Spot on video! This is pretty much how I do it too. Even in non fully procedural setups, it's incredibly powerful to be able to backtrack throughout the entire history of the model, create alternative branches or even iterate on certain parts to make the model more procedural or fix any issues that pop up later. Especially as you can see the end results update in real time. The trick is knowing when to do something procedural, vs a quick manual edit that's easy to fix when you change things (like selecting geo as you mentioned). I'm really excited about the new curve node in Houdini 19 though, as curves are usually how I start a lot of models.
I am very interested in H19 too. Modeler 2021 is a game changer in terms of destructive modeling in Houdini. You have some great techniques that would still work in Modeler. Modeler doesn't change anything in the network window but it does take over the scene view window. Much quicker interface. Definitely worth a look. Parker Coleman has some TH-cam tutorials on Modeler.
A bit of a necro-posting here :) I'm trying to switch to Houdini after using Max for over 10 years. I know nothing of Maya, but while Max is no match to Houdini when it comes to simulations, procedural modeling and general robustness - hardsurface modeling feels clunky to a painful degree in Houdini... It my be a skill issue and my decade-old habits of Max modeling, but modeling in Houdini feels like hammering nails with a microscope. Auto-welding and smart extrusions (auto-boolean) in newer max versions are so good... even Sketchup and Blender feels clunky in comparison. And to be perfectly honest I think I would be able to replicate the same degree of modularity and procedurality in Max if necessary. Probably in a less elegant way, but not worse than volume (bounding) selects with boxes shown in the video... IMO modeling in Houdini is bearable for extremely simple things, but is HORRIBLE for hard-surface modeling of moderately complex things like cars, boats, guns, etc.... But it really shines in complex procedural models where you can do crazy VOODO magic jumping between Voxels VDBs and polys, copying primitives to points and so on. I think if Houdini team wants to bridge the hard-surface gap they could introduce a fully destructive modeling node, that allows you to do everything destructive in one node, shift-drag to extrude, simple selection-to-action tools, similar to an EditPoly in max... Primitive, but effective for many cases... Anyways. Thanks for the video. Appreciate sharing your views on modeling! Keep the good work.
Spot on video! This is pretty much how I do it too. Even in non fully procedural setups, it's incredibly powerful to be able to backtrack throughout the entire history of the model, create alternative branches or even iterate on certain parts to make the model more procedural or fix any issues that pop up later. Especially as you can see the end results update in real time.
The trick is knowing when to do something procedural, vs a quick manual edit that's easy to fix when you change things (like selecting geo as you mentioned). I'm really excited about the new curve node in Houdini 19 though, as curves are usually how I start a lot of models.
What is your opinion of Modeler 2021 in Houdini? Have you used it?
I have not used it, I'm curious what H19 will bring in terms of modeling though.
I am very interested in H19 too. Modeler 2021 is a game changer in terms of destructive modeling in Houdini. You have some great techniques that would still work in Modeler. Modeler doesn't change anything in the network window but it does take over the scene view window. Much quicker interface. Definitely worth a look. Parker Coleman has some TH-cam tutorials on Modeler.
@@TomCushwa Thank you, I'll check out those videos!
i feel the same
Im trying so hard to agree here but cmon man, its a rectangle with a few insets and extrusions. It would take you 5 minutes in blender/maya.
A bit of a necro-posting here :)
I'm trying to switch to Houdini after using Max for over 10 years.
I know nothing of Maya, but while Max is no match to Houdini when it comes to simulations, procedural modeling and general robustness - hardsurface modeling feels clunky to a painful degree in Houdini...
It my be a skill issue and my decade-old habits of Max modeling, but modeling in Houdini feels like hammering nails with a microscope.
Auto-welding and smart extrusions (auto-boolean) in newer max versions are so good... even Sketchup and Blender feels clunky in comparison.
And to be perfectly honest I think I would be able to replicate the same degree of modularity and procedurality in Max if necessary. Probably in a less elegant way, but not worse than volume (bounding) selects with boxes shown in the video...
IMO modeling in Houdini is bearable for extremely simple things, but is HORRIBLE for hard-surface modeling of moderately complex things like cars, boats, guns, etc....
But it really shines in complex procedural models where you can do crazy VOODO magic jumping between Voxels VDBs and polys, copying primitives to points and so on.
I think if Houdini team wants to bridge the hard-surface gap they could introduce a fully destructive modeling node, that allows you to do everything destructive in one node, shift-drag to extrude, simple selection-to-action tools, similar to an EditPoly in max... Primitive, but effective for many cases...
Anyways. Thanks for the video. Appreciate sharing your views on modeling!
Keep the good work.
Only thing not really worth modelling in houdini IMO are one off weapons.