Thanks for the feedback, exactly what this forum is made for,

pluMmet
[

Until I see ownership of an obvious error I have no sympathy for perceived offense so don't bother.
This is my only post until I see a proper Mixer in release => 14 so just more of an fyi.

You may see in my post above yours that i want to fill up a request for a visual representation of motion clips(you may call it animation mixer if you want). In the mean time you may want to really take a look at CHOPS. Name stands for Channel Operators and is something like animation mixer on steroids. Since you and me and others have more of a visual workflow, it might be a good idea to implement such a functionality. But to try to imply that Houdini has no tolls for this without proper studying the software looks a bot odd.

jordibares
So true… we really would benefit from a visual view… the same with Animation Layers, something you can do with Chops but the integrated tool is critical.

:-P

jb

Hi Jordi,
One piece of info from you if possible - anyone is welcomed to reply though. Do we have something to replace MOTOR? I need to transfer motion from one rig to an identical one. How do i do it within Houdini? In other words, let's say i have a rigged doll. I also have the same doll with a motion applied to it. So i want to transfer the motion from doll1 to doll2. In XSI i have MOTOR. I tag the rigs and transfer, simple as this. In Houdini how do i achieve this? I don't have to much free time this days, but i try to learn at least a bit. I intend to move to Houdini as soon as possible, even if this means i will move to Escape(the base version). In order to do this i need to find ways to replace my commonly used tools. I will try to find the time to make a proper RFE for a visual representation of the CHOPS within the next 2 weeks.
Thank you in advance,
Constantin

No clever motion retargeting I am afraid, CHOPS is your only approach.

You can transform the motion rig from a rotation only point of view and manual compensations but contact with other objects/characters will be a pain (transfer to ik > fix > transfer to fk)

If you have to do a lot of retargeting Motion Builder is your friend as it has a real time engine for that and it is truly good.

I would love Side Effects to add to Houdini real time human ik style engine like the one in Modo…


:-P

jordibares
No clever motion retargeting I am afraid, CHOPS is your only approach.
You can transform the motion rig from a rotation only point of view and manual compensations but contact with other objects/characters will be a pain (transfer to ik > fix > transfer to fk)
If you have to do a lot of retargeting Motion Builder is your friend as it has a real time engine for that and it is truly good.
I would love Side Effects to add to Houdini real time human ik style engine like the one in Modo…
:-P

I will try to RFE improvements in this areas: retargeting and visual representation of CHOPS(you can call it animation mixer if you want). I think Modo is late to the party. First was XSI, then 3ds Max, much more late Maya with human ik, Lightwave with Nevron Motion and now Modo. I think Houdini really needs some key improvements in character animation tools, apart from scene management i already RFE'd. Let's hope that SideFX will move fast enough. I do all i can to help evaluating the software, but i have work to do and no spare time in this period of the year when i have the most projects(and again in the autumn). I work freelance so i can't afford loosing clients. I might have few days free next week to take care of this two key aspects and fill the RFE.
Thank you,
Constantin

An animation mixer and animation layers interface would be extremely useful, I would say critical for any serious animation.

On top of that, integrating this
http://www.ikinema.com/?mod=press_release&show=15 [ikinema.com]

That would be great… specially on the motion retargeting side.

jordibares
An animation mixer and animation layers interface would be extremely useful, I would say critical for any serious animation.

On top of that, integrating this
http://www.ikinema.com/?mod=press_release&show=15 [ikinema.com]

That would be great… specially on the motion retargeting side.

I would pass on that IK solver from modo. It's buggy and full body ik it's a PITA most of the time. The rigging tools inside Houdini looks very-very good. Did not had the time to properly test them in a demo project yet. By the way, i managed to transfer motion from one rig to other(i only tested with the simplest two bones rig). So i have a rig with motion and an exact same type without - and i transferred motion from the animated rig to the non- animated one with CHOPS. It's very simple, really!!!

jordibares
… specially on the motion retargeting side.

Hi Jordi,
Sorry for this delay but i have a lot of work to do. Here you go, retargeting CHOPS style. It's only with two bones, but you get the pictures.
Thank you,
Constantin

Ok, so for the CHOPS NLA(non linear animation) i want to fill a RFE. You can call it CHOPS visual representation or whatever, just add it.
Characteristics:
- each clip can be viewed on it's own layer;
- retiming functions for each clip(stretch, cycle, cycle with offset) - simply grab the left or right edge and drag;
- clip mixing - you can add a MATH node and perform one of the operations but the most important aspect is that you can place the clip relative to the timeline; so for example if you want to have a clip1 from frames 1 to 72 and a clip2 from frames 73 to 240 you just place them accordingly on the NLA editor;
- interpolation(or transition) you can add a transition from clipA to clipB within the NLA;
- you can duplicate or delete clips on the NLA;
- you can add or remove tracks on witch clip resides;

Open to suggestions. I also want to fill up two more RFE's.

First one: add curve deformation to the deformers - only for the Escape since Master has wire deformer and dynamics:
- objects can be deformed by a curve;
- curve points positions can be animated and animation stored as clips so they work within CHOPS nla;
- no dynamics;
- very useful deformer for simple animations(opening a lid for example) without dynamics

Second one: add particles to Houdini Escape(just particles and forces, no dynamics) - with this one also add poly surface from particles to Houdini Escape(polygonizer). This are very useful for animation(without dynamics of course). I think Escape has huge potential, but you need to add this last two RFE's to it so we can be used it to all type of general animations without dynamics.

That's it for now. Once i have more time will do more if i find out other things missing. I think i will move to more general stuff(shading in particular it's weak for beginners).
Thank you,
Constantin

Ok, so for the CHOPS NLA(non linear animation) i want to fill a RFE. You can call it CHOPS visual representation or whatever, just add it.

This looks fairly similar to bar mode in the Motion View (last icon toggle in the Motion View's top toolbar). Time-modifier CHOPs, such as stretch, trim and shift, have simple handles that allow you to retime the clips. This could probably be used as the basis for a layers-based system.

Second one: add particles to Houdini Escape(just particles and forces, no dynamics) - with this one also add poly surface from particles to Houdini Escape(polygonizer). This are very useful for animation(without dynamics of course). I think Escape has huge potential, but you need to add this last two RFE's to it so we can be used it to all type of general animations without dynamics.

The particle SOP is effectively what you're suggesting, and it's available in Escape.

twod

Ok, so for the CHOPS NLA(non linear animation) i want to fill a RFE. You can call it CHOPS visual representation or whatever, just add it.

This looks fairly similar to bar mode in the Motion View (last icon toggle in the Motion View's top toolbar). Time-modifier CHOPs, such as stretch, trim and shift, have simple handles that allow you to retime the clips. This could probably be used as the basis for a layers-based system.

Second one: add particles to Houdini Escape(just particles and forces, no dynamics) - with this one also add poly surface from particles to Houdini Escape(polygonizer). This are very useful for animation(without dynamics of course). I think Escape has huge potential, but you need to add this last two RFE's to it so we can be used it to all type of general animations without dynamics.

The particle SOP is effectively what you're suggesting, and it's available in Escape.

Hi Twod,
For the first item. Similar but not quite the same. I can't view and work with all clips at the same time in the bar mode. And it's not quite a layer system, But true, can be the foundation for this. If there is a feature all XSI/maya users ask me when i tell i prepare the move to Houdini the nla/layer system is the most common one. I must admit that i find it's lacking quite a big trouble. One more feature for the layer system: in XSI i can collapse all the layers/clips into the bottom layer and bake(called plot in xsi) to the bones or whatever i am animating. System also allows me to save clips and re-use them. This is fantastic for repetitive tasks. I can already do this with CHOPS though, as i find out.

I am intrigued about the particles though. The Houdini documentation(even the SideFx site) says there are no particles inside Escape!
Thank you,
Constantin

I can't view and work with all clips at the same time in the bar mode.

You can view multiple CHOPs at the same time by Shift+clicking their display flags. So a lot of what you suggest is there as a basis, but we'd definitely need to add a higher-level workflow that managed all that for you, and build the CHOP network.

The Houdini documentation(even the SideFx site) says there are no particles inside Escape!

The particle SOP is so basic that I don't think they wanted to have any confusion with that & POPs when it came to user expectations, as POPs is what most people would think of as particles after seeing a Houdini demo or tutorial. Better just to say there's no particles

twod
I can't view and work with all clips at the same time in the bar mode.

You can view multiple CHOPs at the same time by Shift+clicking their display flags. So a lot of what you suggest is there as a basis, but we'd definitely need to add a higher-level workflow that managed all that for you, and build the CHOP network.

The Houdini documentation(even the SideFx site) says there are no particles inside Escape!

The particle SOP is so basic that I don't think they wanted to have any confusion with that & POPs when it came to user expectations, as POPs is what most people would think of as particles after seeing a Houdini demo or tutorial. Better just to say there's no particles

Ok, but it's so cool that we have particles in Escape! Basic or not, i can do most of my projects with just that!
Thank you for your time,
Constantin

Constantin X
First one: add curve deformation to the deformers

Check out the WireCapture and WireDeform SOP helpcard examples.

Constantin X
- curve points positions can be animated and animation stored as clips so they work within CHOPS nla;

Check out the Geometry CHOP.

edward

Constantin X
First one: add curve deformation to the deformers

Check out the WireCapture and WireDeform SOP helpcard examples.

Constantin X
- curve points positions can be animated and animation stored as clips so they work within CHOPS nla;

Check out the Geometry CHOP.

“First one: add curve deformation to the deformers - only for the Escape since Master has wire deformer and dynamics:”

Please read carefully. The request is for Escape only.
Thank you,
Constantin

wire deformation does not imperatively depend on wire dynamics, You can rig a wire deformation with any curve, just if You want to drive the deforming curve with dynamics You need dynamics. edward did not mention dynamics anyway.

Constantin X
Please read carefully.

Tangentially topical; for anyone considering Houdini Escape and want to use an excellent Bullet library implementation for simulations, check out BulletSOP.

http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_forum&Itemid=172&page=viewtopic&t=19952&start=375 [sidefx.com]

Constantin X

edward
Check out the WireCapture and WireDeform SOP helpcard examples.

The request is for Escape only.

WireCapture/WireDeform are in Houdini Escape.

edward

Constantin X

edward
Check out the WireCapture and WireDeform SOP helpcard examples.

The request is for Escape only.

WireCapture/WireDeform are in Houdini Escape.

Ok. This leaves only the NLA system in place.
Thanks,
Constantin

MartybNz
Tangentially topical; for anyone considering Houdini Escape and want to use an excellent Bullet library implementation for simulations, check out BulletSOP.

http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_forum&Itemid=172&page=viewtopic&t=19952&start=375 [sidefx.com]

Thank you for the info. This is very good.