism will slow things down in a big way.
For instance, I still find it's much easier to model a character or organic form in 3ds Max. While it might not be very procedural the time it takes me to fix or redu an issue would be shorter than the time it would take to “find” or “re-evaluate” the issue with a procedural approach. For something like a defacto model, light setup, unwrap etc that will only need to be done once this could be the case compaired to Houdini.
On the other hand, you get a bunch of people together working on similar models or assembling a scene using a non-procedural system marked only by file-naming-convention on a network, add in a little sleep deprivation, and it's a sure recipe for things slowing down. People never like to get slow results and always want to see something right away, but I think this has more to do with production and planning than the software application anyway.
I've seen this happen with expert modelers and texture artists using 3ds Max at a broadcast studio where I was scripting. I had to redu my crowd like 8 times because they kept reduing the stadium and changing the scenes, sometimes they didn't even know which was the most current, with Houdini and DA's this could have been a much faster and more enjoyable process, even if people don't see results instantly, they could at least go home on time.
Houdini Lounge » how to update cops on rendering
- andrewlowell
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Houdini Lounge » how to update cops on rendering
- andrewlowell
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There seems to be an issue where if I set up a render chain where the 3D / camera scenes render to image sequences, then if I read in those same files into a COP chain, and then attach a compositing-render-node downstream of the origional 3D render's, the file-cops don't update until I click on the “reload” button.
It's fine if I hit the reload, but in the case where I want to delete the images or change the image size (which causes the natural resolution to change) I would have to manually wait for my 3D stuff to render before hitting the update button for the 2D stuff.
This is a problem when I have chains and chains of 3D that depends on 2D, any ideas on how to make the file cop's automatically adapt to whatever I give them (as long as they are downstream in the render nodes).
It's fine if I hit the reload, but in the case where I want to delete the images or change the image size (which causes the natural resolution to change) I would have to manually wait for my 3D stuff to render before hitting the update button for the 2D stuff.
This is a problem when I have chains and chains of 3D that depends on 2D, any ideas on how to make the file cop's automatically adapt to whatever I give them (as long as they are downstream in the render nodes).
Houdini Lounge » Houdini for "Mainstream-Users"
- andrewlowell
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Yeah thats funny and true, actually I've found myself learning a lot of new things about audio and becoming a more knowledgable audio engineer since working with Houdini.
Most Houdini users probably don't know this, but Houdini works with sound in the same low-level way that it works with graphics … it's possible to “build” your own audio synthisizer as opposed to just use a series of presets used in all commercial audio/music programs.
Most Houdini users probably don't know this, but Houdini works with sound in the same low-level way that it works with graphics … it's possible to “build” your own audio synthisizer as opposed to just use a series of presets used in all commercial audio/music programs.
Houdini Lounge » Houdini for "Mainstream-Users"
- andrewlowell
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I completely agree with this, I'm coming from a 3ds Max background and have been learning Houdini for around 5 months now. I currently do a lot of Max-scripting, particles, crowds.
While I mainly got into Houdini for it's AUDIO features (being a former audio engineer) I have to say that a lot of the scripts I've done in 3ds Max could have easily been done without scripting in Houdini with simple expressions, as well as CHOPs, and would have also run faster since things seem to be more optimized. So, I guess you could look at it like this.
If something is very easy and straitforeward technically, like a simple character model, simple texture, or light setup, etc .. 3ds, Maya, lightwave might be easier than Houdini.
If something is very technically challenging (Like crowds, FX, cities, motion control, advanced texturing, etc). Pretty much everything you'd ever need to do in a real gig, Houdini makes it much simpler.
Thats my opinion anyway, I still haven't really figured out the texture stuff too well, but the particle and motion stuff is amazing.
While I mainly got into Houdini for it's AUDIO features (being a former audio engineer) I have to say that a lot of the scripts I've done in 3ds Max could have easily been done without scripting in Houdini with simple expressions, as well as CHOPs, and would have also run faster since things seem to be more optimized. So, I guess you could look at it like this.
If something is very easy and straitforeward technically, like a simple character model, simple texture, or light setup, etc .. 3ds, Maya, lightwave might be easier than Houdini.
If something is very technically challenging (Like crowds, FX, cities, motion control, advanced texturing, etc). Pretty much everything you'd ever need to do in a real gig, Houdini makes it much simpler.
Thats my opinion anyway, I still haven't really figured out the texture stuff too well, but the particle and motion stuff is amazing.
Houdini Lounge » basic question, why delete can't recognise attribute
- andrewlowell
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ah ok, its good to know I wasn't going completey crazy. Thanks very much for that explanation, couldn't find a definative answer anywhere.
It was very deceptive since I could see it on the data table all the same way.
It was very deceptive since I could see it on the data table all the same way.
Houdini Lounge » basic question, why delete can't recognise attribute
- andrewlowell
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thanks emmensly for taking the time to look it over .. I hate asking basic questions like this but I tried for hours last night and searched many forums so I think I'm still missing something.
When the “turn me on and off” node is turned off, there should be an error on the delete saying that it cannot recognise the local variable. the “turn me on and off” node is a test to make sure the expression is correct for the delete …
Inside the pop network I'm attempting to set that local variable, with no luck. It shows up in the details view, but the delete can't seem to get it.
When the “turn me on and off” node is turned off, there should be an error on the delete saying that it cannot recognise the local variable. the “turn me on and off” node is a test to make sure the expression is correct for the delete …
Inside the pop network I'm attempting to set that local variable, with no luck. It shows up in the details view, but the delete can't seem to get it.
Houdini Lounge » basic question, why delete can't recognise attribute
- andrewlowell
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Hmmm, what version of Houdini are you using? I can't seem to turn off the node without getting an error on the delete SOP. It will recognise the attribute for the SOP, but not the attribute set on the POP
Houdini Lounge » basic question, why delete can't recognise attribute
- andrewlowell
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sorry for the basic question but what is the obvious reason why this isn't working. I can't seem to get a point attribute from a POP to a SOP, but from SOP-to-SOP works just fine (using the delete SOP)
So, how does one promote an attribute create from a pop to a sop (example attached, “turn me on and off” is what I don't understand, it should be the same variable)
So, how does one promote an attribute create from a pop to a sop (example attached, “turn me on and off” is what I don't understand, it should be the same variable)
Houdini Lounge » Companies using Houdini
- andrewlowell
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if the amount of learning content popping up is any indication of Houdini's popularity I would think it could be getting more popular. In the short time I've been learning Houdini there has been like 3 more video tutorials and a book, which definatly made it more inviting to me anyway.
I don't however like the idea of Maya-i-zation to gain wider appeal that I've heard the next release might have, if I wanted a easy-to-use application I'd stick with 3ds Max .. I hope they don't make the strange areas like CHOPs, COPs, spatial audio any different, they are very unique to Houdini which is why I'm drawn to it.
I don't however like the idea of Maya-i-zation to gain wider appeal that I've heard the next release might have, if I wanted a easy-to-use application I'd stick with 3ds Max .. I hope they don't make the strange areas like CHOPs, COPs, spatial audio any different, they are very unique to Houdini which is why I'm drawn to it.
Houdini Lounge » mapping chop channels to sop primitive groups?
- andrewlowell
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well here's a method I used it sounds like you did something similar. You can also try to make channel and geometry renders to cache the data. I'm not sure why it would be any quicker on the object level than the geometry level etc.
Houdini Lounge » mapping chop channels to sop primitive groups?
- andrewlowell
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have you used the export chop?
If that doesn't foot the bill (too much stuff to export) you can do an expression in the geometry to read in chop channels of that name by the chop expression(s) and string functions via stamping.
If that doesn't foot the bill (too much stuff to export) you can do an expression in the geometry to read in chop channels of that name by the chop expression(s) and string functions via stamping.
Houdini Lounge » lipsync??
- andrewlowell
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depending on the length of animation (say shorter shots) an alternate approach would be to not rely on Houdini's actual detection and manually specify or “tell” where each phenome was … but with methods more efficient than keyframing.
To do this it would probably be good to animate which expression goes where by placing “triggers” or single sample spikes of certain values at the specified times, a DA's could be made to create spikes easily.
These could correspond to the number of the facial/blend pose, so look for all the “a”'s every time there's a certain phenome put a “trigger” there for it with say value of two.
Then add all the different triggers together to form one channel using Math. The zero's wouldn't add up to anything.
Then use an interpolation algorythm (maybe another DA) such as hermite (this can be constructed using expression chops etc) to create animation channels based on those numbers.
To do this it would probably be good to animate which expression goes where by placing “triggers” or single sample spikes of certain values at the specified times, a DA's could be made to create spikes easily.
These could correspond to the number of the facial/blend pose, so look for all the “a”'s every time there's a certain phenome put a “trigger” there for it with say value of two.
Then add all the different triggers together to form one channel using Math. The zero's wouldn't add up to anything.
Then use an interpolation algorythm (maybe another DA) such as hermite (this can be constructed using expression chops etc) to create animation channels based on those numbers.
Houdini Lounge » lipsync??
- andrewlowell
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don't know about tutorials, but I do know Houdini is better suited for lip sync than any other program I've seen … this is because of extensive audio processing nodes in the CHOPs section.
There are things like phenome detection and audio splitting utilities, as well as very easy ways to guage volume and frequency.
These different functions can all be combined with Math and Expression operations for different procedural animations, and it's also very straitforeward to convert 44100 hz (audio) information to 24 fps (animation) using resampling.
So, I'd recommend doing some generic chops tutorials and also read the help stuff on the chops.
There are things like phenome detection and audio splitting utilities, as well as very easy ways to guage volume and frequency.
These different functions can all be combined with Math and Expression operations for different procedural animations, and it's also very straitforeward to convert 44100 hz (audio) information to 24 fps (animation) using resampling.
So, I'd recommend doing some generic chops tutorials and also read the help stuff on the chops.
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