Houdini Resources

Updated on June 26  2024



Deborah R. Fowler



Houdini Mocap Marker Fun into Unreal

Posted March 3  2020

One of my students asked if this Mocap data could be taken into Unreal and also triggered by Unreal for the RBD smash. Challenge accepted. Please heed your game professor naming conventions. The general technique is given below.

Taking your mocap marker data into Unreal





In Houdini you have written your python script to process the files. If you simply want to light your animation in Unreal, this is very straightforward. Save your file as an alembic (.abc) and then import it into Unreal.



If however you want to trigger the destruction in Unreal you will need to write a level blue print. Steps below:

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In Houdini: Output your fbx using RBD to FBX from SideFXLabs tools. If you would like to try following along the fbx file used is here.
NOTE: In your final results I do not want to see the t-pose sections - be selective with your frame output to your fbx.

Be sure to check you are using the correct Frame range and directing it to the correct output - let's suppose we name it MocapTest

In Unreal (for the purpose of this demo I was using 4.21.1) :
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When you check on Simulate Physics now, it works! The spheres all fall to the ground.

Next to make a blueprint to trigger the simulation on.
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Once this blueprint is in place, compile and run. You will be able to tap spacebar to see the motion capture data fall into pieces. Done!