Is Houdini used for anything else other than effects?

[panupat]

Houdini seems to be regarded as the king of visual effects by pretty much every effect artists I talked to (even though most of them use realflow and rayfire) and in my humble understanding, it means particles, destruction, dust, fire, water, simulations and something like that.

Now, in Film or Animation industry, is Houdini used for anything else? Sorry if my question sounds a bit silly I'm a bit lost at the moment.

[Guest tar]

It depends on the artist's ability. If one can model best in Houdini then you don't use another program.

[bandini]

I have used it quite a bit for some motion graphics work in addition to the usual fluids and destruction stuff you see. Check my portfolio for the work I did on Tron to see. Houdini was used for all of the DNA effects, for modeling, fx, and rendering.

[Hudson]

Think procedural. If you gain of using a procedural solution to your modelling, shading and other aspects. Then Houdini is the way to go. Take a look in the finished work of what people have used houdini for and you will see (most FX) but also real smart procedural solutions for other aspects in CG

[freaq]

I use it in the game industry to help create tools the save lots of artists lots of time:

examples of smaheless self promotion

3 minute example

and a Siggraph presentation I gave in 2012:

[abvfx]

And mantra just as a straight renderer is top notch. Not to mention i really like their rigging tools and I like the way its animates especially with such a customized UI.

[magneto]

I think Houdini also have the best channel editor I have ever seen

[pclaes]

I've used it to make little 3d sculptures. -- more as a hobby though - but the vdb stuff and adaptive meshing are great for this. Especially because the shapes I am interested in are more organic. -- If I wasn't working full time I would make more of these, they are a lot of fun.

--- Half as a joke I tried using it as an autotrader for the stock market.... but that was just stupid (yet fun). -- That was mainly because the data (from yahoo finance) can be easily imported and processed with chops or sopsolver and vops. There are actual node base high frequency trading platforms out there that look very much like vops.

[Macha]

--- Half as a joke I tried using it as an autotrader for the stock market.... but that was just stupid (yet fun). -- That was mainly because the data (from yahoo finance) can be easily imported and processed with chops or sopsolver and vops.

Haha, that's great! Isn't it amazing we have such a flexible, discoverable, and powerful platform that we can mess about with such things. There's something astonishing about Houdini's design. I wonder how much of that was accidental and how much was foresight. Kudos for those original brains behind Houdini.

[magneto]

I've used it to make little 3d sculptures. -- more as a hobby though - but the vdb stuff and adaptive meshing are great for this. Especially because the shapes I am interested in are more organic. -- If I wasn't working full time I would make more of these, they are a lot of fun.

--- Half as a joke I tried using it as an autotrader for the stock market.... but that was just stupid (yet fun). -- That was mainly because the data (from yahoo finance) can be easily imported and processed with chops or sopsolver and vops. There are actual node base high frequency trading platforms out there that look very much like vops.

Would Houdini provide real-time feedback for stock trading? I wonder if there would be any delay, though CHOPs are supposed to be the fastest part of Houdini, right?

[jbond]

(even though most of them use realflow and rayfire)

You can build in Houdini own Rayfire or better tool for fragmenting but RBD speed is different story

For me Houdini not acceptable for classic destructive modeling but for any other areas it can be very good.

[lukeiamyourfather]

I agree with what has already been said. The Mantra renderer is top notch and has been used for many projects as the main renderer. Also anything procedural like modeling for games and environments. Outside of multimedia it has a lot of uses like data analysis and CAD. I've used Houdini to create a number of milled, 3D printed, and laser/plasma cut objects.

[acey195]

I really love procedural modeling with Houdini.

here is something I created this week:

inspired by:

http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2013/03/Planetary-Annihilation-9.jpg

[dennis.albus]

We are mainly working in the advertising and visualisation market and use Houdini as our main 3D software. We also do a lot of Motion Graphics which is very cool to do in Houdini.

Many think of Houdini as an FX only application while it's capable of serving your whole 3D pipeline with ease (except destructive 3D modeling which is possible but not really great).

Mantra is a very good renderer and always improving (and free for unlimited rendernodes). If you take the time to learn it you won't be disappointed by the results it can give you.

[panupat]

Really? Mantra gives you unlimited render node? How does that work? Can I install only Mantra on render nodes? Or do I simply install Houdini without license?

Thanks for the answer everyone. Very interesting... My main interest is not FX - I'm a lighting/rendering guy with a technical mind set. Just how likely I would be able to find a job in that position as Houdini artist? I still have lots to learn but I really want to know that my effort wouldn't be for nothing.

Thanks!

[dennis.albus]

Really? Mantra gives you unlimited render node? How does that work? Can I install only Mantra on render nodes? Or do I simply install Houdini without license?

Yes.

Of course you need a commercial license of Houdini to get access to those mantra licenses. Then it's just a matter of installing Houdini on all your rendernodes and pointing them to your license server.