I was reading up on this new RBD plugin for Nuke based on bullet
http://lesterbanks.com/2012/08/j_ops-updates-with-rigid-body-physics-for-nuke/ [lesterbanks.com]

along with new Nuke modeling tools:

http://www.thefoundry.co.uk/articles/2010/12/20/195/nuke-and-nukex-62-now-shipping/ [thefoundry.co.uk]

Seems like Nuke is creeping up on Houdini. Not to mention the Luxology merger.

Would love to see SESI fire back with a full blown built in compositor in Houdini based on COPs. Enhanced modeling and UV/texturing would help too.

What do you guys think?

i dont think cops could ever compete with nuke, nor would i want for sesi to spend their time trying to do that. it would be nice for the uving to get a little attention though, it could be a totally usable system. also i dont really see nuke ever becoming somebody's go to modeler or rbd simulator. i'm more concerned about how the possible integration of naiad into a new supramaya would effect houdini. maya is cheaper, more used and already has good modeling and uving.

Maya is about the same price, maybe even more expensive, and Houdini comes with an upgrade plan free of charge. Liquids aren't everything, Naiad is great, but I think in the next version of Houdini FLIP could be better, the workflow is far superior in Houdini, and this shows when trying to make big effects with lots of custom things. Now as for Nuke catching up? No way, not for another 10 years, by than hopefully Houdini will rule the market.

no, houdini is far more expensive than maya, and houdini's upgrade plan is not free. http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=385&Itemid=190 [sidefx.com]

the next version of flip could definitely be better, i am not arguing that. the fact that most studios already have a maya pipeline though, one that could now include an industry proven flip fluid simulator, would make the choice to try and integrate houdini into their pipeline harder.

its not that i like this either. i absolutely love houdini. hardcore houdini fan boy in fact. i would love for more studios to use it. ive already gotten a large amount of kids at my school to use houdini for everything from personal projects to entire student films instead of maya. but i do think that autodesks purchase of exotic matter wasnt exactly beneficial to us.

I would not worry about Naiad that much. As mentioned above, flip fluids is only one aspect.

What will have a much bigger impact is when openvdb is completely implemented in Houdini ( a lot of that should be in the next version, or you can already compile it right now): http://www.openvdb.org/ [openvdb.org]

Those volume tools are multi-functional: fluids, volumetric modeling and filtering, meshing, volumetric fracturing, fast io.

Besides that there are some other reasons which I have mentioned here:
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showpost.php?p=7241540&postcount=17 [forums.cgsociety.org]


Nuke already has particles, so basic dynamics and modeling tools will help for quick fixes or small additions…. and to be fair, I'd rather spend my time doing the complex challenging fx, instead of adding minor bits of debris. (Because a big part of destruction is controlling the shape of the pieces, triggering the glue constraints, adding secondary particles and debris… good luck to them trying to set all that up in Nuke… therefore it will most likely be restricted to small scale additional debris). Also think about how much more compositors will need to know. It won't just be about 2d anymore, the more 3d will implemented in Nuke, the better their understanding of 3d needs to be too.

Also I like using nuke for my fxcomps. It is nice to have a separation between packages. That way you can hand off the images to someone else along with the nuke script of the fxcomp if they chose to use it. Imagine handing a compositor your Houdini scene, they might get a little confused.

z3r0
Would love to see SESI fire back with a full blown built in compositor in Houdini based on COPs. Enhanced modeling and UV/texturing would help too.

What do you guys think?

Yep doit. 2D is an important part of the process and the 2D tools/viewports in Houdini are still behaving like scripted prototypes after so many years.

zdimaria
no, houdini is far more expensive than maya, and houdini's upgrade plan is not free. http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=385&Itemid=190 [sidefx.com]

the next version of flip could definitely be better, i am not arguing that. the fact that most studios already have a maya pipeline though, one that could now include an industry proven flip fluid simulator, would make the choice to try and integrate houdini into their pipeline harder.

its not that i like this either. i absolutely love houdini. hardcore houdini fan boy in fact. i would love for more studios to use it. ive already gotten a large amount of kids at my school to use houdini for everything from personal projects to entire student films instead of maya. but i do think that autodesks purchase of exotic matter wasnt exactly beneficial to us.

I'm sorry but, 5199 for maya, 4,995 for Houdini. Unless I'm missing the licensing differences?

It does include the upgrade plan as well: https://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_purchase&Itemid=234 [sidefx.com]

im seeing 3675 for maya, http://store.autodesk.com/DRHM/store [store.autodesk.com]

and was looking at houdini for a studio seat here https://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=385&Itemid=190 [sidefx.com] , with a single user node locked license with dynamics at 4495 and annual upgrade is 2495. although, through your link, there is one free included upgrade. for a not node locked license that a studio would purchase though, that jumps to 7k and 4k, with no free upgrade. also im just no seeing where you see maya going for 5199

zdimaria
..for a not node locked license that a studio would purchase though, that jumps to 7k and 4k, with no free upgrade.

The first year of the annual upgrade plan is included with all new Houdini or Houdini FX licenses including the floating licenses.

my bad. perhaps the pricing page could be updated to reflect this? i am not buying a license anytime soon, but feel like that is a big positive thing to make sure is known

In Australia 5195, and Houdini's a bit over 5 when converted to aussie.

Actually 200 under 5.

any discussion of Houdini pricing has to include the fact that you don't need to buy any third party plugins (which in max and Maya can add up to $1000's)
and you can build your own tools both in the HDK and right in the app -> otls
and there is FAR less scripting needed - which saves on artist time and the expense of maintaining a large code lib…

short term cost vs. long term savings are an important consideration for most studios…

arctor
any discussion of Houdini pricing has to include the fact that you don't need to buy any third party plugins (which in max and Maya can add up to $1000's)
and you can build your own tools both in the HDK and right in the app -> otls
and there is FAR less scripting needed - which saves on artist time and the expense of maintaining a large code lib…

short term cost vs. long term savings are an important consideration for most studios…

And Orbolt…