BabaJ
That aside, personally I would like to see less development on ready made tools and more on development that assists and improves the capacity for the tool making process itself.

look at the last releases there is so much with regards to this: compile blocks, node layout tools (scissors etc. ) background images in the node tree, …
Do i need to continue the list? I can if needed…

And i think H17 will again not disappoint us.

Perhaps I should have rephrased what I said to emphasize what I was thinking in the context of this thread….

“…That aside, IF I HAD TO MAKE A CHOICE,….”

Regarding the “too easy”, “cheat”:

This reminds me of the people - often your unsuccessful musician friend - that used to say how bands like Bon Jovi wrote “easy” and “cheap” songs, distortion/heavy effects on guitars were cheating and how all the members had no “real” skill - while those bands were drowning in women.

Other than that:

If grown men argue about free and optional things - it is best to just walk away.

The impression you have is the same impression I shared in the “learning curve” thread.
Just gotta remember that negative feedback is usually much more vocal than “whatever” and positive one. People who are okay with 3rd party solutions are not wasting time writing negative reactions, because they are okay.

Mostly, I guess me being new in the H party, I see the “get on my level” attitude from many people. Even in this thread in question. That is so bizarre.

Discuss if it is a sacrilege to use something from third parties in H, it is from children, everyone who uses what they want if it is easier for them. The talent in programming and in animation have in common to try to look for simplicity. Creativity comes from simplicity, Bon Jovi knew it. On the other hand I am convinced when Houdini becomes a standart tool, the plugins will be under the stones, and the discussion will be different.

BabaJ
Which is why I don't understand your post…no one is stopping you.

He could be an employee…

In my opinion many Houdini users love to think of theirselves as super humans, special guys, because they know this tool that is so powerful but hard to master. Knowing that everybody can use it with less effort is not acceptable
Instead I think taht tools like Mops would help a lot Houdini community …

glitchi
The impression you have is the same impression I shared in the “learning curve” thread.
Just gotta remember that negative feedback is usually much more vocal than “whatever” and positive one. People who are okay with 3rd party solutions are not wasting time writing negative reactions, because they are okay.

Mostly, I guess me being new in the H party, I see the “get on my level” attitude from many people. Even in this thread in question. That is so bizarre.

I remember in another thread, one guy asked for the rounded edge shader to be added to Houdini. Then, another guy said, just do it yourself. Lol. Others seemed to support this idea.
Whether you can do it yourself or not is not very helpful to new users coming from Modo (or the other apps that provide that shader out of the box). Not everyone has the technical know-how - nor do I expect the interest or time in building everything themselves, especially since those features are already available in other packages. Thankfully they added this feature in 16.5, but the point stands. Most would rather spend some money on another package and save that time, which is money that goes to the competition.

Software does not need to be difficult to use or learn just because you can do lots with it - this is simply basic usability design. I've also read in forums where some users say they would rather have them not focus on improving ease of entry or usability, and rather focus on new features - this makes zero sense from the very fundamentals of usability that you'll learn in like first year of undergraduate studies. Also, it seems like some of these comments or ideas come from people whom are not very experienced anyway - most mature and experienced users will have a more useful argument of whether or not you can or can not do or add something to Houdini and why or why not.

Anyway, I think if you ignore the trolls, you'll see that with H16 and H16.5 came huge improvements to usability (and even fun factor), so I'm giving SideFX the benefit of the doubt and I believe they will continue to improve the software in this regard. I personally would love to see them improve the interactive workflows a bit, since working with nodes has seen major improvements.

Cheers

One reason and example of the types of things I like to see improved/“fixed” and am glad the SideFX team pays attention too that helps making tools easier and faster:

Side Effects Support Ticket: #63209

Hello BabaJ,

Our developers comment:
Yep, this is ugly. Sometimes just @ will work to properly escape the @, but sometimes you may need more to escape due to translation layers.

Fortunately Houdini 17 has fixed this and @ will be protected by “” as one would expect.


All the best,
Hector
(ID# 90166)

—————-
In response to:
—————-
Bug Submission from BabaJ .
—
Version: 16.5.494
Category: vex
Platform: Win8
Severity: SEV4
Username: BabaJ
Summary: nearpoint vex function argument description
—

Hello,

I would like to make a request that either the nearpoint function can accept explicit attribute arguments, or the docs supply the additional knowledge of what to write for the unicode representation of the @ symbol for the ptgroup argument of the function.

For example, the docs say:
“…Can be a SOP-style group pattern such as 0-10 or @Cd.x>0.5”
if one was to use “@Cd.x>0.5”, it would fail. Instead it is necessary to do:

“x40Cd.x>0.5”

This seems a bit archaic and inconsistant with using expressions and attributes elsewhere in Houdini.

It is also hard to remember unless doing so frequently, depending on a number of web searches.

Although not necessary I've included a hip with a working version of the function with the above syntax.

this would pose the question, if you are against MOPs then are you against Direct Modeling HDA? I did not see the negative comments regarding the later. why would that be?

bobc4d
this would pose the question, if you are against MOPs then are you against Direct Modeling HDA? I did not see the negative comments regarding the later. why would that be?

I am probably wrong, but my theory is that even hardcore users realize that when it comes to modeling, Houdini is (at the moment) in pretty bad shape compared to the competition. Also, traditional modeling is for art nerds. If you're not creating geometry the real way (by coding it point by point), you are obviously not worthy.

If it was up to them, everyone would be creating animation this way:

I am probably wrong, but my theory is that even hardcore users realize that when it comes to modeling, Houdini is (at the moment) in pretty bad shape compared to the competition.

… same could be said for the competition being in pretty bad shape for FX.

If one has no problem with MOPs, Direct modelling HDAs…then there should be no problem in using a second, third, fourth , etc. piece of software to accomplish your goals, if the current software your using is not meeting your needs.

You'd have to qualify ‘modeling’…because I use to be a SolidWorks user and print 3D organic models.

I just recently did a job that took me about 30% more time to finish, compared to how long it would have taken in Solidworks.

But that 30% more time was for the most part, working out a tool for future projects.

My next job will take about the same amount of time as in SolidWorks. Not only that but because I spent time on the tool I'll be able to do complex models that I could not do in SolidWorks; due to it being a ‘black box’ type of software;

In other words, software that has all the tools for you…up until you run into that wall in which there isn't even a workaround let alone ability for you to make your tool to get the job done.

And at $300 vs. 6k…it's a nobrainer.

Mops seems like a goods thing. make a smile me.
Hope the minds behind continuum improve the tools.
It's like a flower.
The bad=bad comment show you how not to be, is easy follow the bad feeling if you feel empy.
If someone say The hater comment help you to be strong. It not to be like that, There some true in that but feel good is better than feel bad and feel bad Is always easy.
And if mops is easy meean bad? Its just the case the believe don't help you to push away you Creativity
Check a cg that can you make in a phone. Yes that you how powerfull is mops and houdini

Be fantastic
And make fantastic thing using Houdini, mops or other tools

Midphase
If you're not creating geometry the real way (by coding it point by point), you are obviously not worthy.

well duh

I was taking a bus recently and happened to tell my peer that I was making a procedural aVOP network for creating underlying base geometry, and then a nice lady from the 6th row asked me “Young man, should not you use VEX for that?”.

Speaking of having additional packages, I do use F360 on a daily basis and guess what - I feel good about this fact. Some people would eat a mashed potato soup with chopsticks and tell you “it ain't even half as bad as it looks, you should try it too”.

Sorry, but I just can not make myself take it seriously anymore, only mildly sad jokes from me in this post.

becouse when you use mops seem important but when speak out of the book seem trivial?
Or miss someone yesterday and ten year ago?

You comment seem like to cryptic, to me.

Well, I had no clue about this thread, the OP obviously didn't have SQUIRRELS enough to take it up with me personally, but my side of this is really simple. If I record a quicktip and link to it in the Facebook group and you come in and post “This is simpler to do with my plugin” - that makes you an immense UNICORN. Now, I have no issues with getting suggestions on how to do my stuff better - I even rerecorded that specific quicktip just because I got constructive feedback on it - but you promoting your stuff on my back, in the way you did it, no, that's amazingly FUNTIME rude, and if you don't understand that, well, as I said, you're just an APRICOT.

As for whining on my Patreon - dude, you are developing MOPs with Moritz of Entagma who posts a shitton of Patreon only stuff - I don't, I post stuff with 3-7 days delay, then I post everything openly - so if you have issues about Patreon, you should take that SHOE up with Moritz way before you whine about me - and just generally stay the FUNTIME away from me and what I do, I don't want anything to do with you, whatsoever.

Edited by forum admin. Thread locked. Thanks for playing.