Houdini big news

[Maximus]

There you go

50% discount on Houdini FX, incredible discount

http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option= ... &Itemid=66

and new houdini Orbolt portal.

http://www.orbolt.com/

pretty damn nice..

[SreckoM]

Now this is much more acceptable. I am playing with ApprenticeHD for some time, and I think this might be good time to switch. Really attempting.

[jamination]

How do the character tools stack up to Softimage?

[SreckoM]

Honestly did not tried it much, I am not good with that. There are some really good tutorials at 3dBuzz I guess you can learn more about that from there.
I would say that SI ones are better, but I am not person that can tell much about that part.

[Bellsey]

Very interesting news from SideFx and I'm sure many people will be looking at Houdini now.
Hand on heart, I think ICE particles is definitely on a par and in some areas better than Houdini, but Houdini has many other strengths in other areas.

[gustavoeb]

yeah but then they have voxels with very good viewport preview, extra solvers, nodal everything workflow, mantra, and the list goes on and on...

that switch is looking mighty intersting now

[SreckoM]

And on top of all, SideFX seems like 'cooler' company I think that AD lost its course with all this Suite forcing thing...

[Mathaeus]

How do the character tools stack up to Softimage?

last time I've played, it wasn't able to edit animation curves during playback. Maybe not so important, but it tells something. It has a few auto - rigs, but seems more for showing the possibilities, not well optimized. They are slow, exactly to say. I think even plotting belongs to their CHOPs, SOPs, or whatever. How long it take to create a decent workflow for one man band, by one man band, I have no idea. Two months, six months, two years or never...

Imho main problem of this software is a lack of public available user experience. Power users can't talk because of NDA and rules of big companies, activity of 'small' people seems to be very basic, far behind the level of public available ICE experience. No free samples by Helge Mathe on Houdini forums...
While ago I've searched on their forums, for example of hair shader with shifted highlights ( it's relative easy to adapt Mantra shader to 3delight). What I found it was, let's say, unusable in real life, but still followed by applauding on forum

[McNistor]

http://www.autodesk.com/temp/edm/edms/g ... _apac.html

Autodesk has discounts too

[gustavoeb]

looks like it is just for suites though

[nourvfx]

houdini is better than xsi.done

[bottleofram]

Welcome back, nourvfx. Your surprisingly amusing drivel never fails to put a smile on my face.

[Fer]

i have great new .one company i dont can say about this have creat new tecnologi for xsi.one plugin witch is full free.
increadable super fast system witch can simulat and render billions of polygon is xsi.
this plugin have.
rigid body.soft body.cloth.rope.counstrain.freature system.fluid for fire and smoke.superfast water simultion.rog doll .musle.hair system .and have engine render.very fast tan all of 3d aplication.coming soon in 2013. thanks

I would have been excited if the full free wasn't included. but at least you made me laugh.

[gustavoeb]

lol

Back from derailment, onto SideFX news... their new 3d asset store (http://www.orbolt.com) could turn out as a flop, but I think its a pretty smart move. If AD "got it" about ICE Compounds they could have been making some profit out of many peoples work (like all the delicious little compounds we find at http://rray.de), as SideFX is about to:
http://www.orbolt.com/search/?q=tags:tool
http://www.orbolt.com/search/?q=tags:effect

I'm not saying there is a lot of money to be made. But it is also a snow ball thing... as users have more tools available, and developers see some benefit ($) of the hours spent on those tools. Community grows, everybody happy!

[McNistor]

Why do I get the feeling that SideFX's move has something to do with the future next-gen that is Maya with ICE?
I mean if Maya gets ICE and would be half the price of Houdini former price tag, a lot of rain could fall on SideFX's parade, hence this move.

[Nizar]

Modelling in Houdini is slow and very poor experience, some for rigging and animate. Mantra seems have a lot of power but manage it appear very difficult to me.

For me taste and for my need, it is not the alternative to softimage.