Animation a dynamic Puppet

[wurmdrin1111]

Hi everybody,

I am about to animate a puppet. I want to use wire or string deformers connected to a handle bar and via moving the handle bar animate the puppet. The puppet is completely dynamic and just reacts on actions of gravity , and forces coming from the strings and wires. I love Houdini and I know its very difficult to learn but that the challenge for me. Unfortunatly all nice Tutorials are not deep enough to show very good the overall workflow and philosophy of the software. Every 2nd Tutorial is about destroying a wall or simulating particles (important but borring!!!), Fluids or whatever. I am intrested about how Animation can be combined with Dynamics in Houdini.

I talk about character animation and the great dynamic skills of the software. Can somebody help me or explain how to approach my problem (the puppet).

Well in case the predefined Rigs are not good enough I will have to learn how to setuo complex Assets (Rigs) to be animated. But I want the Rig providing inverse Kinematics on the one side and on the other side deform and animate via string and wire deformers connected to a handlebar on top.

I also love the cloth system of Houdini and mantra aswell. So I could also switch over to Maya of Softimage but the question would be the same. But I like Houdini. So I hope for many answers and comments or advices , suggestions for good tutorials , blogs or whatever.... How would you solve my problem :-) ??

Thanks for listen

Houdini rules