3 replies to this topic

[DaveT.]

Hi-
I was wondering if anyone could tip me off on how to create the beam effect from Thor. I need control over the amount of noise within the beam as well as over the colors distributed through the beam. I have tried several methods but unfortunately am too unfamiliar with how everything ties together within Houdini to accomplish anything. If anyone has a good system for me, I would appreciate the help (especially if you could give it to me in layman's terms). Here is what I am going for: http://youtu.be/uHBn...ZE?hd=1&t=1m57s

Thanks!

Attached Files

•  Screen shot 2012-05-31 at 8.24.42 AM.png   78.1K   168 downloads
•  Screen shot 2012-05-31 at 8.25.05 AM.png   89.17K   194 downloads
•  Screen shot 2012-05-31 at 8.24.49 AM.png   114.16K   155 downloads

Edited by DaveT., 01 June 2012 - 09:09 PM.

[pclaes]

Hi Dave,

following up from what I wrote to you by email:
******************************************
There is the cheap way of doing it and a more expensive way of doing it.
*) the cheap way would be to use a few nurbs cylinders and using their parametric coordinates to drive a noise pattern along them, which displaces the surface. Add a fresnel type shader (think x-ray), some glow and 2d distortion in comp and you will be 90% there.

*) the expensive way to do it would be with a fluid simulation. Think: "rocket lifting off". That would give you all the swirly detail and would allow for parts of the energy to break free. You could advect a  ton of particles and render those with high motionblur to get fine streaking details.

This type of effect will be all about layering different elements together.
Generally:
- a big overal beam effect
- some atmospherics (fog/dust clouds that are slowly being pushed by your beam... that is how you would read that the beam is affecting the environment.) around it to make it sit in the environment - some really small elements like sparks/embers/energy particles to help establish a sense of scale.
- mixing the elements together in comp with glows, a darkening of the background where the effect is happening (kinda like changing fstops on a camera -- if you were to look straight into the sun everything else becomes dark because your eye/iris is trying to compensate.), 2d distortion (this just makes it sit and look cool) -- this can be normal distortion or even chromatic distortion.

Things to search for on the forums: "tornado", "solar flare", "ink", "beam", "pyroclastic clouds". There are a lot of scene files on the forums with pretty much all the components you require for your effect. So go for a search on odforce.
******************************************


*) scene file -> inexpensive way with particles example.
-- you should cache some stuff out to disk. I had limited amount of time, so just rendered it directly.
The vops should give you plenty of ideas to play with and to help control your particle sim.

It needs some work, but you can add extra pieces of geometry as emission sources, make duplicates, combine several sims together, etc...

Have fun learning.
cheers,
Peter

Attached Files

•  beam.0048.jpg   65.5K   223 downloads
•  beam_01.avi   1.08MB   276 downloads
•  beam_01.hip   452.93K   191 downloads

[DaveT.]

Peter-
You're awesome brother. I've noticed you have helped a lot of people on odforce and other forums. You're a stud. I appreciate the feedback. I'll see what damage I can do.

Thanks again,
Dave T.

pclaes, on 04 June 2012 - 05:43 PM, said:

Hi Dave,

following up from what I wrote to you by email:
******************************************
There is the cheap way of doing it and a more expensive way of doing it.
*) the cheap way would be to use a few nurbs cylinders and using their parametric coordinates to drive a noise pattern along them, which displaces the surface. Add a fresnel type shader (think x-ray), some glow and 2d distortion in comp and you will be 90% there.

*) the expensive way to do it would be with a fluid simulation. Think: "rocket lifting off". That would give you all the swirly detail and would allow for parts of the energy to break free. You could advect a  ton of particles and render those with high motionblur to get fine streaking details.

This type of effect will be all about layering different elements together.
Generally:
- a big overal beam effect
- some atmospherics (fog/dust clouds that are slowly being pushed by your beam... that is how you would read that the beam is affecting the environment.) around it to make it sit in the environment - some really small elements like sparks/embers/energy particles to help establish a sense of scale.
- mixing the elements together in comp with glows, a darkening of the background where the effect is happening (kinda like changing fstops on a camera -- if you were to look straight into the sun everything else becomes dark because your eye/iris is trying to compensate.), 2d distortion (this just makes it sit and look cool) -- this can be normal distortion or even chromatic distortion.

Things to search for on the forums: "tornado", "solar flare", "ink", "beam", "pyroclastic clouds". There are a lot of scene files on the forums with pretty much all the components you require for your effect. So go for a search on odforce.
******************************************


*) scene file -> inexpensive way with particles example.
-- you should cache some stuff out to disk. I had limited amount of time, so just rendered it directly.
The vops should give you plenty of ideas to play with and to help control your particle sim.

It needs some work, but you can add extra pieces of geometry as emission sources, make duplicates, combine several sims together, etc...

Have fun learning.
cheers,
Peter

[Matt_K]

Just happened across this thread now.
Thanks for the .hip Peter! Very nicely done!

Matt.