mightcouldb1 Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Some of these new features are pretty enticing... Maya 2012 http://usa.autodesk.com/maya/features/#channels_What's New Mudbox 2012 http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/limage?siteID=123112&imageID=16477037&id=6834016 Softimage 2012 http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?siteID=123112&id=13571400#channels_What%E2%80%99s%20New 3dsmax 2012 http://usa.autodesk.com/3ds-max/features/ Autodesk is really releasing a lot of good updates nowadays. I'm curious how Houdini 12s new features will stack up compared to these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malexander Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I think it might be a little unfair to compare Houdini, a single package, to the separate feature sets of four different software packages. Frankly, I'm surprised that they're all still around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hazoc Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Autodesk is really releasing a lot of good updates nowadays. I'm curious how Houdini 12s new features will stack up compared to these. You really think these are "good updates" and worth money? Max the facebook of 3D software continues getting few plugins integrated in every revision aside of the ironic "Enhanced Everyday Workflows". Look at XSI's ICE. From the day Autodesk bought it, ICE has evolved a total of two operators or something like that. Well now you can finally generate some simple geometry with it. Years ago Avid said it would cover everything from shading and modeling to simulation. But now Autodesk destroying everything it's the "Enhanced Everyday Workflows" that users get from update to update. Really sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerox Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 (edited) I think it might be a little unfair to compare Houdini, a single package, to the separate feature sets of four different software packages. Frankly, I'm surprised that they're all still around. From a users point of view the maya update seems like a nice one, but if I look at it from a development point of view it's very cheesy update. Half of the features are so called 'embedded plugins' or ported from other Autodesk products. 1. Viewport 2.0 Realtime depth of field!, Mark A./Cristin, can we have that? 2. Node Based Render Passes What? come on! Give me a break. 3. Editable Motion Trails That's a real feature (Can we have that? ) 4. Sequencer Emhancements Wow! another feature worth something. Still I don't see this one ending up high on the Houdini RFE list. 5. Substance Procedural Textures They just bought this, does it keep up in high quality production? 6. Craft Animation Tools They just bought this, thus who is going to use cartoony game stuff in production?? (Apart from students and enthusiasts) The easy camera thing is so easy whit CHOP's, so no further comments here . 7. Enhanced, Consistent Crap Editor (I'm sorry I couldn't resist) Is that a feature? 8. New Simulation Options In terms of fluid simulations this seems very promising and very fast. Preset wise Autodesk does a better job than SideFX, though the fracture system is again a plugin with game type of results, so who is going to use that in production? 9. HumanIK Enhancements Nice! But like Mark said, that's really easy if you have 4 products to ship it with and justify the development costs. Since it is shamelessly ported from motionbuilder. Conclusion, Well I guess that Maya users are going to be very happy, but is it a reason for us to get jealous? I don't think so, rather I would call it a little tickle to keep 'us' sharp ;-). Edited March 1, 2011 by Nerox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redpaw Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 As a mainly maya user concentrating on FX stuff, This update makes me just want to use houdini more. Especially if all the dynamicss plugins aren't available for linux. Oh well.. we'll have to wait and see.. -redpaw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kemijo Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 As a mainly maya user concentrating on FX stuff, This update makes me just want to use houdini more. Especially if all the dynamicss plugins aren't available for linux. Oh well.. we'll have to wait and see.. -redpaw Exactly what I was thinking...as a Maya TD I'm not thrilled about the new stuff at all. They seem to be aimed at new people that want to make "neat animations" with as few clicks as possible. Not mad at that, but little has been added for pro users. Fluids is getting substantial updates, but all in the wrong areas. All the pioneering tools they had first are old, and all the bad stuff has not changed (instancer anyone?) Hoping that Houdini actually has what everyone is asking for...all it needs is loads of speed and interactivity to compete with the Fumes and Lagoas and Vrays out there. Rant over...back to lurking... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altbighead Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Hoping that Houdini actually has what everyone is asking for...all it needs is loads of speed and interactivity to compete with the Fumes and Lagoas and Vrays out there. Rant over...back to lurking... yes please.nothing but speed.and PBR that work across hair,volume and everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ykcosmo Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 New ICE procedural modeling offers topology operation creation, particle meshing, custom primitives, and geometry fracturing. UV attributes and certain other data are preserved during edits, helping to eliminate the need for retexturing as changes are made. A single ICE graph can handle interactive edits to huge data sets, such as forests and cities, so you can more easily create and manage extremely high levels of detail. |o|......................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hkspowers Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 (edited) As a Maya TD I have given up on Autodesk officially this year. I can't even begin to describe my nerd rage at Autodesk for apparently refusing to develop anything useful in production. I mean seriously what the f are they doing all year long over there? Where is my voroni shattering tool in maya? (thats not a plugin) Where is my light instancing? Where is a useful instancer setup? rigid bodies anyone? WHY CAN I STILL NOT RENDER NATIVE PARTICLE SYSTEMS IN SOFTWARE UNLESS INSTANCED!!!!! But man thanks Autodesk for that amazing viewpoint 2.0 which doesn't even work on my Quadro 5800, I am soooooo glad I stuck around for that. So F you Autodesk, you have single handedly converted me into a Houdini user, and I am much happier as one. Oh hi guys.... How long were you standing there? lol Edited March 2, 2011 by hkspowers 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macha Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Hi James, welcome to the sunny side. All will be well from now on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hkspowers Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Thanks Marc, It's so warm and sunny over here, how come no one ever told me how awesome it is over here? lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitallysane Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 (edited) Frankly, I'm surprised that they're all still around. At least when it comes to XSI, I completely agree. Dragos Edited March 2, 2011 by digitallysane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deepak Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 AUTODESK GUYS...stop shopping and starting creating something you can call your OWN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theotheo Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 I have to agree with everyone too, as a max user since, well before max (3ds r4) I left the product behind last year in favour of Houdini. I love it, and I'm here to stay -theo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andz Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 (edited) 3. Editable Motion Trails That's a real feature (Can we have that? ) There is a python script for that (LINK) maybe you can try to port it to Hou. *edit. Eh.. now I'm confused if you were being serious or sarcastic there Anyways, maybe that link is useful to someone. Edited March 2, 2011 by Andz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Swann Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Well, one thing you can say for sure, they do have their own Houdini http://area.autodesk.com/blogs/marks/introducing_softimage_2012_with_ice_modeling. I really enjoy each of my journey to Softimage world. And with all those additions, possibility to use not only C++ but C# to make plugins and interactivity I think I may slowly start to convert myself. The biggest surprise for me was how easy it is to write plugins for SOFT. I'm still lost in Houdini HDK, but I had no problems with diving into XSI SDK and make simple plugins that do something, both with C++ and C#. My biggest complaint about Houdini is that it's like 3-4 years now since ICE was introduced and we still don't have Multicore platform in Houdini to the same level like Softimage have. Maybe instead patching what's in now SESI should add another context that will replace completely in future VOPS/VEX etc and start from scratch there ? Syflex in ICE YAY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerox Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 There is a python script for that (LINK) maybe you can try to port it to Hou. *edit. Eh.. now I'm confused if you were being serious or sarcastic there Anyways, maybe that link is useful to someone. Ghehe, I can be very sarcastic, though in this case I do see the point of this tool. I mean it does make your life a lot easier in terms of not having to translate an adjustment in the graph editor to how it will react in 3d space, because you can adjust it in 3d space. You can even control ease in/out, timing and that sort of stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdg Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 The biggest surprise for me was how easy it is to write plugins for SOFT. I'm still lost in Houdini HDK, but I had no problems with diving into XSI SDK and make simple plugins that do something, both with C++ and C#. Quite possible that I'm missing something here. But I'm pretty sure there's been a time when one of Houdini's unique selling points indeed was the fact that you *don't* need HDKs and c++ coders writing plugin after plugin to produce awesome looking stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Swann Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Quite possible that I'm missing something here. But I'm pretty sure there's been a time when one of Houdini's unique selling points indeed was the fact that you *don't* need HDKs and c++ coders writing plugin after plugin to produce awesome looking stuff. Yeah, but at some point you wan't to jump into HDK and implement your own stuff that will be to slow for python and OTL's. I barelly know SOFTIMAGE, played with it maybe 10 times last month and I can build plugins. I know Houdini, I'm sitting in it more than 2 years and I barelly know how to build plugins. And I wanted to learn HDK. This is a big difference. Nobody will play in implementing something like Thiago Costa did with Python and operators in Houdini because it's to slow. And now SOFT got things like CopySOP so the gap for "unique selling point" is closing pretty fast and, what is really important, very interactively in SOFT. And from what I can see building plugins in SOFT is as easy as scripting in it. Sometimes it's easier to build plugin than play with nodes. Unique selling point is not enogth if slowlenes is killing it. Who use cloth in Houdini ? Now you got interactive Syflex in ICE. Pyro vs Fume, important shot and you don't have one month to accomplish it, would even consider Pyro ? Maybe in big house where you have 3-4 Houdini users but if there is only one ? Like you sad, "there's been a time", it's no longer "it is a time". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 My biggest complaint about Houdini is that it's like 3-4 years now since ICE was introduced and we still don't have Multicore platform in Houdini to the same level like Softimage have. Maybe instead patching what's in now SESI should add another context that will replace completely in future VOPS/VEX etc and start from scratch there ? ICE was released in 2008... so at a push it's only been 3 years. I think that in those 3 years there have been significant improvements to Houdini in both speed and capability. I'd much rather SESI does what they're doing ie. slowly work their way to adding multithreading to all the contexts it's relevant in instead of making up a new context purely for the purpose of multithreading. As a software developer it's always best to focus on your software and do what's best for your users and the future of the package. Blindly running around chasing after what other companies are doing is a quick way to screw it all up... actually that holds true for all businesses not just software development. If you enjoy ICE and XSI then that's great. There's choice out there for you . Me? I get annoyed working in closed systems, and XSI is a nice example of that, so I think I'll stay where I am. M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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