Hi!

i have a this simple question because i'm starting to learn houdini after a 2 years learning maya and nuke and i have this question.

Actualy i'm working in a studio and a lot of friends speak about houdini in all the rests of the work :twisted:

I'm trying to learn it because i feel very atracted with the fx area, but the problems coming when i see the expressions for “everything”, that i have to know programming and mathematics, etc etc… Ofc this is not a big problem, but finally in my case it is because i dont have the necessary knowledge of programming (Simple scripting in python and some expressions with nuke) and well, it feels very frustrated in my case.

So my question is, why i have to learn it? I know that its a extremly powerfull tool and i see that in the job; but in my case i'm focushed in the lighting, texturing and compositing areas feeling very atracted by the fx.

maybe it's a lot to me because I find very technical program but think about the future of this program so obvious and I think everyone should know how to use but this software is only powerfull in the fx areas? what about lighting for example?

Reasons to learn it?

in short: when you learn it you will know what you have missed. :-)

i can't say you have to learn it because of function X Y Z you have to invest the time. the question is more where do you want to be in 5 years is your target the current job position or do you want to be a team leader or even a higher position. when you want to be a expert in 3d you must learn houdini to know whats going under the hood of the software and more software you know more positions are open for you.

the expression is mostly linking values. that means RMB -> Copy Parameter and RMB -> Past Copied ….. it's sounds worse but it's easy…..
what i do is to use VEX where i can and there you have a node system and code.

I am using it for lighting and rendering, even for some modeling :evil: and I find really great, it gives me more control than any other app I ever used. After you invest time to build your own assets it will cut your prep time dramatically, at least for me.

About expressions, really after some learning you will figure out that you use 4-5 expressions 99% of your time.

Finally, i'm going with it 8)

hector 46236
why i have to learn it?

Because you want it, oh yeah……..

Actually there's only one reason to learn Houdini:
Chicks dig it.

It's a proven fact that Houdini's procedural workflow improves your love life, makes you more presentable, and causes your confidence to rise to new heights, as well as improving vascular flow to the extremities.

Stay tuned for my upcoming title “How to Learn Houdini and Meet Gorgeous Women in 30 Days!”.

NOT funny, at all.
Stop. Just stop!

jimc
Actually there's only one reason to learn Houdini:
Chicks dig it.

It's a proven fact that Houdini's procedural workflow improves your love life, makes you more presentable, and causes your confidence to rise to new heights, as well as improving vascular flow to the extremities.

Stay tuned for my upcoming title “How to Learn Houdini and Meet Gorgeous Women in 30 Days!”.

@jimc: You took the words right out of my mouth. I am dripping in honnies since I got my Indie license. It's like a chick magnet.

Of course that's true Houdini is usually use for VFX , But Houdini is a General 3D Software (Modeling , Animation , Rendering , FX , etc) like Maya .

the most important difference between Houdini and other 3D softwares is Full Node-Base and Procedural system and this is why you have to learn it !

Creating more complex projects (Shader writing , Modeling , Animation , Dynamics) is so simple with this method , for example you can create a complex model with nodes , then you have access to each level of your modeling , even you can edit or change each level ( like History word in Maya ) of your system later without any need to recreate your model .

Also finding problems with nodes are so simpler than other methods.

If you are a lighting/rendering man , So you can create (or write) more complex shaders with Houdini's visual language (VEX) very well .

Another perfectly feature about Houdini is usually Houdini's tools are open and you can dive inside them and editing them to achieve new tool !

for example in Maya we have Phong Material , But we don't know how it work and we can't change it , in the Houdini you can dive inside it's materials and you can create your own material very easily !

I working with Maya too and in my opinion If you are just a Lighting/Render man or your are a static modeling (Not Procedural and Parametric modeler) like modeling a car or character , then Maya is a good choice for you , Also Animating in Maya is so simple and handy .

But if you wanna be a TD man and you don't wanna be limit to your softwares and Plug-Ins , So I suggest you to learn Houdini too ,Maya and Houdini are a good team with together :wink: