draz Posted July 9, 2002 Share Posted July 9, 2002 Hi everyone. It's nice to see some great models here that were created in Houdini. All I ever heard was how Houdini is solely used for effects and little or no mention was ever given to it's modeling capabilities. I'm really curious about this application. I contacted Side FX for a demo and after a few emails sent back and forth it was decided that it might be better that I wait for the non commercial version as it will be packed with more tutorials. For the moment I am using Maya PLE and Wings 3d which is a free modeler based on Nichimen Nendo (little brother to Mirai). To be honest I prefer working in Wings and am curious to know if Houdini or Houdini Select rather (one I can afford if I choose to purchase) has similar polygonal tools. If anyone can tell me if these are available or might possibly become available, I'd appreciate it. Thanks! Magnet(where you manipulate a component and others are affected based on settings of the tool) Edge Ring Select Edge Loop Select Edge Loop Cut Extrude Vertex Bevel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted July 9, 2002 Share Posted July 9, 2002 Hi draz Welcome to the forum. . Houdini has only started to become a modeler since 5.0 was released (couple of months back). For me the poly tools are great, there is definitely room to improve.. but considering this is the first go at being a poly modeler, I think they've done a wonderful job. So, with your list of tools ::: Magnet : I'd say Houdini has to have the best magnet tool in town. The primary magnet works with metaballs, ie you place the metaball where you want the deformation and then use it as the magnet. It gives you really awesome control. On a smaller level, a couple of the tools have a 'soft-transform' setting which will move the point with a user specified falloff. Not as configurable as the magnet, but its pretty cool when modeling. Edge Ring Select or Edge Loop Select : Nope and nope. Although I'm pretty sure the next version will have them since they're the only major things missing (really ) Edge Loop Cut : Yip, got it in spades... Works really well too. Extrude Vertex : um.... I don't think so. You're the second one to ask recently. Could you explain why you would want to extrude a vertex? I've modeled quite a detailed character and I've never needed to (although maybe I'm missing out ) Bevel : Not as such... um... ok no, it doesn't have it. But the polyextrude with minor tweaking works quite well in most cases. But it would be good to have. Maybe the next version?. Anyway, hope this has helped. When you get the non commercial version feel free to come back and we'll help you out. Cheers Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted July 9, 2002 Share Posted July 9, 2002 In fact, its good to note the Paint / Sculpt / Comb SOPs all use metaball kernels to govern their falloff, so in a sense its painting with magnets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty Posted July 10, 2002 Share Posted July 10, 2002 Hi Draz You seem to be coming from a similar position as i was as i was a mirai user before starting to learn Houdini. Well let me tell you, if Nendo is very similar to Mirai ( which i hear it is re: poly tools ), Houdini is another world entirely. The first things i was taught in Houdini relied upon modeling in the SOP network editor, not in the viewport, and this was more for effects/particle type stuff. And it was an eye opener - it was amazing, fast, efficient and with tools which are awesome. You would have to start scripting to get this functionality, and this is just the tools to model (SOPS). But like Marc said, v5.0 is the first attempt by Side Effects to implement "in the viewport modelling" as seen in other packages. Actually you could model in the viewport in prior versions ( at least in v4.0 ) but it was very crude. The way these new poly tools are implemented seems to be very similar to other packages, it's seems to be equal in parts, better in some areas and lacking in others. And when i say "new poly tools" i mean the typical poly tools you find in other packages, but don't forget there are so many tools that are not found in any other package. Regarding what you are after: Edge ring select/Edge loop select (i'm not too sure as to what the difference is ) - well so far all i have found is you can select a ring/loop of points only, not edges. unfortunately quickly converting this ring/loop to edges seems impossible as when you convert selections you also include shared edges and there is no shrink selection! Edge loop cut - Houdini has a carveSOP which is just awesome Extrude vertex - none Bevel - none Magnets - yes Houdini does have a magnet tool and it's great, i haven't played around too much with the magnet tool but i get the impression the metaball works more like an influence object which is a little different with the magnet tools in mirai which i only just touched upon before leaving mirai. you can also shape the metaball in various ways, and the magets can also affect colour and point normals as well. So the best thing is to check it out and you will find amazing things in there. But if all you want to do is poly model characters, well...... Betty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheUsualAlex Posted July 10, 2002 Share Posted July 10, 2002 Hiya, One thing I personally love about Houdini's modeling paradigm is not so much as to do everything in the viewport. I personally like the way that I can actually work in the viewport and the Network Editor a the same time and I definitely love to see Side Effects keep it that way and differentiate themselves. The head model that I built a long while back (definitely not my proud accomplishment, http://www.odforce.net/gallery/image.php?id=42), was all done mostly through polysplits, edits, and a few other SOP. But what made me love about Houdini's modeling paradigm is that I can actually go back to the, say, 10 hrs ago, and start off from there if I don't like my current topology set up. Now TRY that in all the rest other package, forget it. I personally also in a big favor of using Houdini to teach modeling. You can give someone your HIP file and get them to learn your modeling process right from scratch all the way to the end result. Try this also in another package. HA! However, I guess I'll have to admit that although there are a few lackings in Houdini's modeling tools, however, they are nothing that hinders you from getting your work done compared to v4. So I guess in the future, which ever company I may land upon, I just sincerely hope that they have Houdini (or Houdini Select at the very least) ready. Anyhow, just throwing in my opinion here. HOpe I don't generate too much noise here. Cheers, Alex (Darn. an embarrasing typo earlier...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danteA Posted July 10, 2002 Share Posted July 10, 2002 Edge loop cut using the PolySplit tool on subd models: 1. In the viewport, start the polysplit operation 2. At the controls on top of the viewport: Set Path Type to Quad Strip, turn on Closed Path. (If you want at this point, right-click on each of these parameters and choose "Make Current Value Default" so that all subsequent polysplit operations for this session will start off with these) 3. Pick the edge at the point where you want to do your cut by left-clicking once on it and then a right-click to finish the operation. (If you want, use Ctrl+Right mouse to bring up the menu to control snapping) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty Posted July 10, 2002 Share Posted July 10, 2002 danteA thanks for that - re:edgeloop cut - yes of course. ha, what was i thinking....i thinki it must have been the word "cut" just made me think "carve" which does u and v loops plus more, anyway it's a great tool. But yeah, the polysplitSOP, that's killer. Have used it heaps and how it splits in loops for quads is awesome. sorry about the mix up Betty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freespark Posted July 10, 2002 Share Posted July 10, 2002 hello all, Correct me if I'm wrong. Isn't the second input for the Extrude(SOP) specifically for bevels, or cross sextions to be exact? I always use it specifically for this reason, and it does in fact give me very nice bevels. Nevins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty Posted July 10, 2002 Share Posted July 10, 2002 Hi Freespark Don't you actually have to model a curve to the shape of the bevel you would like? I think this is used for different purposes to the way one would use the normal bevel tool. Say you had a box with a veritical edge on the primitive facing you, the way i know it - i would pick the edge and hit bevel, that single edge then becomes two parallel edges. If the original edge was in at the midpoint, well then the two new edges have moved a little to either side. The bevel point can also be used on points. So if you pick the point on the corner of the box and bevel, you blunt the edge. Can this be done with the extrudeSOP, if so, that would be great. Please let us know how? Thanks Betty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freespark Posted July 10, 2002 Share Posted July 10, 2002 Hello betty, Yes, you're correct you do have to model it. It's not automatic like you put it. Sorry! I'm not even sure it's like maya's bevel in that respect, which i would describe as being automatic. Yes, you do have to model your bevel. nevins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty Posted July 10, 2002 Share Posted July 10, 2002 correction Bevel a point on the corner of a box would blunt the corner not the edge as i had said. I've been making too many errors in my posts, i'll try and be more careful. b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted July 10, 2002 Share Posted July 10, 2002 No worries, betty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheUsualAlex Posted July 10, 2002 Share Posted July 10, 2002 Umm... Although this isn't the best way to do it depending on the model, won't Divide SOP work at least on a basic beveling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
draz Posted July 11, 2002 Author Share Posted July 11, 2002 Wow, thanks all for the great replies. I hope that the non commercial release will be made available soon after Siggraph. After reading about the release and what will be contained on the two cds I'm positive that it'll be a hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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