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Technical Discussion » SIM_CFD
- the_squid
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Technical Discussion » Building i3D shader in VOPs
- the_squid
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I'd like to build a custom i3D shader in VOPs. Can anybody direct me towards a good tutorial on the subject?
Technical Discussion » SIM_CFD
- the_squid
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Technical Discussion » SIM_CFD
- the_squid
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TD's here at the office are examining Houdini under a microscope and asking me all sorts of weird questions… this was one of them. I'll be posting more that I cant answer myself. Just a warning :wink: – this is good news though, people are starting to take more and more of an interest in the software here. More weird, random questions to follow 8)
Technical Discussion » lattice and edit sop trouble
- the_squid
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Agreed. Houdini is totally different from other apps and this is hard to get used to. Coming from another package it's a lot easier to start by using the new viewport tools, but when you learn how to do it manually you'll learn a lot more about how Houdini works. It may seem like a crappy way to do things but after a while you may find it to be faster than working in the viewport.
Although working in the viewport is needed for some things like combing normals or painting, or drawing curves, manually pushing points, and things like that.
I use both, but definately try using Houdini the ‘ol fashioned way. You’ll have a lot more control and you'll be able to maintain a more procedural workflow the more you know about what the nodes are doing and how they are connected and can be used together.
Although working in the viewport is needed for some things like combing normals or painting, or drawing curves, manually pushing points, and things like that.
I use both, but definately try using Houdini the ‘ol fashioned way. You’ll have a lot more control and you'll be able to maintain a more procedural workflow the more you know about what the nodes are doing and how they are connected and can be used together.
Technical Discussion » SIM_CFD
- the_squid
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…\houdini\dso\SIM_CFD.dll
Does anybody know what SIM_CFD.dll is? Sounds interesting… :?:
Does anybody know what SIM_CFD.dll is? Sounds interesting… :?:
Technical Discussion » difference: copy and duplicate?
- the_squid
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Just found a pretty decent tutorial on the subject of the copy sop. Check it out:
http://www.grahamdclark.com/Studentresources/tutorials/copyOP/index.html [grahamdclark.com]
This will introduce you to the basics and you can go from there. Houdini is one of the few packages where you could easily make a snowflake and have it actually be unique each time it's copied, just like real snowflakes. Welcome to Houdini!
http://www.grahamdclark.com/Studentresources/tutorials/copyOP/index.html [grahamdclark.com]
This will introduce you to the basics and you can go from there. Houdini is one of the few packages where you could easily make a snowflake and have it actually be unique each time it's copied, just like real snowflakes. Welcome to Houdini!
Technical Discussion » difference: copy and duplicate?
- the_squid
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If you want to make copies of your geometry, duplicate sop will do just fine. If you want to make duplicates of your geometry and then transform each one seperately, use multiple transforms from your original geometry and use the merge sop to merge the transforms together, then you'll have a number of transform sops you can adjust afterward to place your pieces.
The Copy SOP is a beautiful thing once you learn how to use it. If you wanted to make 100 rocks but you want to have each rock be a different shape, use the Copy SOP. Copy SOP allows you to modify any of your geometry attributes for each instance of the copy. It also allows you to use a template as input. So if you wanted to copy geometry to particles, or to any points, you could do it with the copy SOP.
It is hard to get your head around what the copy sop does at first because a person coming from Maya or XSI will not believe what it does is possible. It takes your source geometry and then, for each copy, goes back up through your entire network before the copy and looks for the param() functions you've added. It then replaces the value for each param() function based on an expression you set in the copy. In other words, for each copy you will get a different resulting geometry if you turn stamping on. I'm sure you could find a tutorial on this somewhere… it also allows you to lookup attributes on your template and use those to trigger deformations.
Good luck! Feel free to ask for more detail if you're interested…
The Copy SOP is a beautiful thing once you learn how to use it. If you wanted to make 100 rocks but you want to have each rock be a different shape, use the Copy SOP. Copy SOP allows you to modify any of your geometry attributes for each instance of the copy. It also allows you to use a template as input. So if you wanted to copy geometry to particles, or to any points, you could do it with the copy SOP.
It is hard to get your head around what the copy sop does at first because a person coming from Maya or XSI will not believe what it does is possible. It takes your source geometry and then, for each copy, goes back up through your entire network before the copy and looks for the param() functions you've added. It then replaces the value for each param() function based on an expression you set in the copy. In other words, for each copy you will get a different resulting geometry if you turn stamping on. I'm sure you could find a tutorial on this somewhere… it also allows you to lookup attributes on your template and use those to trigger deformations.
Good luck! Feel free to ask for more detail if you're interested…
Houdini Lounge » How 'bout that Toronto Houdini Meeting?
- the_squid
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Unless my PC has cached this page for all of eternity it looks like somebody should update the front page. Hasn't the Houdini Toronto meeting come and gone?
Houdini Lounge » Importing?
- the_squid
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I downloaded each program you talked about to make sure I wasnt just being a total jerk. Poser is actually really cool and I get a lot of fun out of it. I love the sketch render option and its great for storyboarding things out, especially for those of us who are used to hand-drawing storyboards like I used to. Poser is great for that stuff. But Alice? Oh man… yikes. That software was a joke. It was good for a laugh though, I'll have to admit.
Blender was decent and I like the attitude of the guys building it. If you want to use a program with advanced features though it isnt for you. I'd say it's about 5-10 years behind. Still, a nice start and a good idea.
Bryce? Look up the images online and you'll instantly see it cannot produce photo-real results. I began playing with it and found it to be quite lame, atleast in the trial mode. Pretty much everything I wanted to add had to be brought in from a “library.” Alsi it was incredibly slow on my machine at home, which runs Houdini very well.
Sorry, I like to build my things from scratch and have complete control over every aspect of what I'm expected to deliver as a final shot. It can get amazingly complex at times and confusing as hell but still, in a production environment I need that fine control.
Making a movie on your own should be commended no matter what software you're using. I'd seriously look into 3D Max…… it's the one software that is easy to use and produces pretty fantastic results. Look at all the work that comes out of Blizzard studios. Their turnaround time is very fast and the results may not be film quality but they're damn pretty.
Good luck with your project and sorry Houdini isnt for you. I can guarantee if you end up not being able to do something you want to do in some of those other packages, you can do it in Houdini. Thats why we swear by it in production. We're asked all the time to do things that havent necessarely been done before, so for us using presets just isnt an option really.
Good luck.
Blender was decent and I like the attitude of the guys building it. If you want to use a program with advanced features though it isnt for you. I'd say it's about 5-10 years behind. Still, a nice start and a good idea.
Bryce? Look up the images online and you'll instantly see it cannot produce photo-real results. I began playing with it and found it to be quite lame, atleast in the trial mode. Pretty much everything I wanted to add had to be brought in from a “library.” Alsi it was incredibly slow on my machine at home, which runs Houdini very well.
Sorry, I like to build my things from scratch and have complete control over every aspect of what I'm expected to deliver as a final shot. It can get amazingly complex at times and confusing as hell but still, in a production environment I need that fine control.
Making a movie on your own should be commended no matter what software you're using. I'd seriously look into 3D Max…… it's the one software that is easy to use and produces pretty fantastic results. Look at all the work that comes out of Blizzard studios. Their turnaround time is very fast and the results may not be film quality but they're damn pretty.
Good luck with your project and sorry Houdini isnt for you. I can guarantee if you end up not being able to do something you want to do in some of those other packages, you can do it in Houdini. Thats why we swear by it in production. We're asked all the time to do things that havent necessarely been done before, so for us using presets just isnt an option really.
Good luck.
Houdini Lounge » New, some questions
- the_squid
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1.) Geometry Selection:
This has never tripped me up in the past, probably because I dont model too much in Houdini and when I do I keep it as procedural as possible.
However, I did some tests and working in “smooth wire shaded” or “hidden line” seems to help when selecting points or prims in the viewport. When I select a prim in wireframe I sometimes get a backface – when I select in hiddenline I dont. This only works one prim at a time… if you drag a selection box it will still select the backfaces.
There should be a simple way to lock backfaces off as non-selectable poly's……. eh, SESI???
:roll:
2.) I believe the object you're looking for is called “Atmosphere.” Look for it under “Generators” when you hit <tab> at the /obj level.
3.) What Simon said :wink:
This has never tripped me up in the past, probably because I dont model too much in Houdini and when I do I keep it as procedural as possible.
However, I did some tests and working in “smooth wire shaded” or “hidden line” seems to help when selecting points or prims in the viewport. When I select a prim in wireframe I sometimes get a backface – when I select in hiddenline I dont. This only works one prim at a time… if you drag a selection box it will still select the backfaces.
There should be a simple way to lock backfaces off as non-selectable poly's……. eh, SESI???
:roll:
2.) I believe the object you're looking for is called “Atmosphere.” Look for it under “Generators” when you hit <tab> at the /obj level.
3.) What Simon said :wink:
Houdini Lounge » Importing?
- the_squid
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I started off using a very simple program called Caligari Truespace and ended up getting a job at a facility that was using Prisms. My first day of work was miserable. I came home thinking to myself, “If this is what being a professional cg artist requires I'm not sure I want to be doing this.” Within four grueling weeks, I'd adapted quite a bit. I was still in shock as to how incredibly complicated everything seemed, but week after week I began to see the power and flexibility of the package.
I guess after going through all that, it's frusterating to see new artists who want immediate results without investing the time to understand the underlying process, to see all the behind the scenes work.
I'm still learning a lot day by day. The most important thing I've learned is when you start to become a powerful Houdini user, other programs like Maya or XSI become much easier to use. You'll find yourself frusterated and actually missing Houdini's logic and structure and incredible procedural power.
Instead of coming into the forum with a bad attitude, and evoking negative responses from people like myself :twisted: try describing exactly what it is you are trying to do and maybe we can help point you in the right direction.
:?:
I guess after going through all that, it's frusterating to see new artists who want immediate results without investing the time to understand the underlying process, to see all the behind the scenes work.
I'm still learning a lot day by day. The most important thing I've learned is when you start to become a powerful Houdini user, other programs like Maya or XSI become much easier to use. You'll find yourself frusterated and actually missing Houdini's logic and structure and incredible procedural power.
Instead of coming into the forum with a bad attitude, and evoking negative responses from people like myself :twisted: try describing exactly what it is you are trying to do and maybe we can help point you in the right direction.
:?:
Houdini Lounge » Importing?
- the_squid
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>Ohh. I get now, I have to put in the extension I want and guess if it will import the file. Do I seem that I have an attitude? Well I do. In the last year I have work with the free stuff Blender and Alice. Cheap, Bryce Vue and Poser. And the learning edition of Maya and now Houdini. Any software waste my time on something simple leaves me with an attitude.
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Sounds like you're not ready to play with the big boys yet. If you can't spend some time and have some patience using the applications we all have spent time and patience learning that's your own shortcoming. Knowing “Poser” wont get you a good job anywhere, as far as I know. That would be like going into a job interview and bragging about learning how to play “The Sims.” Nobody will be impressed. However, Houdini gives you the flexibility and the pipeline to create YOUR OWN version of Poser, if you know what you're doing.
There are two schools of thought: 1.) instant gratification 2.) delayed gratification. In Houdini most of what you do will require extreme patience, and gratification will be delayed. Thats why we're working on films and getting paid well, and you're off downloading app's wherever you are. Patience brings reward.
Let me tell you from experience. You get what you pay for. That also applies to time. You spend more time, you'll get more of a reward at the end of it. Anybody can make pretty pictures in Bryce and Poser. ANYBODY. More than likely, your work in Poser or Bryce will look very similar to everybody elses. And where does that get you?
High end packages give you the ability to create your own custom effects and systems but require some serious personal investment.
It's your choice, but coming from experience it sounds like you're going down the wrong road.
Want instant gratification without putting in the effort? Maybe you should be a producer instead…. nothing against producers 8)
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Sounds like you're not ready to play with the big boys yet. If you can't spend some time and have some patience using the applications we all have spent time and patience learning that's your own shortcoming. Knowing “Poser” wont get you a good job anywhere, as far as I know. That would be like going into a job interview and bragging about learning how to play “The Sims.” Nobody will be impressed. However, Houdini gives you the flexibility and the pipeline to create YOUR OWN version of Poser, if you know what you're doing.
There are two schools of thought: 1.) instant gratification 2.) delayed gratification. In Houdini most of what you do will require extreme patience, and gratification will be delayed. Thats why we're working on films and getting paid well, and you're off downloading app's wherever you are. Patience brings reward.
Let me tell you from experience. You get what you pay for. That also applies to time. You spend more time, you'll get more of a reward at the end of it. Anybody can make pretty pictures in Bryce and Poser. ANYBODY. More than likely, your work in Poser or Bryce will look very similar to everybody elses. And where does that get you?
High end packages give you the ability to create your own custom effects and systems but require some serious personal investment.
It's your choice, but coming from experience it sounds like you're going down the wrong road.
Want instant gratification without putting in the effort? Maybe you should be a producer instead…. nothing against producers 8)
Houdini Lounge » Houdini 8 Buzz
- the_squid
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Yeah I'd be happy with rbd and cloth. Although I've been able to fake both quite nicely with the toolset we have now. Same with hair.
I suspected Maya Fluids was more or less just a huge Mel script running piggy backed on the rest of Maya. After having learned it myself that was the impression I got. Infact, I've built some setups in Houdini that more or less do the same thing (minus the actual fluid solver.) Fluids is fun until you reach its limits – which doesnt take too long. Nevertheless it can be a life saver in certain situations, which is why I cant wait to get my hands on something similar (and I'm hoping much, much better) in Houdini.
The place I worked before this was a big Maya house and they called Maya fluids the “silver bullet of effects animation.” I laughed at that title, afterall, I doubt Maya Fluids could create a silver bullet effect
I suspected Maya Fluids was more or less just a huge Mel script running piggy backed on the rest of Maya. After having learned it myself that was the impression I got. Infact, I've built some setups in Houdini that more or less do the same thing (minus the actual fluid solver.) Fluids is fun until you reach its limits – which doesnt take too long. Nevertheless it can be a life saver in certain situations, which is why I cant wait to get my hands on something similar (and I'm hoping much, much better) in Houdini.
The place I worked before this was a big Maya house and they called Maya fluids the “silver bullet of effects animation.” I laughed at that title, afterall, I doubt Maya Fluids could create a silver bullet effect
Houdini Lounge » Sales Pitch Update
- the_squid
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The guy sitting behind me just enlightened me. He was watching over my shoulder as I tried out some stuff in Houdini. Out of nowhere he says, “Dude, I hate Houdini.”
I ask, “Why's that?”
He says, “Because it takes you minutes what should take 2 weeks. It makes things too easy. You shouldnt have been able to do that so fast…”
I'll add this to the list of times I wish I had a mini-recorder on me. :twisted:
I ask, “Why's that?”
He says, “Because it takes you minutes what should take 2 weeks. It makes things too easy. You shouldnt have been able to do that so fast…”
I'll add this to the list of times I wish I had a mini-recorder on me. :twisted:
Houdini Lounge » Houdini 8 Buzz
- the_squid
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We're all excited about Houdini's new RBD and Fluid solver, not to mention full softbody support for cloth. Does anybody know anything about the capabilities of these new DOP operators?
Can rigid bodies work on groups of objects? If I had 100 spheres copy/stamped to a grid, could I make all those spheres seperate rigid bodies?
Will fluids work similarly to RealFlow? Is there a difference in speed? Faster, slower as far as in how much time it takes to go through the calculations?
Can fluids interract with softbodies and/or rigid bodies? Could I pour fluid particles into a container with a “cloth” stretched within the container and have the falling liquid move the softbody “tarp”? If there was some elasticity to the softbody tarp, would it fling fluid particles back up into the air after “bouncing” off the tarp?
Will new shaders be released to compliment the new fluids?
Will we be able to use the fluid solver to create clouds and gasses like in Maya Fluids?
So many questions…
:?: :?: :?:
Can rigid bodies work on groups of objects? If I had 100 spheres copy/stamped to a grid, could I make all those spheres seperate rigid bodies?
Will fluids work similarly to RealFlow? Is there a difference in speed? Faster, slower as far as in how much time it takes to go through the calculations?
Can fluids interract with softbodies and/or rigid bodies? Could I pour fluid particles into a container with a “cloth” stretched within the container and have the falling liquid move the softbody “tarp”? If there was some elasticity to the softbody tarp, would it fling fluid particles back up into the air after “bouncing” off the tarp?
Will new shaders be released to compliment the new fluids?
Will we be able to use the fluid solver to create clouds and gasses like in Maya Fluids?
So many questions…
:?: :?: :?:
Houdini Lounge » Sales Pitch Update
- the_squid
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Technical Discussion » Rigging and Binding
- the_squid
- 132 posts
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After seeing that link I think from now on I'll direct any character rigging questions straight to Rony… :shock: Good rigging job!
Technical Discussion » new work
- the_squid
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Hey nice work on your site! You have a good style. I started as a traditional artist myself. I was initially turned off to Houdini because it seemed too complicated. But now that I feel more comfortable with it I cant live without it. I hope this forum helps you… the video tutorials can be boring but are extremely insightful. Check em out if you havent already. :shock:
Technical Discussion » SURFACE FLOW PARTICLE FX
- the_squid
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i'm not sure what surface flow is in Maya….. could you please describe it? I'm not sure what effect you're trying to achieve exactly.
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