That is quite a cool rig you are aiming for.

I think it's awesome that you are focussing on modeling and rigging, but I'm not sure how high the demand in industry is. If you link your rigging and modeling skills to effects work, that would become a really strong combination. As a houdini Td you would be able to bring a whole bunch of modeling and rigging solutions to effects problems.

Still, considering the autorig exists for humans and houdini is still not used that much for rigging in general, you might want to prioritise your time and learn how to blow things up - if you feel that side of your skillset is lacking.

I think in regards to getting hired, aim for a Td job -both in terms of skillset as well as presentation of your showreel, because if you were to fall to your backup and want to be a modeller, then have a look at some of the things at z-brush central. Those are some insane models you would have to compete with.

Tool building, rigging and then dynamics on top… that's definitely td work. Building a tool that makes an entire buggy (or even a procedural buggy? -> 4/6/8/10 wheels, higher/lower suspension ), completely rigged and ready to ride, that is impressive.

My “secret” project is going, slowly but surely… have a read. Soon I'll have internet at home again (just moved to new flat). And then I will start making/uploading some images again.
http://forums.odforce.net/index.php?/topic/11282-possible-sprite-with-delay-load/page__view__findpost__p__72172 [forums.odforce.net]

–> If you actually make a buggy completely rigged and you are willing to lend me your tool, I'll see if I can get 1000 buggy's riding around. Or you could use mine as soon as I release it and try it yourself .

Good luck with it and definitely keep posting, it's interesting to see your progress - and it's good advertising for your skills !

Any updates to this lately? I'm dying to see where it goes. I'm all thumbs when it comes to modeling in Houdini.

You have to wait till bein of next month.

I'v taken a little brake this month from it and practiced a little programming. I wan't to build converter between Realflow and Houdini myself. Right now I got library of classes that can read RF mesh .bin and next step is to build reader for bgeo and geo and make mediator class that will convert from one format to other.

Before I move to coding Bgeo I will work on this model. Just started to work on main body of the engine.

lor
Any updates to this lately? I'm dying to see where it goes. I'm all thumbs when it comes to modeling in Houdini.

Hey lor,

maybe it's not a fur but this update is specially for you. Hug .


It's a brake pedal with power brake booster. I'v made a mistake. It's a vacum booster while I should mount hydraulic version, but in this project it will work as hydraulic .
Also added some pieces to engine.

Now pedal assembly is fully build. I don't know how it works. Do I have to still ad springs to pedals or they only need pressure from boosters ?. I don't know. I will investigate this later.

Really nice.

What happend with…

Swann_
, I wasn't planing such a detailing modeling. Just doing fast model to learn rigging but anyway thanks for tip.

Some people here and on 3d buzz suggested that it's really good start BUT you could thighten it a little because now it a little bloby, or you could add some weldings… After that I just couldn't stop. And yeah, once again, thank for tips guys.

I'm looking forward to see the rig. I saw the Manitou buggy rig on youtube and that made think about doing one myself. But I'm not so experienced with technical rigging…that rig seems very very good and complex to make (I'm just thinking about the terrain follow, deforming tires, obstacles which seems very complicated to setup)
If do rig the buggy, maybe you can post the hips so we can see how you did it. It would be very nice.
Good luck with the rig !

Small update:
http://vimeo.com/29234304 [vimeo.com]
http://vimeo.com/29342459 [vimeo.com]

Be sure to check my other projects:

Hexapod Phoenix:
http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_forum&Itemid=172&page=viewtopic&t=23264 [sidefx.com]

Robocop 2:
http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_forum&Itemid=172&page=viewtopic&p=108099#108099 [sidefx.com]

Cool. I apparently have one of those in the shaft drive of my motorcycle. Always wondered how it worked!

Swann_
Small update:
http://vimeo.com/29234304 [vimeo.com]

@Swann: this is great modelling. I'd like to ask what sort of approach do you do when you chamfer surfaces together? Do those pieces even share the same topology? And how procedural do you get?

For example, in a hard-surface model I was making, I use a lot of cookies to find the creases, and use an HDA to create a crude kind of chamfer. Procedurally, this worked well because I could always move the pieces and the chamfer would move along with it.

Last question: do you use NURBS at all?