Ever wanted to own Houdini...
http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1002&Itemid=66
:)
Cool. Thanks.
If only I had more time to learn one more package. ;D
If only it ran on Mac... :(.
No Mac? Bummer. :( and i might want a Mac.
This is a tempting offer and a real good one at that. Houdini has so much procedural nodal power inside it when i demoed it.
If you're interested in mac support for Houdini you can add your voice to this thread - http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_forum&Itemid=172&page=viewtopic&t=1969
If you've never used Houdini before and fancy taking a look, Digital Tutors have started to release some free introductory Houdini training videos (with more to come apparently)- http://www.digitaltutors.com/digital_tutors/tutorials.php?cat=houdini
:)
Quote from: old_blaggard on November 19, 2007, 12:31:50 AM
If only it ran on Mac... :(.
It looks like a Mac port of Houdini will be available for testing by the end of the month - http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_forum&Itemid=172&page=viewtopic&t=1969&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=200
:)
That's fantastic! I can't wait!
Does it render in hours, or days? ;)
Anyone ever get this free version to license correctly?
http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=932&Itemid=246
Quote from: calico on March 20, 2008, 06:42:22 PM
Anyone ever get this free version to license correctly?
http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=932&Itemid=246
Are you merely inquiring generally, or are you trying to get it to work but having difficulties?
If you're just inquiring, well the process is pretty seamless and works well for most.
If you're having probs (and some do) the likely cause is that your system doesn't meet the ogl requirements. Try updating your card to the latest drivers if you're using nvidia. If you're using ATI, well these cards have always caused probs with Houdini due to ATI's notoriously poor ogl drivers. If this is your case you can set an env variable for Houdini to use the default software derived ogl on your system - but this isn't really a long term fix as it's very slow, but you will at least be able to open and use Houdini.
Another problem is that sometimes the licence server goes down, but you have the option to visit the SideFX site to generate keys manually which you can then install yourself.
If you want to set an env variable:
1 - right click on My Computer and choose properties or system properties (I forget which it's called)
2 - on the advanced tab press the environment variables button
3 - then choose to set a new variable. It should be called HOUDINI_SOFTWARE_OGL with a value of 1
Thanks Moose. I'm having trouble with the licensing of the free version. Says that it can't do it over the Internet. I'll try generating a license on their site...here I go hunting. :D
If you haven't found the page yet try here - http://license.sidefx.com/get_nc_license.php
As an aside, I notice on that page they're listing H9.5. I wonder if that will be the version to usher in the Mac's arrival...
I just figured it out and tried it yesterday. Very different than any I've tried before. Which engine do you normally use to do renders?
Quote from: calico on March 22, 2008, 01:41:41 PM
Which engine do you normally use to do renders?
Personally, I use Mantra which ships with Houdini (I guess it being free plays a large part in that). It's pretty powerful as a general purpose renderer and is capable of great results in the right hands. Sadly, there is next to no learning materials for it if you want to get past the basics. For this reason I think Mantra remains an elusive beast for most. A recent rumble was made in the forums over this very issue to which SESI responded positively, hinting at some tutorials...
For a more qualified impression than I could ever hope to give, here's how one Houdini pro, jasoniversen, described Mantra in a recent CGTalk post:
QuoteMy experience with Mantra is that is makes a very good feature film renderer, since it's very comparable to PrMan and its feature set. It fits the model of a fast, high quality micropolygon/raytracer with (easily) programmable) shaders which supports render layers (AOVs). It has a multitude of features that make it very good for feature pipelines, procedurals, [recursive] displacement, multi-segment motion for deforming and transforming objects, shader unwrapping, point clouds, very powerful volume rendering, python pipeline, IPR, etc. Until H9 it lagged behind in "whizz-bang" type of features that make V-Ray and such good choices for commercial work; it takes a bit more tweaking to get an image as pretty as V-Ray right off the bat. However, as the PBR features get improved, I think that programmable nature of it will give it much more potential power to be a strong player in the V-Ray (and I suppose Maxwell Render- for stills) arena.
AFAIK, Side Effects are actively pushing and improving Mantra as a flagship product so expect continuous improvements to it, even in the very near future.
Full thread - http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=6&t=563864
Very nice, Moose. Thank you.
I'm willing to wait for the tutorials, while I tinker. What I've seen produced has had such beauty, we'll see...
Quote from: old_blaggard on March 12, 2008, 02:22:21 PM
That's fantastic! I can't wait!
The wait is over if you wish to apply as a tester - http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1215&Itemid=66
Excellent - I just applied. Hoping I get in!
i got this a while back master edition or sumthin? never tried it