Hi.
Me and three fellows are taking a longer look at Houdini. We have a common background: LightWave3D, but also individual backgrounds: XSI (me), MAX, Modo.

So for now we've set up a group in Skype and I would like to invite people that are also trasitioning to Houdini, that “mastered” their previous applications and now feel like a newbie all over again. The goal is to discuss about Houdini primarly, but any other applications workflows, as a good reference, are very welcome. But please no irrational fanboyism

I only ask:
- When you enter do present yourself: where are you coming from and what are you interested to explore in Houdini. Just so we don't fill up a room with anonymous people.
- You don't need to chat everyday all day, everyone is busy with chores and just learning Houdini on the side. But please do participate once in a while, so you don't look like a creeper

We're currently on skype, so you can access here: http://bit.ly/1OMNA9X [bit.ly]

Cheers

Slack > Skype. Anyday.

mantragora
Slack > Skype. Anyday.

Hi mantragora
Checked online to see differences, link [biz30.timedoctor.com]
Slack free seems to be limited and since we are all set up now, I think it willd be a pass.
But can you tell more why slack > skype. I've signed up and seems a bit more project oriented. Let me know why you like it so much.

Cheers

Once you start adding more and more users Skype starts to suck pretty bad.
You can have multiple channels on slack, just like on forum.

And you don't need any application to access Slack. You can do similar thing with Skype, if you own Outlook, which have built in Skype, but others have to download Skype.

Are you saying all that for free users? Are you a paying user. Won't be easy to tell my friends to move on to something else they don't know and now have to pay.

The no need to have another application I got it from the moment I signed in on slack.

Slack seems a bit more team project oriented than forum chat, no?
What has been your experience.

I keep making questions because, while this looks nice, I'm not very convinced about transitioning. I guess I would have to try it for myself with other people for a while. Skype is becoming a lemon indeed.

Cheers

If you need Video chat, then Skype is good. For anything other it just sucks.

-Easy image sharing. Just paste your link or even drop the image into the chat and Slack will automatically embed the image.
-Fast and powerful search. Trying to find that link someone posted about SVOGI last week? You can search by keyword, user, and time range. And it's fast as hell!
-Support for multiple channels. To keep the main chat from being too cluttered. You can also set up private channels if for example you're collaborating with someone on a contest.
-Accessible anywhere. Slack is originally a web app, but you can also download a desktop client, and an iOS or Android app.
-Integration for a wide range of services. Most importantly for us artists is Dropbox and Google Drive.
-Bots!
-And most important of all. Custom emoji.

All in free version.

What means more project oriented? It's a chat, you talk, everybody see it and can respond. You need private talk? Do a Direct Message.

If you want to try Slack with other people, there is a UnrealSlackers group https://forums.unrealengine.com/showthread.php?71341-Unreal-Slackers-The-unofficial-Slack-chat-for-Unreal-Engine-developers [forums.unrealengine.com], so you can join big community and test it.

Oh, and you can join multiple Slacks. So you can be on @nodeway slack, talk there, switch to @unrealSlackers, talk there, etc. Each of those have channels and private groups. Slack is more like always Online Forum.

Thank you for the added info and link! I'll check it out

BTW. This is how you can do search query on slack:
https://slack.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/202528808-Searching-in-Slack [slack.zendesk.com]

Nice. Thanks for the ref.

As a point of general interest, there is a small irc channel called #odforce on freenode.

Usually houdini or beer related discussion. mostly beer discussion tbh.

Cheers,

G

thanks for the IRC channel mention.
What is you name there keyframe?

probiner
thanks for the IRC channel mention.
What is you name there keyframe?

I try to use keyframe if its available. Something monkey related if its not.

G

Following matragora's suggestions I decided to give Slack a try.
Shows a lot of nice features: http://prntscr.com/8vxwk7 [prntscr.com]

To join, apply here:
http://tiny.cc/join_proceduraldojo [tiny.cc]

See you there

How about a Google Hangout?

Slack auto invite was broken. Working now!

jason_iversen
How about a Google Hangout?

Hi Jason.

Several reasons. Slack is new and neutral. You won't have people pushing others to their own comfort zone: Google, Skype (mine), IRC, etc. So it's new for everyone, runs on the browser by default, or you can get the desktop app or mobile app, etc. You can choose how.
The other is that I value being able to edit messages for a period of time. Very valuable for good communication. Avoids adding more lines to fix what could be fixed in the same line, allows to improve what you are trying to say (not everyone is native english speaker), etc etc. So NO-editing capability are a bit of deal breaker to me for hangouts, which I use everyday, but not for work or groupchat, just friends. Editing in Slack: http://i.imgur.com/mDsPEdf.png [i.imgur.com]


Give it a try! http://tiny.cc/join_proceduraldojo [tiny.cc]

jason_iversen
How about a Google Hangout?

On top of it, if you download DesktopApp you can easily switch between multiple Slacks, which are visible on left side bar, and show that there are direct messages awaiting for you.

So you can join @nodeway:
http://tinyurl.com/join-nodeway [tinyurl.com]

and @proceduraldojo:
http://tinyurl.com/join-proceduraldojo [tinyurl.com]

and not get lost, what where happens. Each of those slack may have different purpose, different channels and different private channels, that are available only for people that you want to be there.

So I may release tutorial and have private channel on @nodeway, on which people who have tutorial can easily chat and share without being bothered by people that don't have the tutorial.

Just joined, having never used slack before with initial impressions I'm impressed! It looks like a forum/IRC/chat room hybrid taking the best from each platform.