Hi Tom,
(Edge) Dissolve SOP will do the trick…
Example attached.
Tricky part is getting the edges to dissolve, but edge group options can take care of a lot of cases (and Carve to extract the cross sections sans primitives)
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Technical Discussion » Keep only looping edges
- AdamT
- 184 posts
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Work in Progress » New VFX Demo Reel 2014 (Sadjad Rabiee)
- AdamT
- 184 posts
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Houdini Indie and Apprentice » Houdini download form broken
- AdamT
- 184 posts
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Houdini Lounge » procedurally mountain texturing?
- AdamT
- 184 posts
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Hi Mikael
This is well suited to VOPs, and something I do a lot of these days, after spending a long time avoiding them.
There's no shelf tool equivalent for this though, and I'd suggest watching all the First Steps and Next Steps videos for starters if you're new… in particular to switch yourself on to the data side of Houdini.
Procedural textures are pretty straightforward, a cinch to access, and a really nice thing about VOPs is you can share a lot of what you build between the geometry and material contexts, which lets you do some very cool stuff that's hard to achieve in many other packages, especially if you're rendering with Mantra.
This is well suited to VOPs, and something I do a lot of these days, after spending a long time avoiding them.
There's no shelf tool equivalent for this though, and I'd suggest watching all the First Steps and Next Steps videos for starters if you're new… in particular to switch yourself on to the data side of Houdini.
Procedural textures are pretty straightforward, a cinch to access, and a really nice thing about VOPs is you can share a lot of what you build between the geometry and material contexts, which lets you do some very cool stuff that's hard to achieve in many other packages, especially if you're rendering with Mantra.
Technical Discussion » subnet (digital asset): more out connections
- AdamT
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Yep that's right.
Object Merge's pointing to the NULL Sops that you want to import from your source DA.
Object Merge's pointing to the NULL Sops that you want to import from your source DA.
Technical Discussion » issue rendering Wireframe sop
- AdamT
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Ah, I did try a mantra render but turned off Preview (habit) so it didn't screw up.
I never realised they gave different results under Micropoly & Raytrace… nice lesson learned.
Edit:
Ok so I went back to H12.5 and sure enough it's running Raytrace in Preview - and the results are indeed different. Raytrace in H12.5 renders them the same as Micropoly.
Bug it?
I never realised they gave different results under Micropoly & Raytrace… nice lesson learned.
Edit:
Ok so I went back to H12.5 and sure enough it's running Raytrace in Preview - and the results are indeed different. Raytrace in H12.5 renders them the same as Micropoly.
Bug it?
Technical Discussion » subnet (digital asset): more out connections
- AdamT
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Hi Matt
You can only have a single out path on a node: Display node, which is also the first to cook.
A couple of obvious options here are:
1. Parametrize and/or group the separate data, merge it on it's way out and filter it in the next node.
2. Object Import the separate geometry & polyline branches to the nodes that need them (not dependent on the Display flag).
(all to the best of my experience anyway)
You can only have a single out path on a node: Display node, which is also the first to cook.
A couple of obvious options here are:
1. Parametrize and/or group the separate data, merge it on it's way out and filter it in the next node.
2. Object Import the separate geometry & polyline branches to the nodes that need them (not dependent on the Display flag).
(all to the best of my experience anyway)
Houdini Indie and Apprentice » Noobie whats to spin at 250 RPM!
- AdamT
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I think a lot of folks are just busy a lot - there aren't many zillion post users in the forum, but when they are about they're extremely helpful - sometimes to the point of doing your job for you so don't fear about engagement.
Re learning the ropes, I don't think I've seen a tutorial yet that hasn't been informative in some way, even if it's just affirming things I thought already, or showing another way of doing something that I already do a lot myself.
If you're dead set on learning Houdini, cmivfx.com have a lot of material and regular 40-60% off sales, or an all-you-can-eat subscription. Video quality could be better (this may just be my location) and it's not all current…seems to go back to H11… but the tutorials are a decent length (up to 8+ hours) and you can absorb a lot of core knowledge and techniques from them, which I think is usually more important than a simple “how do you do that”.
Enjoy anyway…the fun never ends with Houdini, which is probably the real reason nobody's posting!
Re learning the ropes, I don't think I've seen a tutorial yet that hasn't been informative in some way, even if it's just affirming things I thought already, or showing another way of doing something that I already do a lot myself.
If you're dead set on learning Houdini, cmivfx.com have a lot of material and regular 40-60% off sales, or an all-you-can-eat subscription. Video quality could be better (this may just be my location) and it's not all current…seems to go back to H11… but the tutorials are a decent length (up to 8+ hours) and you can absorb a lot of core knowledge and techniques from them, which I think is usually more important than a simple “how do you do that”.
Enjoy anyway…the fun never ends with Houdini, which is probably the real reason nobody's posting!
Technical Discussion » question about shadows and surfaces
- AdamT
- 184 posts
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Hey Vincent,
I was after something similar last week, this sorted me out:
http://forums.odforce.net/topic/14704-how-to-not-receive-shadows/ [forums.odforce.net]
I didn't need it in the end/my case, but the bottom answer (Surface Model) might be what you need?
I was after something similar last week, this sorted me out:
http://forums.odforce.net/topic/14704-how-to-not-receive-shadows/ [forums.odforce.net]
I didn't need it in the end/my case, but the bottom answer (Surface Model) might be what you need?
Technical Discussion » issue rendering Wireframe sop
- AdamT
- 184 posts
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Hi Greg,
These actually look identical in H12.5 and H13 here (see screenshot). I'm guessing you've tried the latest production build?
These actually look identical in H12.5 and H13 here (see screenshot). I'm guessing you've tried the latest production build?
Houdini Learning Materials » Houdini to Maya Export
- AdamT
- 184 posts
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Sounds like there are no vertex UVs. Houdini allows you to use Points for UVs, but these are internal to Houdini. You'll want to use an AttribPromote to move them to Vertex class (or assign them to Vertex when you create them).
Houdini Lounge » Xeon & Tesla advice
- AdamT
- 184 posts
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Thanks tricecold,
Yeah I've gone with 128GB, and a second SSD for caching. My i7's motherboard only supports 24GB and I burned myself a couple times recently with massive VM usage - the last was 66GB, from wiring up a fur HDA to the wrong input. Costly fumble :p
I don't use Bullet so much, most of my FX are atmospherics, so that may be less of an issue, though I do more modelling than anything and not everything is threaded yet (PolyReduce SOP, 10% CPU usage ouch), so something to sleep on.
It was so much simpler in the old days.
Cheers!
Yeah I've gone with 128GB, and a second SSD for caching. My i7's motherboard only supports 24GB and I burned myself a couple times recently with massive VM usage - the last was 66GB, from wiring up a fur HDA to the wrong input. Costly fumble :p
I don't use Bullet so much, most of my FX are atmospherics, so that may be less of an issue, though I do more modelling than anything and not everything is threaded yet (PolyReduce SOP, 10% CPU usage ouch), so something to sleep on.
It was so much simpler in the old days.
Cheers!
Houdini Indie and Apprentice » houdini animation to unity
- AdamT
- 184 posts
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Houdini Lounge » Xeon & Tesla advice
- AdamT
- 184 posts
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It's time for one of those threads again.
I'm building a workstation. I'm not building an i7, I already have one of those and while it's nice for general tasks it's not really cut out for heavy lifting.
I'm looking at three cpus, the prices are fine it's only a question of what will respond better in Houdini. I'm considering the 2690 only because the 12-core is currently hard to come by… but either way, are the 2|4 extra cores worth the drop in Ghz? Does Houdini today (and I guess for the foreseeable future) prefer burst activity or more cores?
2x E5-2690 v2, 10 core 3Ghz, 20MB Cache
2x E5-2687 v2, 8 core 3.4Ghz, 25MB Cache
2x E5-2967 v2, 12 core 2.7Ghz, 30MB Cache
The other question is about GPUs - I don't actually do as much sim work as modelling/lighting & render work, but when I do it's usually a very sharp bottleneck. My jobs are all very quick turnaround affairs so the less time I'm sat watching paint dry the less money I'm losing, ergo I don't mind spending on the right tools, but I don't want to flush cash down the drain either.
Is there any benefit to having a 12GB K40 Tesla - can I reasonably expect it to generously outperform dual Xeons? Or for that matter, a Titan (though 6BG is very limiting)?
I have a K5000 in my i7 X980 and was considering a K6000 for the new machine - does that improve (or even reduce) the practicality of having a Tesla? Is having a true Maximus setup worthwhile? I've heard the term bridge, but I can't find any decent explanation of this - I assume Maximus can't pool GPUs & RAM so why is it worth having both? (and even whatever, it's the Houdini support that matters).
Altenatively I could probably build a small render farm, but I work SOHO and I don't think my wife's very impressed by my existing collection of computers as is. :-)
Any thoughts?
I'm building a workstation. I'm not building an i7, I already have one of those and while it's nice for general tasks it's not really cut out for heavy lifting.
I'm looking at three cpus, the prices are fine it's only a question of what will respond better in Houdini. I'm considering the 2690 only because the 12-core is currently hard to come by… but either way, are the 2|4 extra cores worth the drop in Ghz? Does Houdini today (and I guess for the foreseeable future) prefer burst activity or more cores?
2x E5-2690 v2, 10 core 3Ghz, 20MB Cache
2x E5-2687 v2, 8 core 3.4Ghz, 25MB Cache
2x E5-2967 v2, 12 core 2.7Ghz, 30MB Cache
The other question is about GPUs - I don't actually do as much sim work as modelling/lighting & render work, but when I do it's usually a very sharp bottleneck. My jobs are all very quick turnaround affairs so the less time I'm sat watching paint dry the less money I'm losing, ergo I don't mind spending on the right tools, but I don't want to flush cash down the drain either.
Is there any benefit to having a 12GB K40 Tesla - can I reasonably expect it to generously outperform dual Xeons? Or for that matter, a Titan (though 6BG is very limiting)?
I have a K5000 in my i7 X980 and was considering a K6000 for the new machine - does that improve (or even reduce) the practicality of having a Tesla? Is having a true Maximus setup worthwhile? I've heard the term bridge, but I can't find any decent explanation of this - I assume Maximus can't pool GPUs & RAM so why is it worth having both? (and even whatever, it's the Houdini support that matters).
Altenatively I could probably build a small render farm, but I work SOHO and I don't think my wife's very impressed by my existing collection of computers as is. :-)
Any thoughts?
Houdini Lounge » Asset Browser for own projects
- AdamT
- 184 posts
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I recall a thread, may have been last year on OD|Force, where (I think it was Jeff/old school) was talking about the Material Gallery implementation and how it could be suitable or interesting to open up for other things such as a DA browser with renderable thumbnails.
Can't remember if he was saying it was possible now, or a future possibility but it would be a nice feature I agree.
Can't remember if he was saying it was possible now, or a future possibility but it would be a nice feature I agree.
Houdini Lounge » Polygon reduction / decimation?
- AdamT
- 184 posts
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Remesh and Polyreduce won't result in a parametric geometry (as NURBS surfaces) - they output polygon geometry.
This may be possible with T-Splines (so I've heard people say anyway, I've never looked at them myself). Autodesk Fusion and Rhino (with a plugin) are the only applications I know of that support them. AFAIK they're patented by Autodesk… acquired by, not invented by of course.
Alternatively ZBrush's remesh tools are excellent. Still poly data, but much cleaner and more suitable for resurfacing by hand if you're starting with high res geo.
This may be possible with T-Splines (so I've heard people say anyway, I've never looked at them myself). Autodesk Fusion and Rhino (with a plugin) are the only applications I know of that support them. AFAIK they're patented by Autodesk… acquired by, not invented by of course.
Alternatively ZBrush's remesh tools are excellent. Still poly data, but much cleaner and more suitable for resurfacing by hand if you're starting with high res geo.
Houdini Indie and Apprentice » Return apprentice license?
- AdamT
- 184 posts
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Same situation, but I may still want to be able to run my old Apprentice HD projects, preferably in HD mode - I understand opening a hipnc in FX will run in ‘basic’ Apprentice mode?
Can I install the HD keys on another computer on the network and simply Change License Server from hkey when I want to run in HD mode? Or does this require a LAN license (which I wouldn't imagine works with Apprentice anyway)?
Also, I recall there used to be a one-time offer of converting hipnc files to hip…does that still exist?
Edit: Got the answers to both of these .. .hipnc's will actually open in HD mode if the HD keys are present (this is could be clarified in the FAQs, which say otherwise), Houdini simply falls back to those if you open an Apprentice file, and the hipnc conversion offer is explained at the bottom of the Apprentice product page.
Can I install the HD keys on another computer on the network and simply Change License Server from hkey when I want to run in HD mode? Or does this require a LAN license (which I wouldn't imagine works with Apprentice anyway)?
Also, I recall there used to be a one-time offer of converting hipnc files to hip…does that still exist?
Edit: Got the answers to both of these .. .hipnc's will actually open in HD mode if the HD keys are present (this is could be clarified in the FAQs, which say otherwise), Houdini simply falls back to those if you open an Apprentice file, and the hipnc conversion offer is explained at the bottom of the Apprentice product page.
Technical Discussion » Shader View cam1 errors
- AdamT
- 184 posts
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I'm getting console spam when opening a Shader View:
cam1 OP_Parameters::evalIntT(): Invalid parameter name trange
The shaders are rendering correctly in the view, but every time the view is initialised (selecting another material/shader or compiling a change) it spams the same error.
Shader View has no camera obviously… any clues?
Cheers
cam1 OP_Parameters::evalIntT(): Invalid parameter name trange
The shaders are rendering correctly in the view, but every time the view is initialised (selecting another material/shader or compiling a change) it spams the same error.
Shader View has no camera obviously… any clues?
Cheers
Houdini Lounge » FBX Export questions - caveats & things to know
- AdamT
- 184 posts
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Thanks guys.
I've not had crash issues importing FBX files (I can test that much at least), so it may be specific to content. Really it's the outgoing stuff I'm most interested in - Alembic may be fine with Maya, but not an option for Max (not upgraded since 2013, trying to “get away” from it) …not sure about Modo, I'll have to look into that but it's bit of a special case anyway.
FBX 2014 is fine - most of our pipeline is still 2012/2013, though that'll move to 2015 towards the end of the year.
I've not had crash issues importing FBX files (I can test that much at least), so it may be specific to content. Really it's the outgoing stuff I'm most interested in - Alembic may be fine with Maya, but not an option for Max (not upgraded since 2013, trying to “get away” from it) …not sure about Modo, I'll have to look into that but it's bit of a special case anyway.
FBX 2014 is fine - most of our pipeline is still 2012/2013, though that'll move to 2015 towards the end of the year.
Houdini Lounge » FBX Export questions - caveats & things to know
- AdamT
- 184 posts
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Hey folks,
I'm just about (finally!) ready to upgrade from Apprentice HD to FX.
There's just one grey area that I've obviously never been able to test, but is crucial to my day job - FBX Export.
Over the years I've read stories and mention of issues with exporting materials (types/channels), vertex normals (vert/edge smoothing groups), animation rigs, skinning, custom attributes, and so forth.
I realise no application outside of AD handles FBX as well as AD native applications, but I'm hoping Houdini does better than most, because …well, it's Houdini.
So, how do things stand with H13?
Which FBX Exporter versions are supported?
Is there anything I should know, or any tips, for working between H13<>Max<>Maya (and UE4 & Unity if anyone else is working on those platforms)?
I'm guessing there are no showstoppers, as I know there's more than a few lurkers here also working in game studios.
Cheers!
I'm just about (finally!) ready to upgrade from Apprentice HD to FX.
There's just one grey area that I've obviously never been able to test, but is crucial to my day job - FBX Export.
Over the years I've read stories and mention of issues with exporting materials (types/channels), vertex normals (vert/edge smoothing groups), animation rigs, skinning, custom attributes, and so forth.
I realise no application outside of AD handles FBX as well as AD native applications, but I'm hoping Houdini does better than most, because …well, it's Houdini.
So, how do things stand with H13?
Which FBX Exporter versions are supported?
Is there anything I should know, or any tips, for working between H13<>Max<>Maya (and UE4 & Unity if anyone else is working on those platforms)?
I'm guessing there are no showstoppers, as I know there's more than a few lurkers here also working in game studios.
Cheers!
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