This summer is bringing a slew of motion graphics updates. Late last week, we got a first preview of the latest in visual effects powerhouse SideFX Houdini – another studio-grade tool now available for a song.
Houdini 19.5 should get a full reveal this week, but here it is in all its liquid-y, firey goodness:
If you’re in Montreal, the launch event – and a workshop – are later today. We’ll watch for the full updates later this week.
Here’s what we know is in there – lots of new procedural tools, USD options, tools for beginners and hooks for Unity and Unreal, too:
- Fluid sourcing and solving in SOP (that’s their procedural modeling tool, and explains the promo images that look like futuristic dish detergent being flung through your space station’s kitchen)
- SOP fluid viscosity, among some other new procedural geometry tools
- Some serious, serious suppressing (which is making splashy splashy water look really nice)
- Curve orientation
- Cutting tools for curves and surfaces (“PolyScalpel”) and UV generations for polywires as experimental Labs features
- Fire (well and smoke and things – all based on GPU-accelerated tools)… though it does feel like we have enough fire here in the real world at the moment
- Environmental lights
- Light filters and networks
- Content – including for Unreal and Unity
- Layout line brush, stack brush
- USD asset database
- Hair/grooming features (no, not related to the moustache video I just posted)
- Karma engine features
- Face scattering! (Materials for skin, etc.)
- Motion blur
- Muscles and tissue (though whatever those demo creatures are supposed to be, yikes they’re creepy!)
Good stuff.
You’ll see some discussion on the news page, as well.