Houdini 15.5: Dynamics and Simulation

Raise the bar of your 3D skill set, and learn how to create realistic effects and dynamic simulations in Houdini.

In this course, Scott Pagano explores Houdini and shows how to use its massively powerful dynamics system to create a range of simulations. Scott provides an overview of the dynamics context, and moves on to a range of project-based examples that illustrate how to use an array of simulation types. Starting with rigid body dynamics, he explores how to properly prepare geometry for destruction and build a destruction simulation system, as well as how to create a soft body organic dynamic simulation with Wire and Finite Element solvers. He then shows how to wrap up your object destruction system as a Houdini digital asset for use in Maya and CINEMA 4D.

Introduction

• Welcome
• Exercise files

1. Fundamentals

• Exploring collision geometry types
• Overview of constraints

2. Rigid Body Dynamics

• Process overview
• Source assets
• Create simulation with shell and ground
• Create collision geometry for shell
• Create collision geometry for ground
• Add base into simulation
• Create collision geometry for base
• Add frame into simulation
• Add crates to simulation
• Add cans to simulation
• Tweak sim and constraint parameters
• Modify attributes on shell constraints
• Modify attributes on frame constraints
• Apply simulation to full-resolution shell
• Apply simulation to full-resolution geometry
• Run simulation and create flipbook
• Combine results and export alembic

3. Soft Body Dynamics

• Process overview
• Create FEM simulation
• Create a point deform system
• Run and cache FEM simulation
• Prep edge geo for wire sim
• Create tentacle geo
• Create tentacle sim
• Create volume noise for wire sim
• Add volume advection to wire sim
• Create wires from arm geo
• Add arm wires to wire sim
• Combine and export wire sim
• Create tentacle geo from wires
• Wire deform arm geo with wires
• Ray arm geo to body geo
• Combine elements and export alembic

4. Building an HDA

• Scene overview
• Create subnet and make paths relative
• Promote parameters and build UI
• Export HDA
• Open HDA in Maya
• Open HDA in C4D

Conclusion

• Next steps

Introduction

• Welcome
• Exercise files

1. Fundamentals

• Exploring collision geometry types
• Overview of constraints

2. Rigid Body Dynamics

• Process overview
• Source assets
• Create simulation with shell and ground
• Create collision geometry for shell
• Create collision geometry for ground
• Add base into simulation
• Create collision geometry for base
• Add frame into simulation
• Add crates to simulation
• Add cans to simulation
• Tweak sim and constraint parameters
• Modify attributes on shell constraints
• Modify attributes on frame constraints
• Apply simulation to full-resolution shell
• Apply simulation to full-resolution geometry
• Run simulation and create flipbook
• Combine results and export alembic

3. Soft Body Dynamics

• Process overview
• Create FEM simulation
• Create a point deform system
• Run and cache FEM simulation
• Prep edge geo for wire sim
• Create tentacle geo
• Create tentacle sim
• Create volume noise for wire sim
• Add volume advection to wire sim
• Create wires from arm geo
• Add arm wires to wire sim
• Combine and export wire sim
• Create tentacle geo from wires
• Wire deform arm geo with wires
• Ray arm geo to body geo
• Combine elements and export alembic

4. Building an HDA

• Scene overview
• Create subnet and make paths relative
• Promote parameters and build UI
• Export HDA
• Open HDA in Maya
• Open HDA in C4D

Conclusion

• Next steps