Course Notes

Updated on Feb 22  2020 

Houdini Resources


 Quick Links
Overview
Tips and Tricks
Tutorials (350/721)
Math for VSFX


Due Dates
Submission Guidelines
Expectations


Examples


V350/721 Breakdowns

  P1 - Buildings
  P2 - Complex Scene
  P3 - Animation


copyright © Deborah R. Fowler

VSFX 721: Resources

Deborah R. Fowler



Resources for 721 VSFX  Procedural Modeling and Animation

Posted 2013
Updated on June 22  2023

click here for Houdini Information

click here for Houdini Tips and Tricks Examples

click here for Submission Guidelines and Rules

click here for Expectations


Assignments are available online only.

Due Dates (link to google calendar)


Weight
Requirements


Reviews/Dailies
Deadlines  (by class number)
Optional
Grading
Templates
10
Exercises



listed in Class Notes below

 

20
Project 1
out 2
image 3

due 8 (Procedural Introduction - Building)
9

PGR 1
BreakdownP1
30
Project 2
out 1
image 7
review daily
layout 11
due 13 (Procedural Modeling - Complex Scene)
15
PGR 2
BreakdownP2
30
Project 3
out 13
image 14
review mechanics 17
due 19 (Procedural Animation - Expressions)
20
PGR 3
BreakdownP3
10
Professionalism








In keeping with creating a studio environment you will be expected to adhere to deadlines and show your work in progress in a "dailies" fashion.

If you have questions, let me know. I am always happy to give you feedback to help you improve your work but you have other projects/exercises to complete within this quarter. Improvement and deadlines are part of the studio process. The "orange box" class dates above indicate assignments allowing optional final renders.

Reminder: You are always encouraged to refine your work, however at some point deadlines require you to put it aside. You will not be re-graded for work submitted after deadlines but it will still count toward your participation grade. Improving your work is important but so is being able to work within the deadlines.


NOTE ABOUT OPTIONAL FINAL RENDERS

As per the submission guidelines please submit the files in a folder labeled Quarter_Class_PN_LastnameFirstname_Title_Final (contents as before).
***Please leave the original submission in the dropbox***

This folder should be on the top level of your dropbox. This allows me to see at a glance, who has submitted a "Final" Version. 

Class Notes

LECTURE OVERVIEW

In-class Exercises
Approximate Class
Deadlines (by class number)
In-class Phyllotaxis
2,3
4
In-class Blue Box
4,5
not required to hand in
In-class Orange
6
6

Class 1-20 please refer to the syllabus located on blackboard

On the SideFX website you will find a link to the Houdini documentation here.

There are examples on the tips and tricks page - these are small sample files that resolve questions I have been asked repeatedly and hopefully will act as a more informal documentation. If you would like more explanation I will be happy to answer questions, as always ask questions!

Key words: phyllotaxis, math review, logic review, look dev, instancing, layout, dynamics, rbd, particles, chops


Student Responsibility reminders:

In-Class - Phyllotaxis Hints

In addition, you should review the material here. For fun (optional reading below):


In-Class - Table Hints

For extra hints on how to use the font node here are three example files font.hipnc, fontRunTogether.hipnc and fontAlternative.hipnc (use this last one only if you have coding experience - if you like this format take a look at Hscript examples on the tips and tricks page).

More Hints:

Project 1 - Building Hints

You will be creating a procedural system for generating the exterior of a building. I recorded a more recent video of my lecture that can be found on vimeo. The Internet provides numerous examples of procedural buildings and city generation. Pascal Mueller, et al. and https://www.esri.com/en-us/arcgis/products/arcgis-cityengine/overview should serve as inspiration for this exercise. Interesting video related to the Building exercise (done in maya with mel) on procedural buildings here.
We will look at previous students work in class.


Project 2 - Complex Scene Hints


Project 3 - Procedural Animation Inspiration


Helpful Links: