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TOTAL DURATION: 2h 32m 07s

Learn how to use Chat GPT to create variation for a procedural signage asset. Start by creating content for the signage and then create the text, board and variations. The results will be wrapped up into a digital asset which you will prep for use in a game engine.

A quick overview of all the different parts of this lesson. Take a look at the steps you will be completing as you work through these videos.
Use Chat GPT to create a json file to create store names and other data. After the file is made, create a basic json importer in Houdini. This generates point cloud data and attributes that will be the foundation of the tool.
For previewing the data, create a setup for the store names. With a couple font nodes you can generate the text in 3D. Learn a few tricks to add and align the fonts together.
The signs also need a wooden frame. Create the base style for the model of the signs. This will show basic modelling skills in Houdini with a procedural approach.
Create more styles for the signs. This way it will make the output more interesting by having different looks for different types of stores. Here you can add your own ideas and make more styles so the tool has more choices.
With the base structure established, wrap up your network into a Houdini Digital Asset. This will create one node that can be used to quickly test and output different styles.
To prepare the asset for the game engine, a trimsheet approach is needed. This is a technique where basic strokes and shapes are baked in a texture. Then the UV will match these to give it more detail. This video will go over the making of the texture itself.
With the trim texture ready, it is going to be used to control how UV’s are placed. A custom setup will be made to measure different UV shells and map them to the best fitting parts of the trim texture.
For the final game ready approach, the text data needs to be baked into textures. The generated store names and slogans will be stored in a texture. From here a UV2 will be created to control which text will be shown in Unreal.
The last part will be about PDG task networks. This will show you how to expand and render all the variations of the models/HDA. If you are new to PDG, this will show a base PDG network for you to learn how they work.

CREATED BY

Simon_V
SIMON VERSTRAETE

Simon is a tech Artist that loves building procedural tools and assets. By adding more and more procedural approaches to his workflow, he is able to build 3D models with speed and flexibility. During his studies at Digital Arts and Entertainment, he taught himself how to work with Houdini. After his studies, he started working on Ary and the Secret of Seasons at eXiin. Currently he is a Houdini freelancer and focuses on creating procedural content.

More from Simon Verstraete

COMMENTS

  • vstevenson 1 year, 2 months ago  | 

    Thank you!!

    • fs1448312750 1 year, 1 month ago  | 

      I really want to learn the tutorial on the official website for the light sign creation tool, I'm really interested in it. Can you please tell me if you have any plans to share the lightboard tool in the near future. Thanks a lot.

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