Houdini .dts not seen in Show Tool Pro
by Ebonixs · in Artist Corner · 08/22/2008 (11:55 am) · 10 replies
GG Community,
I've purchased the Houdini Apprentice 9.5 HD, and wanted to try out something simple to see if it would export to TGE. You know how newbies are... "I wonder if I do this will it work?" So I've tried it and faced a few problems. please look at this link. It described everything in detail (and scroll down until you see the post written by "ebonixs").
http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_forum&Itemid=172&page=viewtopic&t=11587&highlight=
I've purchased the Houdini Apprentice 9.5 HD, and wanted to try out something simple to see if it would export to TGE. You know how newbies are... "I wonder if I do this will it work?" So I've tried it and faced a few problems. please look at this link. It described everything in detail (and scroll down until you see the post written by "ebonixs").
http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_forum&Itemid=172&page=viewtopic&t=11587&highlight=
About the author
I am new to the gamining industry and presently, I am more experienced in interface Design and music production.
#2
08/22/2008 (3:29 pm)
Yo, that's wassup!!! sounds like I need to spend a little more time in the manual, before testing in the lab. One thing though, so see a little knowledgable in this area, see if you can answer this. I've test the triangle method like you said on the box (made simply in Houdini) and it worked! When I imported the model (Ninja) into Houdini and went inside the object node the parameters didn't change to what I expected. There wasn't a drop down menu to turn polygons to polygon mesh that would enable another drop down menu to change quadrilaterals to triangles. Is there another way to change the primitive type and connectivity polygon mesh/ triangles? 
#3
Sorry!
08/22/2008 (3:38 pm)
To be honest I've only been using houdini for a couple of weeks so I'm still getting to grips with the new workflow. I have much to learn and don't know the answer I'm afraid!Sorry!
#4
In the future => check the dump.html file that is generated in the same directory as the DTS file. This contains the output of the export process and may help you figure out why things are not working as you expect.
08/23/2008 (2:46 pm)
You can use the 'Convert' and/or 'Divide' SOPs to convert just about any geometry type to triangles. The only other thing to watch out for is that Torque can (currently) only handle about 10000 triangles per mesh. Too much more than that will result in either an exporter crash or missing geometry in the exported shape.In the future => check the dump.html file that is generated in the same directory as the DTS file. This contains the output of the export process and may help you figure out why things are not working as you expect.
#6
08/23/2008 (8:41 pm)
How do you minimize the triangle count (lower than 10000) to be exported in Houdini?
#7
08/24/2008 (3:26 am)
There are a couple of options: split the mesh into multiple parts, or use the reduce SOP to reduce the number of triangles automatically.
#8
If anyone has done more improvements on this... please feel free to add to this forum, as I continue to up date this section as needed. Good luck with Houdini!
08/25/2008 (8:39 pm)
Thanks... It was hard for me to find "reduce SOP" so I did a search and found "reduce poly" under the Polygon tab... It allows you to reduce by percentage, number, and some other things. If anyone has done more improvements on this... please feel free to add to this forum, as I continue to up date this section as needed. Good luck with Houdini!
#9
Price: Can't beat 99 usd for this with a stick.
Tools: I swear this software has everything. Just a matter of locating all the Tools.
I had just finished learning to make a simple shape and even put Hair on it. But I also encountered the "No Show" in ShowTool.
Luckily for me, you'd already asked and the answer was here. NICE !!
Seems we need a Houdini for Dummies manual. A Manual that walks you through some simple tasks to get the feel for the software, and explains all this jargon of Network frame, Parameter Frame, Scene Frame, Nurbs.. etc etc.
Yes I read the tutorials and watched a few Getting started QuickTime movies. ( Boredom ). So I just jumped in and tried to break the software, simply pressing buttons that seemed like it was what I needed.
The Narator of those QuickTime videos really needs to stop watching Capt. Kirk in StarTrek.. it's... rubbing...off.
Just watch the Videos and see what I mean.
Anyways. Thanks guys. I got the answer I needed and I .......didn't...............have to............... wait... for...Captain Kirk.
10/10/2008 (6:16 pm)
Seems Houdini 2.5 was my choice as well. I was about to buy LightWave 9 and even started to learn a few things with LightWave. After Houdini got the exporter for Torque built in, I made the jump for 2 reasons.Price: Can't beat 99 usd for this with a stick.
Tools: I swear this software has everything. Just a matter of locating all the Tools.
I had just finished learning to make a simple shape and even put Hair on it. But I also encountered the "No Show" in ShowTool.
Luckily for me, you'd already asked and the answer was here. NICE !!
Seems we need a Houdini for Dummies manual. A Manual that walks you through some simple tasks to get the feel for the software, and explains all this jargon of Network frame, Parameter Frame, Scene Frame, Nurbs.. etc etc.
Yes I read the tutorials and watched a few Getting started QuickTime movies. ( Boredom ). So I just jumped in and tried to break the software, simply pressing buttons that seemed like it was what I needed.
The Narator of those QuickTime videos really needs to stop watching Capt. Kirk in StarTrek.. it's... rubbing...off.
Just watch the Videos and see what I mean.
Anyways. Thanks guys. I got the answer I needed and I .......didn't...............have to............... wait... for...Captain Kirk.
#10
Update!!! Looking at your Model / Geometry (Spehere, Square, Cylinder) in Show Tool Pro
So far I've gather some information from forum in SideFX and GG. Here's what I've got (for people still struggling with this issue).
1. In the "/obj" tab or "Scene View" double click on the model / Geometry node. In my case, I'm using a sphere.
2. After double clicking you will need to single click on the root node or the first node that connects to all the other nodes below.
3. Look towards the upper right side and you'll see a tab with the same name as the node you selected (or single clicked on). There you find properties like primitive type and and connectivity.
4. In primitive type... click the drop down menu and select polygon mesh.
5. With connectivity, click the drop down menu and select triangle.
6. Go back to the low right side where you are looking at the Scene View and click on the word OBJ in the drop down box.
7. A tree appears with CH, IMG, OBJ, OUT, PART, SHOP, and VEX. select the word OUT. This will take you to the output process of Houdini where you will determine how you will like to export your model.
8. When you select the OUT from the drop down menu there will be no nodes. Hit the tab button on your keyboard and select Torque.
9. Select the Torque node and make the necessary adjustment to the parameters located in the upper right. The render box is also located there but be carefull, you have to designate a place to export your file. Then export your model / Geometry.
**Before the new build I was not able to see the model / Geometry in TSTP (Toque Show Tool Pro), but now I do with out adding the convert, and divide node or changine the primitive type and connectivity. My guess is that the output Torque node translate everything and converts it to a Torque ready model to be seen in the TSTP. This is just my theory though. Good luck with Houdini and feel free to share more info on this topic.
**Next time you hear from me I'll try to find out how to get materials to show up in TSTP.
10/24/2008 (6:18 am)
Update!!! A new build for Houdini 9.5 is available (if you have version 9.5.1) download the new build 9.5.2. It might clear up a few things.Update!!! Looking at your Model / Geometry (Spehere, Square, Cylinder) in Show Tool Pro
So far I've gather some information from forum in SideFX and GG. Here's what I've got (for people still struggling with this issue).
1. In the "/obj" tab or "Scene View" double click on the model / Geometry node. In my case, I'm using a sphere.
2. After double clicking you will need to single click on the root node or the first node that connects to all the other nodes below.
3. Look towards the upper right side and you'll see a tab with the same name as the node you selected (or single clicked on). There you find properties like primitive type and and connectivity.
4. In primitive type... click the drop down menu and select polygon mesh.
5. With connectivity, click the drop down menu and select triangle.
6. Go back to the low right side where you are looking at the Scene View and click on the word OBJ in the drop down box.
7. A tree appears with CH, IMG, OBJ, OUT, PART, SHOP, and VEX. select the word OUT. This will take you to the output process of Houdini where you will determine how you will like to export your model.
8. When you select the OUT from the drop down menu there will be no nodes. Hit the tab button on your keyboard and select Torque.
9. Select the Torque node and make the necessary adjustment to the parameters located in the upper right. The render box is also located there but be carefull, you have to designate a place to export your file. Then export your model / Geometry.
**Before the new build I was not able to see the model / Geometry in TSTP (Toque Show Tool Pro), but now I do with out adding the convert, and divide node or changine the primitive type and connectivity. My guess is that the output Torque node translate everything and converts it to a Torque ready model to be seen in the TSTP. This is just my theory though. Good luck with Houdini and feel free to share more info on this topic.
**Next time you hear from me I'll try to find out how to get materials to show up in TSTP.
Torque Owner Andrew Edmonds
EiKON Games
All of your polys need to be triangles to work in Torque.