Hi ALL…
I hope all of you have downloaded the houdini vtms from www.3dbuzz.com,
they are fantastic and really give you a huge leg up and will smooth your learning
curve no end.
I now have all of them, well over 14 hours of video…

If only SideFX would consider creating some new ones which simply give you
the common uses for the tools. That's what you get when you get a copy of
Softimage, plus a book. I really think SideFX needs to have a good look at
the way other vendors try to educate their customers, eg, you always get a manuat..
Even if I went down the road to get a ?’/$ 10 toaster, I'm sure to get a manual,
even if the toaster has only two buttons…

SORRY.. about that.

My local/UK vendor gave up on SideFX and now I'm a little stuck and it's starting
to hurt. That said, Escape is great. Will SideFX ever update their Site ? They still
indicate that Techimage are resellers of the houdini software line when they are not.

SideFX…..WAKE UP and LOOK AROUND. I need to feel a pulse..

Is anybody out there…?
Can anyone hear me…?

I really don't look forward to my license update sometime towards the end of this year,
I did email SideFX about the process, but no one replyed…

Is anyone there…
I don't want to pull out my copy of Foundation and all the Free training DVDs I also
got, but customer support is everything…So what if I could only afford Escape…

I feel better now…

Keep up the great work on the software, SideFX….
I'll never switch as long as I can feel a pulse…..

Enjoy….

That's so very right.
Sidefx, show other software users that they are loosing time on scripting

Peter

Hey Guys,

Well this has been one of my biggest concerns. I honestly don't even care if SIdeFX charges for the Learning Videos. Would gladly pay for a Production Series of DVD videos. Like a whole series of videos on SHOPS, VOPS, ROPS. Then another DVD on SOPS and OBJ. Another DVD on Rigging. Another on Character Animation and CHOPs and yet another DVD on Particles POPs/ SOP POPs. SOP POPs was pretty much covered in the 3D Buzz Videos anyhow. I mean you could charge like $50 or $100 a DVD. I don't care it would be far cheaper than hiring out a Houdini in house Trainer to make these learning Vidoes and then when they are finally finished train up the people on vidoes. I mean the trainer could very well run like $100,000 a year so that cost has to get added into the costs of the software. This is fine for large studios that will likely have a training person anyhow but for small studios this is a serious impact on their production capabilities. Also I will even take this time to point out something I have wanted to mention but COPs aka Houdini Halo is over priced with the advent of XSI Essentials 4.2 including the compositing package into their software for $2,000. Halo is $3,000 and does the same thing as their compositing package but you also get all the rest of XSI Essentials. So its really like getting Houdini Escape + Houdini Halo for $2,000. Houdini Escape is priced right and so is Select in my opinion. However I do think Houdini Halo should be packaged with Houdini Escape and Houdini Halo should be dropped down to like $1,000 or $1,500 and compete directly with after effects. Because lets face it After Effects has nothing on Houdini Halo and they could very well take that market.

Cheers,
Nate Nesler

You have hit the nail on the head, SideFX really need to re-evaluate their
production software and effective placement in the market/package.
I own Escape and when I look at what Alias and Softimage are offering
you really wonder how long SideFX will ignore the market trend.
Alias and Softimage offer their full particle system and character animation
tools in their lower end packages and Alias effer Soft and Rigid body
dynamics in Maya Complete. It's only a matter of time before Alias and
Softimage offer a deal that cannot be missed, I hope SideFX is ready to
counter that.

The other suggestion you made about about training DVD/materials is also
correct and well put, most if not all of us who love using Houdinii would
pay good money for training material, the problem now is that Houdini
as a package is getting more and more complicated, if SideFX do not
give users a chance to learn the package within a reasonable time frame,
users will simply not be able to take advantage of its power and simply
migrate to a package that offers better learning material and better
understanding of the package…
As they say, knowledge is power..
Therefore, POWER (Houdini) without knowledge is simply a waste of time…

Enjoy
Tom

Hey,

Well now you do have particles in your Escape they SOP POPs. As for comparing Houdini Particles Full Blown with Maya or Softimage you can't because at best Maya and Softimage are more like Houdini's SOP POPs. POPs Full Blown is unlike any other 3D Package. No one else has anything like it. You have to do alot of scripting in the other packages to what you can do graphically with Houdini with particles and you can do Houdini paritcles much faster. So I will disagree with putting the Full Particles into Escape. Although in the next release I would like to see a SOP DOPS. Yes your right about people migrating to Houdini if they can't learn it in a decent time frame. I have also heard of studios complaining about the Training up people to Houdini. I would also say that since Softimage does not support their XSI Foundation so their $500 package is going to be worthless to a studio if they can't get support but its great for freelancers. So for that reason alone Houdini Select's Pricing is fine because you can get support for it.

Cheers,
Nate Nesler

Softimage does not have a particle system even in advanced
They only use this name for something most strange and unfriendly (from birth to rendering) I've ever used
But still the price of houdini master is a bit overwhelming.

Peter

Hi..

I did not mean to imply to that SideFX should offer their full particle system
with Escape, I was making the comparison that Alias and Softimage offer their
full particle system with their lower end application, not a cut down version,
I simply wanted to indicate that the difference between their low end and top end
applications is a far more proportional and honest pricing mechanism.

As for Escape and the Particle Sop, yes, Escape does have the Particle Sop, it is
very powerfull, far more so than SideFX would like to advertise. I have found it
hard to impossible to find any information on its use, but the VTMs by 3DBuzz
show you just have powerfull it is and how the tools within POPs can be built
with a little time and effort. It appears to me that SideFX goes out of their to
discourage the use ot the Particle Sop as a particle solution as all their tutorials
are based on POPs, this lack of knowledge sharing to empower their customers
is a real issue for me. SideFX have numerous trainers in house, I would think
that by now someone has thought about supplying paying customers with the
information they need to get under the hood.

Back to Particles on Softimage, the fact is that, the particle system within
Softimage is actually quite good, it's powerfull enought for everyday use
and its quick to build. Why, because of the documentation they give you.
I know Houdini's particle system is untouchable, even the little publicised
Particle Sops.. But the truth is, as long as SideFX keep the power knowledge
to themself, Softimage, Alias, Newtek and the others will kill them and put
them into a niche market simply because, no one knows how to really use
the tools offered in their lower end solutions. Take a look at 3DWorld magazine
or any other CG Graphics publication, when was the last time you saw a
tutorial for Houdini, my goodness, the last time a looked at a CG software
roundup, I did not even Houdini….
If SideFX stay under the blanket they will be left in bed…

I know, I know…
I'm sure some houdini users like the feeling of using such an exotic package,
but as long as it stays exotic, so will the price and number of users…

Escape is seriouslly cool application and I would not swap it for any other
application, it seems to surpprise me every day, what seems to be a feature
to other applications is simply as tool…GREAT.
The more I learn, the more I want to use it….
So SidefFX need to make sure I keep learning by offering me up to date learning
material, NOT LEGACY MATERIAL…. Shame on them for that…
That is the sign of a lazy company, maybe they could update their website,
an active forum does not constitute as an upto date website….
I just want to know what is they are up to and what my favourite application
will look like and be capable of doing in the the next major release, is that too much to ask ?


Over but not out…
Tom

I totally agree with the views posted here in this thread…
Its good that sidefx is making some really good development in their softwares but they are leaving their users behind.
I wish sidefx would take this plea into consideration…
As a student I would not mind shelling out money if it means I can be better educated and know how to effieciently use the software…
Thanks

Once I heard some guy calling Houdini a sect.

Seems to be true, at least at some extent.

Funny, don't recall wearing any hoods…

Personally, I find *any* software tends to create religious fervour in those that have invested time in it. If Houdini is a sect, then Maya is a brainwashed legion of “me too!' people all wearing ”Hello - I am special“ badges.

That's not true, of course, but I think that's about as fair a comment.

As a member of this sect, however, I will say that the ”mothership"'s lack of updating the web site and providing up to date tutorials is…disturbing(insert best Vader breathing here…).

Cheers,

J.C.

Thanks for all of your comments and suggestions regarding learning DVDs, the web and our product pricing and positioning. It is always helpful to get feedback in these areas.

While we have been quiet lately this does not mean that we have been idle. The tutorials that ship with Houdini have been growing with each release and and the help card demo files, embedded in the documentation, offer great ways of learning by example. The Houdini Exchange (www.sidefx.com/exchange), which is currently in beta, provides another way of exploring Houdini workflows.

As for the web, our current web infrastructure needs updating to facilitate a more regular flow of content. This work is going on right now but I can't promise a particular date for its release. The updated site will provide more comprehensive information on our products and a strong focus on skill development within the Houdini and Apprentice communities. Just like our recent documentation changes, the initial focus is on a flexible and open infrastructure then content, content, content.

There are other things on the go which will be revealed in time but I just wanted to show a pulse and let you know that your loyalty and support mean everything to us.

PS - I am looking into the upgrade process for UK customers. It is most likely that we will contact you when your date gets closer but I will confirm this and let you know the details.