Hello friends!
Sorry for my English and my stupid questions. I want to understand(
I worked all my life in Maya and did not see anything else. But the moment has come - I'm looking for an alternative.
There are several questions:
- Are there any advantages of Houdini before Maya in terms of polymodeling (for the gaming industry)
- Does it make sense for me to study Houdini if I work in the gaming industry?
- tell me please what materials for a novice user? From which point is it best to start?
- How do I get an educational license for home schooling? Is there such a thing?

I just opened the program, but wanted to know from the professionals

Thank you

once again sorry

Don't look as it as an alternative but as an extra tool in your kit, and you will come out further.

The immediate workflow that youll get in maya you wont find quite the same inside of houdini.

However the second you need to do repetitive tasks, or anything where you can find a pattern.. then there is really no alternative to houdini.

Over at the foundry forum is a good Houdini doodle thread by a game artist who is showing his journey in learning houdini. Some really impressive stuff over there.

http://community.foundry.com/discuss/topic/123450/houdini-doodles-discussions [community.foundry.com]

Welcome AlexVovk to Wizard's world :-)
If you came from Maya it is normal that at first glance the things here is a little bit different… only a little.
When you start to modeling at first you are slow down because the interface need a little more mouse click but if you customize it you will have no problem.
To help you in your journey try to use Blender with Houdini it will be a good partner some weak parts on Houdini like sculpting and simple things you can do in Blender very well and export o Houdini.
Big things and complicate things will be easy in Houdini.
One important thing here is to know that you need to think a little different in order to unleash the Houdini power's called “procedural thinking” if you understand it a little you gain a lot of power and speedy.
Houdini have Apprentice version that have no cost and very small limitation after you get comfortable you have Houdini Indie.
In order to learn try to explore the site the learn path here at the top of the site is a good point to start.
Mr Rohan Dalvi made great movie in order to start in Houdini, at Pluralsight you have a good videos too.
Any thing you not understand came to the forums.
Have a nice day.

Thank you very much friends. I'll try to click on the icons yet))