Houdini 15.5 Released!

[NNois]

It is not weird at all Sam, achieving work fluidity and intuitivity is at another level in software.

Unfortunately rare.

ok @Fianna, so bring us Sticky Keys and "Alt" Quick Sticky Snapping

[nodeway]

There was a talk around when H14 came out, where I and couple other people REALLY wondered whos brillant idea was to make selection system so convoluted in Houdini, instead of using Double Click. The fun part, Mcnistor came and tried convince me that Double Click was easy but not fast.

But hey, fastforward one year and who had right? ;)
http://forums.odforce.net/topic/21864-h ... nt-thread/

There are couple other missteps that I don't like. Like for example misserable choice of naming AttributeWrangle to have three names under TAB key (vertexwrangle, pointwrangle, primitivewrangle), which brings only confusion, especially to new users, making them feel like if it was three different tools instead of one.
What they should do instead is to leave the same name and add to it in braces only mode in which it will be launched, like this:
Attribute Wrangle (detail)
Attribute Wrangle (point)
Attribute Wrangle (vertices)
Attribute Wrangle (primitives)
Attribute Wrangle (numbers)

This would clearly indicate that it's the same tool, just instatiated with different settings.
I'm using this notation for my tools, if they can be launched in different modes.

[MauricioPC]

[Rork]

Interesting the people at SHED didn't go the AD route.

With that animation project running, they might have some influence on future Houdini improvements on workflow.
One can only dream ;-)

But am testing H15.5 atm, the new stuff is very nice. Now I need a version of Arnold that can run with H15.5 ;-)

And I do know a couple of Maya/Houdini companies that will happily leave Maya behind when the character tools improve a little bit more.

rob

[MauricioPC]

Rork,

The feeling I got from the video is that SideFX decided to embark on this to actually improve it's character tools with a studio that makes lots of cool work.

I'm hopeful this will bring tons of good improvements to Houdini animation.

[Rork]

Yes, that could be a logical explanation.

Things are indeed improving, one could say the influx of Softimage users 'rattled the cage' somewhat regarding workflow ;-)

Interesting times, especially with the renderer support in Indy.

[Daniel Brassard]

Hey SideFX, how about a competitive cross-grade from my current AD Ultimate suite to Houdini FX?

Here is a thought: Houdini FX is currently $4495, AD latest offering (Media & entertainment collection is $2040 yearly)

Offer a competitive cross-grade at 50% ($2245) or match AD offering and see how many will jump ship....

The ball (and momentum) is in your court.

[Mathaeus]

It's not first time for them. Regarding characters, animation and all that, I think they added built-in rig in times of last big influx, around 2006 when number of Mayans come on H board, well we all know why. I think it was even one movie with cartoon characters created (or just animated) in H. However, in similar way as today, tools were created on top of existing structure, in let's call it H way. Few years later, animation momentum faded away, back to standard tasks, simulation and such. Few sites probably are still alive, offering the tools for old Houdini versions, but not updated for a long time.
2014 it was a time to re-paint a guest's room , so more or less same set of tools became updated, ok there is new animation editor. But, well.. but, good old friends are still there too, like sound processing system expected to work with animation, traditionally slow playback as well.
We will see how will go this time, but, without huge, core changes, I'm afraid nothing will happen, again. Pleasing a people with nice approach, implementing RFE here and there, everyone can do that. Next year Clarisse or someone will add animation module and that will be a new sedative for Mayans, then next round of Modo, perhaps.
By the way just checked out, FBX importer in new H still don't recognize relative blend shapes from Maya, properly. Perhaps I'm only one who's trying a 'gaming style' importing.