Houdini can handle retopo/UVs perfectly well either manually or (depending on the asset) procedurally. Basic modeling can be done using ZModeler, but if more accuracy/complexity is needed it can be done in Houdini. There's even GoZ for Houdini, making it that much easier. Houdini proceduralism is good for environments.…
Houdini doesn't make much sense as a modeller from a studio perspective due to it's (comparatively very high) cost. It makes more sense to make use of houdini engine in other tools and leave the grown-ups in charge of houdini itself
https://gumroad.com/alexeyvanzhula Direct Modeler is a HDA for modeling in Houdini that makes it a faster, view port oriented process without sacrificing the non destructive nature of Houdini. If you do any modeling in Houdini this asset will pay for itself quickly.
Houdini does. Skin weights are just another attribute in Houdini. Nothing special about them. Houdini's rigging is top notch, the only area where it can suffer is rig view port performance, which is a pretty bad area to lack performance. However a whole new view port built off Hydra is coming soon that will allow for…
I think I would recommend Blender for an all-in-one solution to your concerns. I doubt Maya would give you fewer problems than Max. Modo has awesome modeling, but is practically useless for rigging/animating. Houdini is what I'd consider to be the Substance Designer of 3D work. The company behind it are amazing with…
Houdini Core is comparable to the annual cost of autodesk software. I don't think the cost of the software really matters much though. If it did, everyone would be using Blender.
@"Zack Maxwell", how do you do retopo and/or basic block modeling? You use zmodeler? And you are using Houdini more for setting up environments in a procedural way, right?
Blender, Maya, Modo, Houdini, and Cinema4D. Other then 3DSMax those are basically the only options as far as all-in-one solutions. Well, there's also Lightwave but very few people seem to use it anymore, and Softimage/XSI but development on that stopped a few years ago.
Although not neccesarily a "better" solution than Max but FWIW Blender is definitly moving towards parity with these industry standard apps. Alternatively there's also Houdini and Modo, the former I've found initially a bit 'techy' in that it's framework is primariliy procedural which was a task and a half getting my head…
If the UI puts you off nothing I can say there. It's not going to be for everyone. I'm not sure why ZModelers grid of buttons is ok and DM's isn't, different grids for different folks I guess. That HDA is mostly just streamlining existing nodes built around a workflow for view port modeling. You are the first person I've…