With the Houdini 17 party still going, let’s have a look at a somewhat hidden gem in H17’s tools: The UV-Layout SOP. “Wait! I don’t care about ’em UVs!” you might say. We hear you, but they are not really the focus of this tutorial. The very same tech underpinning decent UV layouts can be hijacked and used to pack something other than UV Islands. That’s right, we’re talking geometry packing!


It took us a bit by surprise, but it makes sense: The UV-Layout SOP can decently pack any piece of geometry into a (2D) bounding region. Be aware however that any 3D object’s outline will be projected onto a flat plane and used for packing. So not true 3D packing but a 2.5D solution in a way.

PROJECT FILE

CREATED BY

Pixelkram
MORITZ SCHWIND

Still thinks “Space: 1999” is the coolest thing that ever happened on german TV. Be it pixels, hardware, code or cameras – if it’s interesting, Moritz is gonna take it apart. And sometimes even reassemble it. In his spare time he likes to dabble with code and create generative artwork. He claims his early exposure to QBasic is no help at all when working in Houdini, Cinema 4D, Processing or Arduino. But it might have been what started his fascination for the boundaries of code and art. When not wreaking havoc to any intriguing devices around him, he works as a freelance Art Director / Technical Director.

More from Moritz Schwind

COMMENTS

  • hubert3158 5 years, 8 months ago  | 

    Thanks

  • OmarWanis 5 years, 8 months ago  | 

    very nice, thanks!

  • Sergey Filin 2 years, 8 months ago  | 

    Thanks, Moritz! It's a really useful tutorial! Any tip on 3D packing besides simulation?

  • Hugo Depping 1 year, 9 months ago  | 

    Elegant trick using the UV for placement. Thanks, I learned some new things!

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