Cineversity

Hello,

I’ve been looking at the tutorial found here, about bringing dynamic particles into C4D from Houdini:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahl00LrdIe4

It’s also available on this site.

The particles are working great. The problem is I can’t figure out how to get the particles to render based on the tutorial. Is there additional data that needs to be brought over from Houdini? I’ve tried using the hair rendering tag, and the PShape node in xpresso, but without any luck. I’m sure there is something I’m missing. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Kind regards,
Steve

Hi Steve,

Would you mind to attach your scene file, so I can see what you have set up?

If you need an upload link, check you PM here on CV.

All the best

Edit: I placed this thread into the “Tutorial Discussion Thread”, as it referes to the

http://www.cineversity.com/vidplaylist/getting_started_with_houdini_engine/getting_started_with_houdini_engine_dynamic_particles

part of the series from Thanassis “Noseman” here. It is the last part in the series and the series should be watched completely of course to give the right depth from the start to work with this great connection of both apps.

P.S.:  I assume this PDF is available for everyone:

http://http.maxon.net/pub/houdini/documentation/Houdini_Engine_Plug-In_Documentation.pdf

Thanks! I sent over the scene file, it’s nothing fancy, just what is contained in the tutorial.

Got the file, thanks a lot.

… but I just notice that I have to install some parts newly (new computer here). Downloading at the moment.

So far I can see only all plug ins etc marked as “?”. Sorry—that isn’t very helpful and about the delay…

Thank you for taking a look! I’ve attached a screenshot of what I see in my viewport. Is this what the scene looks like on your side?

I see the TP geometry icon with the “h” over it. It looks like the particles come from that, but I don’t know what I need to do to get them to render… Is there additional data that needs to get added on the Houdini side?

Sorry, I have to ask, how much experience do you have with Thinking Particles? Just to get not too detailed in my reply. Yes that is the “Houdini Geometry Object”.

I tried to install Houdini newly, but I get only a Houdini r15 license and so far I know that will not fly, R14 is needed and I have to ask for a downgrade.

I have informed the author of the tutorial about the question.

I have edited this post. Since the great support from Houdini made things working with the older license for me. If there is a question how to get back from v15 houdini to v14 for the R17 version of Cinema 4D let me know.

hello everyone

Sassi summoned me and I’m here. He had to rub the houdini hat

So the particles you see are nothing more than Thinking Particles. That’s how they come into C4D from the engine.
So you can render them:

1. Using a PShape node and adding C4D geometry. Spheres, cubes, anything. Make sure you use Render instances otherwise the viewport will be very slow.
2. Using Hair

If you don’t know how to do the above, I think there are quite a few tutorials on that.

Cheers

Thank you both very much for the replies! I got it working, I had assumed the “h” particle geometry node was all that was needed, and I could apply the hair tags to that.

I added another particle geometry node and applied a hair render and material tag to it, and it’s rendering fine. Again, thanks a lot for your help! I really appreciate it!

Thanks, Steve for your patience. After quite a long time, I have finally a new computer here, with all the little transition problems possible. (14 vs 15 license thingy etc) So embarrassing, but I hope every little problem will yield in a solution that I can share in case of need. ;o)

Thank you so much, Thanassis for your quick help here, I hope the Houdini hat is shiny now, after rubbing it with my best blanket to its best ;o)

So, main thing, stuff seams to work. Steve, if any TP question, check the material here or just fire up a question in the QA forum.

Again, thanks to the both of you.

Take care.

b1km0jo - 02 December 2015 11:23 PM

Thank you both very much for the replies! I got it working, I had assumed the “h” particle geometry node was all that was needed, and I could apply the hair tags to that.

I added another particle geometry node and applied a hair render and material tag to it, and it’s rendering fine. Again, thanks a lot for your help! I really appreciate it!

Actually you shouldn’t need to add another particle geometry generator.
Just add a “render tag” from the Hair tags menu, and THEN a hair material.

cheers

What Thanassis, said. I certainly follow his ideas and instructions with pleasure.

Having said that, and not in any way to take anything away from it, I like to add something:

Thinking Particles’ “heart” is all about particle groups and how these move along inside of the process.

To use the h_TP-Geometry should work fine, but keep in mind, if you have to update the Houdini file, you might have to reset everything. With the TP-Group and your own set up, this should be a more “day-by’day” approach. At least how I see it. :o)

https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/ZrThhG0rXCpKO35HfkdlzqVUyCZkuepXrIxtILShAP2?ref_=cd_ph_share_link_copy
You can download this one minute clip.

As an simple example, if you have many TP-Groups, you might like to have more control about them. A simple example can be given with the TP-Geometry Object, which can be fed with a group and then reacts as this group, e.g., you can apply a material to it. In XPresso it becomes even more powerful. It works pretty much as the TP Geometry with an h over it, as you mentioned it above. But you can extend that as much as needed.

Groups can be even used in MoGraph, see attached file.

I write this mainly to motivate you, to get to know more about TP, so the great options from Houdini and Cinema 4D create even more Synergy for you.

My best wishes

To make the particles more visible you can drag the TP-Particle group as well into the Tracer. I have set up a scene here. (Same group as in the Houdini Particle Geometry.)

With the tracer you can set up a trail, as in the file below, have a look at the little Quick-Time Preview (based on a ridiculous camera settings, just for fun) :o)

https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/xMdvr7Z3W80qMcXAWLiCPcR3AlYtEOWT3L1K4MXntqC?ref_=cd_ph_share_link_copy

Have a great weekend