Recommendations of a good starting point for learning Houdini for games

Optimo

Hi, as a regular 3D Artist/Environment artist who dabbles more toward effects and technical things (but not actually being able to code yet). I feel learning Houdini would be of good benefit. I currently use maya and have done so for 10+ years. Does anyone have any good recommendations of any online courses or tutorials that'd be a good starting point migrating into houdini with the aim being towards video game effects/techart?

GlowingPotato

Nice question, I'm also interested

Obscura

I think the gamedev toolset also has videos for a lot of its features. Gamedev toolset is a must for realtime vfx artists using houdini. It has some nice features simplifying the process of authoring complicated assets such as vertex animation textures or volumetric textures and more. So I'd start there.

jStins

I can't really fully endorse these since Houdini is still dangling on my 'to do' list, but... 

https://www.anastasiaopara.com/lakevillage

@siver Has been putting a ton of Houdini content on his blog: https://www.artstation.com/siver/blog

And of course the game tools learning path at sidefx.com: https://www.sidefx.com/learn/game-tools/

And now I'm eager to jump back into learning Houdini, thanks OP! I'd also love to see other resources folks have found.

sacboi

Was testing Apprentice 2 or 3yrs ago, only basic stuff cos my system really wasn't setup too handle it, at the time. and yeah, realtime & Sidefx will handhold noob users via their tute libraries but I'm my opinion folks who work with it day to day often have 'coalface' hands on XP not found elsewhere.

For instance Andreas Glad, over at DICE put out a nice writeup a while back about his experience in gamefx:

https://cgsociety.org/news/article/3238/creating-vfx-for-games-with-houdini-artist-andreas-glad-

edit: (also, courses I think worthwhile checking out, too)

https://www.udemy.com/course/houdini-create-full-cg-chocolate-commercial-in-houdini/

https://www.udemy.com/course/houdini-fx-step-to-step-visual-effects-made-easy/

...and this one by Andreas

https://www.pluralsight.com/courses/houdini-vfx-games

*udemy might be a bit pricey however for what you get, imo money well spent if you're going in cold*

siver

If you are new to Houdini I can recommend this video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjaNN2RO0v8
it gives a good overview of the basics you will need to understand Houdini.

Further you can follow general basic tutorials of Houdini. What will be important is that the tutorials you watch are not super old because Houdini had a lot of changes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsv8UGqDibc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU8Mel5tIiY

Focus also on what you want to do with Houdini, is it level or world generation, Procedural modelling, simulations, rigging, ....
https://www.sidefx.com/tutorials/  (use the filter, to get tutorial you want)

Buying tutorials is up to you, most of what I know is 95% from youtube and Houdini forums. Everyone has a different way of learning new software.

jStins

@siver I'm working through your Sci Fi level design series now and it's been great so far. Thanks!

/Edit: I concur that the basic intro tutorial / doc is essential. I started with those about a year ago. They aren't game/realtime focused, but they're important for understanding how to navigate Houdini.