Live 2022.09.11

Greeble Techniques

Taking a look at some methods to quickly build out geometric detail using greebles. Everything is rendered with Karma in Solaris and instancing is done using packed primitives to optimize the memory footprint of the scene.

Scene File

2022_09_11_greeble_techniques.hiplc

Lot Subdivision

The Labs Lot Subdivision node is quite useful to quickly build detail to geometry.

Below are some examples of techniques using the lot subdivision node.

2022_09_11_labs_lot_subd.hiplc

2022_09_11_extract_face_transform_labs_lot_subd.hiplc

References

For more inspiration on how this type of workflow could be extended, check out Holden Haotian Zhang's Houdini Greeble Tool

Video On Demand

• 00:02:05 Instancing methods in Solaris
• 00:03:55 Instancing using the copy to points LOP node
• 00:04:56 Editing the instance points inside of the copy LOP node
• 00:07:00 Instances and Prototypes
• 00:07:45 Directing the orientation of copies using the normal attribute
• 00:09:00 Adding ground plane, lights, etc.
• 00:14:45 Starting the second example
• 00:15:21 Labs Lot Subdivision SOP
• 00:16:46 Insetting surfaces using polyexpand node and a for loop block
• 00:19:27 Local control over extrusion using randomized zscale attribute
• 00:20:22 Scale faces independently using primitive properties SOP node
• 00:27:30 Using hscript expression to randomize the face rotations
• 00:28:31 Beveling edges
• 00:35:00 Extracting a transform matrix from each box
• 00:38:32 Adding labeled output nodes
• 00:43:25 Importing packed prims into Solaris as instances
• 00:45:06 Adding lights to the scene
• 00:46:00 Adding a camera
• 00:50:35 Adjusting spotlight parameters on the light
• 00:53:40 Adding a dome environment light
• 00:59:00 Creating materials
• 01:10:00 Setting up the physical lens shader for Karma
• 01:19:16 Enabling ACES using the SideFX labs menu
• 01:33:30 Using the image viewport in Solaris
• 01:36:20 Final composition and wrapping up