Please guide me to learn 3D

[renderpipe]

Hello,

I am new on this website and new to 3d and new to houdini. I want to learn and become houdini master like you guyz. One day I would like to be a TD working on movie. I would like to learn particles, effects and writing renderman shaders.

Can anyone guide me on what I must learn first? My mathematics is very bad, maybe you can suggest a good book for me to learn? or maybe website?

I finished the general and modeling videos for houdini and I understand so far. I also did the 3d buzz module 1 and I understand.

I also install gentoo linux because everybody say its hard so I think why not try hard stuff first.

I do not understand the crazy math expressions in houdini cookbook. I still no understand how you figure out shader writing.

If you are kind enough to help me on my learning path maybe I'll buy you beers when I get job in hollywood.

TIA

[nik]

if you are new to shader writing, then go to this site www.rendermanacademy.com as they begin from the very basics, and they have only recently started.

also try

www.renderman.org

this place should be able to answer most things for you or guide you to places/people that can.

and since you've done module 1 at buzz, well module 2 is the effects module so stay with it.

good luck

[Stremik]

Here is a great resource for someone like you(me too, by the way).

This is an interactive tutorial in mathematical preliminaries for computer graphics.

Vector Math for 3D Computer Graphics

This'll give you the basic knowledge of tings which are used in 3D graphics

on everyday basis. A things you must know and will need for shader writing,

using expression language etc.

And don't hesitate to use Google!!!

[Stremik]

Allmost forgot!

For writing renderman shaders, start here:

RManNotes

[Jason]

There is a kickstart tutorial to writing Mantra shaders (which translates to Renderman easily) on odforce.net. It's based off general shading theory and might make a good read, then study the exellcent Renderman Companion 2, then read the tut again.

shader-writing in vmantra

http://www.odforce.net/tips/

[renderpipe]

omg Thank you to everyone for your reply!

I will study that math website and the mantra and renderman tutorials.

I did not buy the renderman companion book yet because I was afraid it was too "technical" for me to understand.

I originally tried to read the mental ray book but it looks like rocket scientists wrote that book.

I really really appreciate your advice and help.

[mark]

"it looks like rocket scientists wrote that book". i sometimes think houdini might have been founded by ex-NASA people too

pity they cant distort space-time so that i can learn all this stuff in just 1 lifetime

good links in this thread, it's really a big jump into the shader coding even with some programming background, cheers.

[renderpipe]

good links in this thread, it's really a big jump into the shader coding even with some programming background, cheers.

True but I needed direction on how to learn. I have simple general knowledge of 3d after watching many special feature on dvd movies.

I did play with 3d program in past but me not understand too much. Somehow so far I understand what I'm doing with houdini.

Some new 3d friends I make said I should learn maya or xsi first because it's easier but I rather study hard stuff first and stick out my tounge at them

If I have understandings, I can learn it. Without understandings, I can't do anything except push the buttons and pray. I like creating network in houdini because I understand how I make objects but still some terms are too technical for me like vector, matrix. But I'm study math link posted by Stremik and it is very very helpful. Odwiki also good place even though still very technical. Soon I will know!

Today I ordered Advanced Renderman and Renderman Companion books. I'm excited to start!

Thank you again for help.

[Mario Marengo]

Today I ordered Advanced Renderman and Renderman Companion books. I'm excited to start!.

Sounds to me like you have all the right ingredients.

If you got a passion for learning new things, then you've chosen the right field! ...the rest is just a matter of time.

Best of luck to you!

[Rei Ayanami]

also if you are going to try modeling, remember to try as many tutorials as you can. once you have a bit of practice with tutorials for houdini, you should be able to translate other tut's into houdini. A good thing because there are a lot more for maya / max / lw / c4d etc.

good luck

[renderpipe]

Thanks Mario, that's just what I needed to hear. That I'm on right track!

Thanks to you too Rei. I was thinking about looking at tutorials from maya, max, etc. Like you said, I should learn the houdini a little bit more first so I know where all those operators are what they do.

I was thinking, if I am able to follow maya tutorials in houdini, that is very good thing! Also, I think that if I learn houdini very well, then I should be at least "decent" in other 3d programs if I must work in them. I say this because in houdini there are no buttons, you wire everything up by yourself so there's no hand holding. Is this idea correct?

P.S. While I'm waiting for my renderman books to arrive, I've been reading up on renderman at this site:

SCAD Renderman Tutorials

It's very good as they have pdf files that cover the basics. I wrote my first rib file yesterday, it's soooo cool (well for me at least.)

Also, I'm using their text editor since it supports RSL and VEX. Maybe you guys can take a look and tell me if you thinks it's a good text editor for writing VEX Shaders?

It works on linux, mac and windows and is java based. It can render and compile rib/shaders with hotkeys. The settings for VFL-Vex are in the user preferences

It's called cutter:

RSL/VEX Editor

Thanks to you all

[altbighead]

hi what renderman renderer do you use?3delight?

[old school]

You are right in that there is no hand-holding when in a houdini network and many operators can take on different behaviours depending on how you use it. You need to understand an operator before you use it. Given that, with the abundance of assets being created in Houdini these days, a TD can deliver a tool to an animator or Junior Houdini TD and have them work with complicated networks with a real nice candy-coatet interface. Nothing stopping you from diving in to the asset either.

It is also true that Houdini makes excellent (and frustrated) Maya users.

There used to be the demo directory that had all kinds of simple example files that focused on each operator, showing how it could be used in various ways. When H6.5 releases, there will be much more hand-holding available.

The one advantage you have with Houdini is the networks show you everything. It is hard for a houdini user to hide his techniques. This is certainly not the case with any of the other mainstream packages where ease of use necessitates burying of critical information for VFX artists and you must learn programming to do the most trivial things in Houdini. You learn from other files faster than reading tutorials except for shader writing. Even then, with shader VOP networks, that is changing as well.

Once you become familiar with Houdini, you can read other users hip files networks and quickly absorb different techniques from different users. Just check out some of the houdini challenges on the OdForce site. No two techniques are the same. Makes me shiver with excitement to see what other users come up with. Gives me 1000's of ideas.

The more energy and time you spend learning this, the better. Trust me you will feel like putting your head through your monitor, pound the table multiple times with your fist or scream aimlessly in to the air once in a while with frustration. Wolfwood has witnessed this many a time. This means you are learning!

I have found it is better to do searches on either OdForce or the SESI forum and if there isn't an answer similar to yours, post a new one. That will certainly ease your pain and frustration as you traverse in to an ever deeper and thicker knowledge abyss. There is no end is there to this CG learning curve with Houdini...

-jeff

[mark]

Trust me you will feel like putting your head through your monitor, pound the table multiple times with your fist or scream aimlessly in to the air once in a while with frustration.

are you spying on me? i didnt pick this avatar for no reason!

It is also true that Houdini makes excellent (and frustrated) Maya users.

lol !

[renderpipe]

Hello

altbighead -

I use Aqsis renderer

http://www.aqsis.com

Jeff-

Thank you for your comments. It is true houdini is making me a little bit crazy. I watch some videos and read the houdini pdfs and I wonder how they know to write these mathematical expressions and then I wonder "how am i going to learn all this stuff!"

It's ok though because I buy a new math book and start learning day by day. I have not touched math in many years.

I am now reading houdini pdf, mathematics book and Advanced Renderman book. I'm still waiting for my renderman companion book.

I also have problem because some of the material I read is very thick "too technical" so I have webster dictionary handy

I was thinking about getting book on game programming or math for game programming because somebody told me it will teach me the core concepts of 3d graphics. I do not have interesting in gaming but maybe this material will help if i find a book written in layman's terms. I know very little bit c/c++.

Thanks!

[altbighead]

How is you progress ,renderpipe?

I thikn I started learning houdini same time as you .:DI am pretty comfortable with houdini modeling workflow.

[keltuzar]

A good suggestion is to buy the 3d buzz dvd from www.3dbzz.com and check the store. It has everything to launch you into houdini without getting confused. Also since I purchased the houdini dvd and the c++ dvd he was kind to mail me all of the other dvds for free, so buzz is an awesome guy. So you hit 2 birds with one stone, you get the c++ and the houdini dvd.

Also one has to respect houdini for the fact it is a raw, organic, software. Getting all the bells and whistles is just no competiton and prevents inventing new ideas. In houdini you make everything from nothing.

YOU PLAY GOD.

When you make a simple simulation you will be proud of yourself becuase you know the ins and out and u have TOTAL CONTROL.

It takes a lot to learn as you said, and I agree. Its not the easiest of softwares, but once you past that phase, you will really appreicate the workflow houdini has to offer. I too am learning by myself and odforce and the sidefx forums are the best in helping you out.