DavidKahlVFX

Status update and another poll

Just wanted to give you guys an update and another option to direct the next step.
While I can't record voice every day I still can do regular screen capture sessions. I already have part 2 and 3 prepped and ready for voice over. So it's moving along.

The polyshifter tool I use in the course can be shared with the Dev Team but I wanted to combine it with a quick video to explain the purpo...

Patreon Wordpress Plugin

Hey folks,

it seems that this tool mentioned above, developed by Patreon themself, has some mild... problems. 

For some of you it does not allow you to simply unlock with your patreon account even though your are on the right tier or have pledged enough in the past.

So this is the workaround that seems to work. Message me that you want to watch the videos over the page and I cre...

The Railsystem project - an introduction

With this I am introducing a new project of mine - the railsystem. A VEX based setup to create a procedural Rail for a hanging train. It will be able to use any terrain with a simple curve.

This is the introduction to the first chapter where I create the technical foundation. During this phase I am going to solve the main problems that will occur.

 Future chapters may include...

The Railsystem part 1 - prepare the terrain

Welcome to the very first part of the series. In this clip we will prepare a basic terrain and a curve that sticks to the surface without knowing how the terrain will look like.

Both the terrain and the curve are the foundation of the asset we are going to build.

Production comment:

I also wrote a production comment in the videos comment section for those to see that are not part of ...

Quicktip #8 Utilize the curveu attribute

I have been busy preparing for the rail series so these fell a bit behind. So here is another quicktip.

As you probably know you can manipulate your geometry with attributes. But since it's not always so easy to keep an overview about the status of your attributes some people hesitate on using this approach. It's easy to get lost in the geometry spreadsheet.

But getting used to this idea w...

Update on Content, Sharing, Webpage and Access

Hey folks,

after some preparation I worked out some questions how I want to go about sharing progress for the rail project and maybe future courses to come.

As I described here on patreon I am going to share each clip I finish for the railsystem with the 4th tier where they can give their input, help to decide on design questions and get immortalized in the credits. ;-)

Those videos ...

Sharing method of finished clips

Hey guys,

I already recorded the screen capture for part 1 and going to do the voice over soon. Now there is the question on how to share the clips with you. 

So the first option I am providing will be the embedded vimeo method. This will allow you to stream the video from my patreon post.  

The second option would be to use the patreon plugin on my pa...

The Railsystem | Introduction

Hi everyone,

this is the introduction video for the railsystem which will go public soon. I am currently laying out the structure for the coming recordings. 

I hope to release the first Clip as soon as I can to the Auditorium tier while sharing the first version of the Polyshifter with the Dev Team.

The chapter and the assets will be available to the whole gang once it is comple...

Introduction of the Polyshifter asset

I want to get the first additional asset out to the Dev Team, get your feedback, improve the asset or just give you something useful for your own projects.

But you will notice that it's not that easy to work with it if you are not aware of the original idea behind it.

As the Tool asset it is a library of different helpfull utilities that came up during the Railsystem project. 

S...

DK Tool v.0.3

And as promised here the current build version of the Tool asset.

After I recorded the introduction to my rail mini course I also give a first preview of the Polyshifter which the Dev Team tier then can give a testrun.

DK Tool v0.3 - Superformula

With the last video I also have updated the build from the tool asset to version 0.3. I added the superformula as a tool which turned out to be more powerfull then I expected. So here is a quick rundown on what the new function is capable of.

Like in the video about the superformula you can now very easily generate a 2D Plot of the formula.

 2018-11-05 11:32:12 +0000 UTC View Post

The superformula in Houdini

As you can see I had started creating the screen capture for quite some time now but managed to finish it today. 

I am about to start recording for the Railsystem but wanted to finish this first. The new version for the Tool asset - with the shown feature - follows hopefully tomorrow.

Hope you find this interesting.

Cheers

Dave

Quick preview of the Railsystem

Here is a short viewport flipbook of what the Railsystem I talked about will be capable of. 

In this first chapter the objects will be fairly simple as you can see in the video. 

The main idea for this will be to establish the overall system. A system that allows us to create a complex rail track by taking any terrain and any curve.

As I already announced I am about to star...

Railsystem Status

Due to sickness over the weekend I could not start with the recording session but I still managed to crawl to my pc to work on the system. 

As I already mentioned the course will not cover detailed modelling in the first chapter but there will be modelling support principles. Basicly what the polyshifter will be for.

To give you a few more impressions on what this first chapter will c...

Art-direct the Railsystem

Hellow fellow Houdini comrades,

I can't tell you all how thankful I am that there are indeed people who whill see this post at this early stage of my patreon. But I can't thank you all day we have descision to make! ;-)

I am progressing nicely with my RnD project  but there are some issues I am currently facing. And it's not a "how to solve it" problem - more a "what the hell do I do ...

Quicktip # 7 VEX Syntax

This is a pretty short and simple tip. But it will save you some time if you did not know this one. 

VEX has some features in it's Syntax that allow you to work fairly quickly and press stuff into very few lines of code.

When I write more complex logic I do not use this but if it's a quick test or a short task it is quite handy.

And I am talking about something what you could ca...

Start of the project and creation of the Polyshifter

I finally got to a point where I have a proof of concept project at a place where I know that the rest is just solving problems.

Again the name for a modelling tool is not written in stone allthough "Polyshifter" sounds kind of nice. It's 2 votes ahead of the rest.

The project and the mini course will circle around a railsystem, as mentioned in this Post.

2018-10-18 12:17:46 +0000 UTC View Post

Quicktip #6 - VEX Geometry Functions

As many of you know I am a VEX enthusiast. A big reason for that is me being a programmer and most of it came very naturally to me. 

And that's why I am doing alot of content around making VEX more accesible. Not because it is the best tool but because it is a strong addition to the already strong SOP workflows.

One reason why using VEX seems so unpractical is that most have to have t...

The "Pigmic"

Since the idea of a Mimic seems to interest quite alot, i did some RnD on possible ways to use a solid head as basis for the limbs.

Here are the first two iterations.

Here I just tested the creation of the limps with a set of 4 points each. The detangle went a bit crazy because of the amount of points but in general it worked. 

2018-10-15 13:50:45 +0000 UTC View Post

H17 Vellum Mimic Setup?

Hey guys n gals,

today I followed the masses and played around in H17. And I wanted to try something that I attempted in my early Houdini days but back then I failed miserably.

I wanted to recreate a setup for the Mimics from the Movie "Edge of tomorrow". These guys

But with a very simple trick, a good inspiration...

DK Polyshifter - first Steps

I have to admit I like the name but we will see if Polyshifter sticks. And don't let your mind play tricks on you changing that "f" to another "t"! ;-)

With the current project I am going to combine creating a mini-course while creating an Asset based on the content. I have to work a bit more on the first introduction video but I wanted to let you guys in the Dev Team already take a look at some...

Quicktip # 5 - Control the Switch

For this weeks quicktip I wanted to share some methods to use and control switch nodes.  

There is alot of potential in the use of these and allow you to create very dynamic node trees.

And as always feel free to share your own way of using these! ;-)

Option 1 - The Toggler

This is the obvious way to use switch nodes. You define a toggle ui element which is then d...

How to Scatter Points into a Box | Houdini Quicktips

Hey folks,

with the next and 5th quicktip coming tomorrow I started turning them into a very short format video.

I am slowly working towords weekly content again. 

In addition to that I have another cool tool ready for the asset and the video for that in editing right now. It is the logical next step after the polar coordinates - the superformula creating superellipses.

Fu...

New Project acquired

I finally have a new project in my mind that has me pumped to start.

As I described the process in previous posts - I am going to share the introduction video with everyone but then make each new clip available only for tier 4 until the project is finished.

When that happens it goes out  for everyone on tier 2 giving you time to watch and post questions if they ocurr.

And finall...

A Modelling Asset

It might take a while until the first Dev Team member arrives - but I throw this one out here already.
Due to my next project I want to create, I am going to start another asset that is supposed to help me on the way. This one is centered around modelling with a focus on the procedural aspect of it. 

Just to give you a few ideas 

- create ramp attributes on points...

Quick Tip #4 - Ways to find the highest Point

I found it was a fun thing to offer you some examples to solve a given problem and you chip in with your own solutions. So let's do that more often and call it "The Quick Tip Challenge" ;-)

Disclaimer - for every option that uses VEX you can of course create the VOP that does the exact same. So if you create another option keep in mind that if using a VOP the general approach should be a bit...