Hi guys, I have a tricky question about the Houdini FX vs Core licences. I do understand the differences between the two licences, but on the Side FX website, there is a mention that isn't clear: "Houdini Core is ideal for modelers, lighters, character riggers and animators to use on its own or as a layout and lighting tool for visual effects created in Houdini FX."

Does that mean that I can buy a Core and a FX and render a FX scene on a Core licence ?
Does the Core version understand the FX scene, load it, and render it without the possibility to edit of course the content ?

Any clarification on the subject of what can render a Core version from a FX scene would be great, because it's not the same price...I do need to optimize the cost and i need to know if my core license can render a FX scene without changing the setup.

Thank you.

No help? :/

You should contact SideFX directly, this forum is primarily for users by users so if you're looking for an official answer this is not the best place to find one.

My take is that if your needs are Houdini FX, then you should get Houdini FX. I don't know if the two formats are interchangeable, for instance I know that if you open a file created in Apprentice on Houdini Indie, Houdini will down convert itself to Apprentice, so it stands to reason that the same would happen if you open a Houdini Core file in Houdini FX.

Thank you kays,
I contacted a resseller here in paris but he can't give me an answer..

You can open and render a scene created with an FX license, using Core. But you will not be able to edit, use, or cache geo from a DOPnet. The DOPnet will be greyed out when you open the scene with Core.

So if you have a single FX license, you can run simulations in DOPs with it and cache sim geo, then hand off the cached geo to your lighters using Core.

This is a common strategy studios use to save money, when only one or a few artists need to be using DOP networks.

Hi Loudsubs,
that's exactly what I was looking for as answers!! thank you very much.
Small studio like us, optimizes as we can )

You can also wrap up DOP networks into digital assets at the SOP or OBJ level and promote DOP parameters to the top level. These can be manipulated with a CORE license. Many of our new SOP level tools for vellum, rbd etc work this way.

FX is more for tool building or FX artists that need full control over everything.

The foundation guide has a description of this along with diagrams on page 46 and 44-45

https://media.sidefx.com/uploads/tutorial/foundations/houdini_foundation_overview_01.pdf [media.sidefx.com]

Great to know!! We bought our licenses and we will work this way. The foundation guide is great peace of informations..
Thank you Robert

Naim