NOTE: This page applies up to version Houdini 17.5 - for Houdini 18, please visit https://www.sidefx.com/tutorials/sidefx-labs-installation/


In this video we will be looking at the different ways to install the Game Development Toolset provided by SideFX. The Game Development Toolset is a series of tools designed to assist the workflow of mainly, but not exclusively Game Developers. It contains Shelves, Digital Assets, Custom Desktops and Scripts.

There are three main ways to install the toolset:

  1. Automatic (16.5+)
  2. Manual
  3. Manual Custom

GAME DEV TOOLSET OVERVIEW

CREATED BY

Ambrosiussen
PAUL AMBROSIUSSEN

Paul Ambrosiussen is currently a Technical Artist at Bismuth Consultancy. He was the Lead of the Labs initiative at SideFX before that. Paul finished his BASc in International Game Architecture and Design at NHTV University of Applied Sciences in Breda. Paul enjoys writing tools to support effective art-pipelines, and maintaining tool / workflow quality for the artists he is assisting. His goal is to help others create amazing things in a better, faster and more flexible way. He creates tutorials, gives live lectures, attends events, and presents custom workshops to customers.

More from Paul Ambrosiussen

COMMENTS

  • kamaur01 6 years, 9 months ago  | 

    Awesome, thanks for creating this.

  • FoehnGallet 6 years, 6 months ago  | 

    Hi,

    I've been trying to install this for a bit using automatic and manual methods but appart from the GameDev Impostor Camera, none of the nodes show up in my Houdini, whatever I do.
    I have an apprentice non commercial license but I was told it wouldn't be a problem.
    I have Q-Lib but I tried uninstalling it to install the Gamedev Toolset to no avail.
    And finally, I can't find anyone with the same problem =/

    Can someone tell what I'm doing wrong ?

    • Ambrosiussen 6 years, 6 months ago  | 

      Hey,

      It sounds like you are on /obj level, which is where only the impostor camera can be made.
      Try creating a geometry node, and dive inside. Once there, you will find the tools I think you're looking for! :)

      Cheers

      • FoehnGallet 6 years, 6 months ago  | 

        I was convinced it was the first thing I'd tried since I'd been following the Guard Tower tutorial on making a wood wall and that what he does but I guess I goofed up. Anyway. It works.

        Thanks =)

  • Izwikeutfff 5 years, 8 months ago  | 

    Hi,
    I use Houdini 17.5 and I Don't find the game development toolset… I would like to use flowmap node. Can you help me please ?

    • Ambrosiussen 5 years, 7 months ago  | 

      Did you follow the steps in the video? It works the exact same in 17.5! :)

      • Izwikeutfff 5 years, 7 months ago  | 

        I will try again, thanks for your reply :)

  • moonlime 5 years, 6 months ago  | 

    I'm on 17.5 but I cannot get Zbrush to recognize a path to Houdini. I have the game dev toolset installed, the GoZ bridge is active, I have tried both import and export GoZ nodes in a geometry object but Zbrush simply will not recognize it. It keeps searching for Maya, photoshop and Cinema 4D but doesn't see Houdini.

    How do I make it connect to Houdini?

    • moonlime 5 years, 6 months ago  | 

      Also, in the error log when I attempt to export to Zbrush, it seems to be looking for a windows path starting with "C:\\." I'm on MacOS

      Traceback (most recent call last):
      File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
      File "opdef:/gamedev::Sop/sop_goz_export?PythonModule", line 71, in export
      File "opdef:/gamedev::Sop/sop_goz_export?PythonModule", line 44, in write_object_path
      IOError: (2, 'No such file or directory', 'C:\\Users\\Public\\Pixologic\\GoZBrush/GoZ_ObjectList.txt')

  • davide445 5 years, 2 months ago  | 

    The nodes that export fbx such as Terrain Mesh are available under Apprentice?

    • davide445 5 years, 2 months ago  | 

      Can answer by myself: no, they are working only on Indie and More.

  • KonstF 5 years, 1 month ago  | 

    someone can describe the installation in more detail on Mac OS?

  • tbvjwodn2 5 years ago  | 

    I've updated my houdini to 18.0.274. and it is missing the game developement toolkit for auto installation.
    I had it when i was using 17.5

    i am not sure why?

    • vagos27 5 years ago  | 

      I have same problem. And custom installation does not work too.

  • gasanoff 5 years ago  | 

    Gamedev tools were renamed to SideFX labs
    https://www.sidefx.com/forum/topic/70854/
    https://www.sidefx.com/tutorials/sidefx-labs-installation/

  • Jferguson84 4 years, 12 months ago  | 

    can I get this for houdini 18

  • ttpetra 4 years, 8 months ago  | 

    There is no substance in the game dev tool in houdini 17.5. i have tried both the automatic and manual process. same results
    Please help

  • juneleung 4 years, 7 months ago  | 

    Hi, I try to use it in H17.5 on win. I created a "cop2net1"node next to the object in"geo" ,and created a "sbs_archive"node under"cop2net1". then I tried to link cop2net in material node but I didn't work? how can I use it in H 17.5, Thk you?

  • HammerHeadCat 4 years, 6 months ago  | 

    lol "a button you can press in Houdini" Where is this button?

  • tfau 4 years, 6 months ago  | 

    @HammerHeadCat agreed.. Clueless in 18 :/ this tutorial needs an urgent update

  • hurma 4 years, 5 months ago  | 

    Hello, I am very new to Houdini, installed SideFXlabs but still don't see the shining converter.

    • hurma 4 years, 5 months ago  | 

      skinning converter*

  • montoyland 4 years, 3 months ago  | 

    You should specify that the GameDevToolset is Windows only.

    I am on a Mac, and after following the installation instructions to the letter (several times) and still being unsuccessful at getting the GoZ SOP to work, I dove into the digital asset, only to discover that on the line 5 of the GoZBrushToHoudini.py file, the "ZBRUSH_DIR" variable has been hard-coded to "C:\Users\Public\Pixologic\GoZBrush".

    I tried to change it to something that may make sense on a Mac, but it fails nevertheless, as it seems there are key Windows-only bat files that are part of the HDA, such as "GoZEditHoudini.bat" and "GoZLocateHoudini.bat".

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