Will OpenVDB replace Houdini's volumes?

[magneto]

Hi,

I read here that it's faster than Houdini's volumes. When it's fully implemented, will it sort of replace the default volume ops? Just wondering if it's advisable to learn OpenVDB instead of the default volume tools? Or is it likely that one would be using both collectively?

Thanks

[michael]

I doubt VDB will replace Houdini's volumes...

and as for 'learning' VDB - it's just a bunch of nodes that do very much the same as the Houdini nodes...not really different at all

[magneto]

Thanks Michael. Since I never used it, I thought OpenVDB had its own tools to modify them, so the two were not compatible

[malexander]

VDBs are an excellent complement to regular Houdini volumes - much in the same way that a NURBS surface is to a polygon subdivision surface. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. So I wouldn't say "replace" as much as "augment".

[Doum]

Hey guys, any hints about the installation of the open VDB package? Where do I copy all those files to make it work?

[magneto]

Thanks Mark, I thought the VDB stuff was basically re-inventing/redefining the volumes to be more efficient and generic. Kind of how there are serializers, and then there is Protocol Buffers and Thrift, even though they are also serializers. Not the best analogy but that was what I was thinking

[edward]

Hey guys, any hints about the installation of the open VDB package? Where do I copy all those files to make it work?

This post should mostly detail what you need to know for Houdini 12.1:

http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_forum&Itemid=172&page=viewtopic&p=122674#122674

[Doum]

Thx edward,

I think i'll have to wait for sidefx to integrate it since I don't know how to compile things. I still have to much to learn in houdini to start thinking about compiling codes.