Is houdini worth learning? (3dmax/realflow/AE/PS user with no programming knowledge)

#1

I heard that houdini is a great application with large amount of possibilities. I know 3dmax, realflow(without scripting) and after effects very well, now i’m thinking about learning houdini becouse of it’s great cloth/rigid bodies simulation possibilities.

I would not mind spending time on this software, but is it worth for a single person with no programming knowledge to learn such software?

I think that compositing/VFX jobs are only for people with good programming knowledge (ability to create custom scripts/tools for houdini/realflow etc.)… i hope i’m wrong. I really got into compositing/VFX for presentations/commercials and it would be great if i could get some information on this topic (especially in what degree a programming knowledge is expected while knowing software like houdini/realflow).

#2

I think that compositing/VFX jobs are only for people with good programming knowledge (ability to create custom scripts/tools for houdini/realflow etc.)… i hope i’m wrong
You are.

Houdini is definitely worth learning(so is scripting and a programming language).

#3

I think Houdini is more popular in Europe than in the states even though it’s been picking up in popularity everywhere over the last couple of years…those are good reasons alone to learn the package. Also. there are a lot of things that require plug-ins and scripting in other packages that can be done without plug-ins or scripting in Houdini, but the technical language for all of these things is pretty dense. Man, I should take my own advice and try to learn Houdini myself. I want to go to TD College to try to learn that plus Houdini plus some more advanced effects scripting/programming, but right now I can’t afford to upgrade my hardware to a basic level of acceptability or pay for the classes. I’m a Maya user and may try to figure something else out soon though, like just putting Houdini Apprentice on my rarely used PC just to start getting a grip on the logic of the UI.

#4

Really, it never hurts to try to stick another tool in your bag. You don’t have to become an expert in something to benefit from having spent some time familiarizing yourself with what a tool does, what sort of work it “specializes in,” and generally, how it works. I mean, sure, on the one hand we’re thinking about (virtual) “reality,” but on the other hand we’re using digital computers. You don’t have to trade your graphics-tablet for a pocket protector to deepen your understanding of how this most unusual of artistic tools goes about its business. :bounce: You don’t need to “know it all,” which is of course a very good thing because you can’t. But y’just never know when some scrap of something you encountered somewhere, will come in handy. I’m a real fan of “skimming” for information.

#5

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