3D-Pangel

Agreed...very helpful. I would love to get your thoughts on v19 when it is released relative to usability. Also, how does the fluid solver compare in complexity to XP? I did notice that there are a number of ready made presets in the menu bar but do the nodes follow an internal logical consistency whether it be smoke, liquids or grains? Or is a different workflow required for each different type of effect? Thanks, Dave

Can you help me unpack these two sentences. "It does not renew (yet), you have to purchase a new license after it expires". I would assume you mean that with the Indie license, there is no automatic renewal and you can continue to purchase Indie licenses year after year. At first read, it almost sounds like you can ONLY get the indie license for 1 year afterward you need to upgrade to either FX or Core. Ridiculous conclusion I know, but please humor me. The Indie license details are as follows: Note that you can use Indie on two computers (one artist -- or one activation at a time). That is good! Interesting that you cannot use Indie files in FX but can use FX files in Indie. That does not make sense in that you would think that the motivation would be for you to upgrade to FX - so why not take your work with you from the Indie version when you upgrade. That works to the advantage of the Indie user so please confirm as there was nothing I could find on this at the SideFX web-site. Also can anyone explain the difference between: .hiplc .hipnc .hdalc .hdanc Are these file formats unique to each version of Houdini? Understanding these file formats may help explain the inter-operability between versions. Honestly, the main attraction for me with Houdini Indie is the fluid FX so Indie is the only way to go. Houdini FX annual upgrade costs are a bit extreme at $2500/year (and I thought Maxon was bad). Dave

I am actually going to start with the free version and see how it goes. It does not feel as intimidating as I originally feared. It actually feels like a fully matured, more powerful and better implemented version of R25 capsules. I love how you can model in real time (just like any other 3D application) and the node tree is created as you work giving you a 100% non-destructive workflow. Procedural modeling aside, the interface is cleaner than Blender's which is also a welcome surprise. So while I have been learning Blender, there is a part of me that says: "Why go through that transition when - with a little more effort to grasp the procedural nature of things - I could be learning an amazing program that leads the industry?". The risk is the same (both free with Apprentice) and even should I become more comfortable, the cash outlay of $270/year is really minimal compared to the alternatives (hey -- X-Particles alone costs just as much). I don't know...I never saw myself leaning into Houdini...ever. But until Igor started posting his tutorials, I never really knew Houdini. I just dismissed it as a high-end powerful package for seasoned professionals only. For me to use it would be (to coin James Cameron) punching above my weight class. Lots to consider here. I blame you Igor.🙂 No. Just kidding. Thank you for taking that first step for me!!! Dave

I am seriously interested and I could not think of a better teacher. -Dave

Sign me up! Not to steal from Igor's training --- but Udemy has this 13 hour Houdini bootcamp for beginners on sale now: https://www.udemy.com/course/houdini-create-full-cg-chocolate-commercial-in-houdini/ ADDENDUM: I just caught the previous post. Not a problem! As Houdini also supports Redshift, I would be considering the Indie version. Yes....I know it is a subscription but something about paying $270/year rather than $720 a year (a $450 difference) for a fully featured best-in-breed industry standard just makes it...OK. Funny how that works. Dave ADDENDUM 2: Found this FREE course on procedural modeling for beginners in Houdini 16.5 (10.5 hours of training).

Two more points: Any plugins installed (eg. Octane)? I am assuming not, as you have installed/re-installed R25 multiple times. And have you put in a support request to Maxon as it would be interesting to hear what they have to say. Dave

Igor, Hmmmm....unrestrained capability in all areas at Indie prices? ...now why would you be attracted to that? 🙂 The more videos I see of the interface, the less intimidating it becomes. Dave

Welcome to Core4D! Looking forward to that friendly exchange as much as you are! Dave

Excellent Igor. I think you are definitely going to have an impact in the Houdini community --- especially if you focus on demystifying the belief for many that Houdini is unapproachable due to its complexity. Simplifying Houdini as you have done with your first tutorial is a huge untapped market (IMHO). Keep going! Dave

Agreed....with Cerbera leading the list. Some YouTube sites to visit (if you had not visited them already): First up, the Core4D Youtube channel. Many playlists, but here is the one on modeling Next, some very good channels by Core4D regulars: Digital Meat Wolf 4D 3D Fluff And rounding out the list: Polygon Pen Other more well known C4D channels that cover a bit of everything: Rocket Lasso School of Motion Noseman (or Anthanasios Pozantzis) In no way a complete list and I definitely missed some really great tutorials put out by C4D legends as I put this list together pretty quickly, but this should get you started. Dave

Welcome Hamad. Glad to have you. What areas do you think you struggle with the most? Dave

It looks interesting and I like the visual history that is provided. How would it compare to RocketLasso's Recall plugin (found here) in terms of storing/restoring your workflow history? The interface for Snowtrack is more informative but Recall (as a series of tags) "appears" more flexible. Just wanted to get your opinion....and I do not own Recall so my questions come from watching their demo's as opposed to using plugin. Dave P.S. So with two plugins concerned with change management workflow coming on the market, I wonder what that means for C4D's native Takes system introduced in R17 (the only notable feature in an otherwise bland release....or at least bland enough that it forced 3D-Kiwi's exit). IMHO: I always thought Takes was too cumbersome to use. The creation of these plugins would appear to confirm that opinion but just wanted to hear what others had to say.

+1 for the courses here. Hrvoje's courses are well explained and logically presented and he just released a full set of training for R25. Dave

Doctor Strange?

+1 for showing the key strokes +1 for dropping the side bar video window after the intro +1 for adjusting the mic to pick up more of your voice than the background (and maybe make it appear like it is not the size of a watermelon 🙂) Who is the target audience for this tutorial. Complete newbies starting from ground zero or newbies who understand the rudimentary basics of the interface? I ask because there were a couple of times you pulled up windows without explaining how you got there. If the automatic keystroke software covers that gap, then it may be covered. But always consider that the viewers eyes are going to be on the mouse -- it is human nature for the eye to naturally follow the only moving thing on the screen. With that said, the key stroke commands are going to appear on the bottom and only be there until you hit another key. Therefore, the viewers eye's may not catch it or catch it for the next command rather than the one they missed. So talking them through it at all times (or at least the first couple of times) prevents that confusion. Also consider that even with a 4K image on a 25 inch high def monitor (2566x1440), the text below the Houdini icons on the top row are not quickly identifiable --- at least for a complete newbie like myself who is trying to absorb everything. So if you don't mention the command when you click on the icon, then I have stopped following your lesson and reading the menu. By the time I do figure it out, you are two more commands down the road. I guess my point is this: teach at a pace and with enough verbal explanation so that the viewer does NOT have to hit the pause button and rewind. If the newbie student has to hit pause and rewind more than twice in a minute of lecture, attention fatigue will set in. Review your videos with that goal in mind. Look for those points where there was an action without and explanation. Now, I think you are a great teacher and I am amazed how far you have come with the toughest package on the market in such a short time. But we are not all like you. Me personally, I am an idiot and I need to be carried gently from ground zero. So please do not take these comments personally....I am just speaking for idiots everywhere! 🙂 Dave

What was that line in Ready Player One? "We estimate we can sell up to 80% of a players visual field of view with ads before seizures occur" Gee...I wonder how the C4D UI would look in this world. Dave

100% agree. But that is not my real fear. My real fear is when Apple or Microsoft go 100% subscription. Imagine a future where you cannot even purchase new hardware without signing onto a monthly license fee for the OS. Dave

What I find interesting is that Insydium no longer makes public what is the latest version of Cycles. I thought Cycles 550 was the latest version as that is what is available for download via your current maintenance program. I have yet to switch to Fused and searched for the latest version number but could not find it. Only via this thread did I learn it was 557. Not sure when that that was released or how it is different than 550. Not sure why they are making things difficult. Lack of transparency during a shift in their licensing policy is never a good strategy but it just seems to be part of the process with companies these days. Whether that is intentional or just a symptom of all the complexities with that transition remains to be seen. Dave

Maybe we should end the thread on that note as it is essentially true (no one knows the future) and reminds us to be thankful for today. Just a thought. Dave

The most powerful combination in software development is when a user is the developer. Only with that combination will you get the tools that are both needed and work the way you need them to work. As companies grow, that pairing of abilities can be lost. If you read the job descriptions, you find more of a focus on a candidates proficiency in the core language (C++, python, etc) and who capable of transforming technical papers into code. Rarely do you see the requirement of being a 3D artist in the job description. Some companies like Insydium, overcome that gap by hiring a "resident artist" such as Mario Tran Phuc who pushes the platform to ever greater and greater capabilities. That works! Not sure if Maxon has a "resident artist" on the payroll. The closest I have seen that happen was probably in R24 as most of its new features were tailored the needs of artists like Beeple (eg, the ability to grab stuff from a library pretty efficiently and scatter them all over your work in kitbash fashion). But I am not sure if Beeple is on the Maxon payroll (nor does he need to be). Going back to Matches post, he has hit the nose square on the head: How is Maxon competing? Is it even competing? I loved this example he provided on Blenders sculpting tools vs. Z-Brushes: So when was the last time you saw Maxon quickly compete with a competitor on a new feature? Maybe with Maya on the addition of dynamic MoGraph modifier in R22 when Maya was adding fluids to their motion graphics suite of tools. Unfortunately Maxon was only able to implement particles effects while Maya was doing fluids. So points to Maya on this round. I know we all think the new "core" will bring a vast treasure trove of riches to C4D once "fully" implemented...but that transition is now looking like a 10 year journey and that is just too long in this world. Sorry, but better bevel capability should not be the only benefit we should be seeing from this new core at this point. I know there are some viewport improvements, but it seems that you need to be using Scene Nodes to appreciate that benefit. If Scene nodes is the ONLY way we will see the full manifestation of the new core, then that is a HUGE problem because it totally changes the one thing that keep users tied to C4D: the way we interact with the program. Right, wrong or indifferent, Scene nodes changes that interaction. Capsules restore a good deal of that "ease of use", but I am not seeing the increase in viewport performance -- especially with the greeble modifier. Increase the polygon count on the source object and watch C4D slow to a crawl. That is not how I thought the new core would behave. Honestly, the fastest growing development at Maxon is the license server (IMHO). Certainly more changes there than on C4D's ability to catch-up on features to the competition. Not including Redshift as the default renderer for C4D but cancelling its perpetual licensing is a one example of what is a priority to Maxon: growing revenue via subscriptions with their existing user base rather than growing the user base with new features to the software. This priority does indicate that Maxon is not even trying to compete on features. This should not be surprise to anyone as it has been the #1 complaint from the user community. Don't even try to defend it because the weight of evidence is against you (and this thread is long enough). Dave Wasn't that Per Anders? And didn't he leave? Dave

I have nothing but the fondest memories of working with Rafi Barbos to get my new license with each update. Remember, this goes way back to the days when you actually got a box shipped to your house. Back around 2005, when Maxon had a heart for its hobbyists, I was only using Prime. Well, after a short call with Rafi trying to navigate the path from Prime to Studio with the next release, she understood that I was a hobbyist and gave me the upgrade to Studio for that new release for over 50% off. Per her request, I kept that deal a secret all these years. As she no longer works with Maxon (she left in 2007), I feel that our deep dark secret can finally be revealed after 16 years. Do you think a Direct Sales Manager with her level of empathy would fit in with today's Maxon? Sorry to say...I think those days are long gone. But should any Maxon employee feel differently and wish to refute that position, I am always open to saving on my next perpetual license so please feel free to PM me. Rest assured, I can keep a secret until it is no longer worth keeping no matter how long it takes. Dave

Wow....I thought the hammer was cool but this is just damn impressive. Dave

Is your friend Andrew Price (aka Blender Guru). His donut tutorial is a very famous beginners tutorial for Blender newbies. Right up there with 3D Kiwi's little blue airplane tutorial (okay...as it has been some time and we have many new members, is there anyone out there who has never heard of the Little Blue airplane tutorial?). Very cool Igor. I can see why once you have successfully made that transition, you can see the whole new world that Houdini opens up to you. Dave

So is the "different way of thinking" that makes Houdini click the same "different way of thinking" that you need to make C4D nodes click? My biggest struggle with nodes is remembering the nodes and their capabilities. I can conceptualize the order of operations and I can remember/visualize from the training what is possible from the nodes --- I just can't remember the damn name of the node. Does Houdini have a context sensitive help feature? Click on a port and based on its data type a list of possible nodes appear for you to select from (or better yet hover over the node name in the list and a description appears). If there was ever an application for machine learning, it would be here where the AI reads the node list and from that has some idea of what you want to do (eg. "ahh...some polygons have been selected and their local axis has been shifted to their extent position value in the Y-axis. He/she must want to do a rotation, or twist, or bend. I will now show all those nodes"). Hey....after 30 years, they should be working on that! 🙂 I mean what was the breakthrough "aha" moment that knocked down the Houdini learning barrier and could that same lesson learned be applied to C4D nodes? Dave

Has anyone played with the greeble capsule? I would love to see what people can do with that. Also, what do professional modelers think of capsules? When you strive for perfection in your edge loops, topological flow, no complex poles and nothing but quads, then do the capsules create geometry that is up to your standards or do they require such heavy editing that you forego the non-destructive workflow and just start from the beginning. I saw Chris Schmidt run through capsules and it was impressive but it was creating some geometry that I think would make a perfectionist cringe (particularly when you are selectively and/or randomly performing inner extrudes and edge flow gets a little disturbed). That is why I wonder if the greeble modifier is a useful tool to those that strive for perfect meshes. Dave