Loops

HS-231: Loops

At the end of this course, you should walk away with a more clear understanding of which loops to use for your build task needs, as well as how to set up the nodes properly to keep your workflow efficient and functional.

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Course Overview

Class Description:

Learn how to use Houdini For, For-Each, While, and Do/While loop systems to generate a variety of effects, and handle utility tasks. Loops allow you to repeatedly apply your node stream processes in a variety of ways. This recorded class will teach you lots of ways to use loops in SOPs, VOPs, and VEX, as well as COPs and LOPs. The class will include examples involving particle wedging, geometry manipulation, RBD sub-fracturing, Time offsetting copies, and so much more.

NOTE: While not the primary focus of the class, some builds will have full LOPNet render setups included. These will be Karma XPU-based using MaterialX shader setups. If time allows, a run-through of those setups can be explained as well.

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this course, you should walk away with a more clear understanding of which loops to use for your build task needs, as well as how to set up the nodes properly to keep your workflow efficient and functional.  

Course curriculum

1. Files
2. Discord
1. 1. David Torno's Introduction
2. 2. Resources
3. 3. Teaser
4. 4. References
1. 1. Using Loops
2. 2. Project File Explanation
1. 1. Project File Overview of Assets and Troubleshooting
2. 2. Block Node and For Node Relationship
3. 3. Block Begin
4. 4. Feedback Iteration
5. 5. Method Function
6. 6. Q&A: Flattening
7. 7. Note on Evolutions
8. 8. Q&A: Separated Iterations
9. 9. Q&A: Project File Parameters
10. 10. Q&A: Fetch Feedback and Merge Each Iteration?
11. 11. Extract Piece or Point
1. 1. Metadata Iterations
2. 2. Value and iValue
1. 1. Parameters
2. 2. Single Pass and Stop Condition
3. 3. Q&A: Single Pass Preview?
1. 1. SDFs and piece$PT
2. 2. Manipulating Points
3. 3. Without For Loop Set Up
4. 4. Q&A: Block Begin & End?
5. 5. Q&A: Input Limit?
6. 6. Why Useless Button
1. 1. More Extrusions with Loops
2. 2. Q&A: Retrieve Metadata?
3. 3. Final Results
1. 1. Converting Attributes to Volume
2. 2. Pyrosolver and Creating Trails
3. 3. POPnet
4. 4. Speed Float Variable
5. 5. Adding Resolution with TOPnet
6. 6. Iterations & For Loops
7. 7. Q&A: Naming Conventionality
8. 8. Q&A: TOPnet Attributes
9. 9. Q&A: Not connected to the File Node
10. 10. Q&A: Block Begin
11. 11. Q&A: Iterations on Iterations
12. 12. Q&A: Velocity after POPnet
13. 13. Visualization and LOPnet
1. 1. Grabbing Lengths
2. 2. Fetching in Loops
3. 3. Q&A: Loops vs Solvers
4. 4. Q&A: Single Pass Solver not showing previous iterations
5. 5. Q&A: Disabling Measurements and Inputs
1. 1. Note on Last Session
1. 1. Slicing Geo Example Overview
2. 2. Nested Loops - First Loop
3. 3. Begin Second Loop - Vex Variable Breakdown
4. 4. Q&A: Does Floor Round Down?
5. 5. Q&A: "Chi" Means Chanel Integer?
6. 6. Second Loop - Vex Breakdown
7. 7. Q&A: How do the Variables from 'bbox' feed in to the 'if' statements?
8. 8. Second Loop - Clip and Poly Fill Nodes, Closing the loops
9. 9. Packed into DOPnet/ Correcting an Error
10. 10. Q&A: Polyfill data
11. 11. Finishing the DOP and Clean Up
12. 12. Q&A: Using relative paths to Attribute Wrangle as opposed to ‘Spare Inputs’
1. 1. Example 6A Overview and POPnet
2. 2. Creating Mask and Adjusting Attributes
3. 3. Begin Loop - Poly Extrude
4. 4. Using Primitive and Adding Compile
5. 5. Example 6 B
6. 6. Q&A: Compile Node Pros Cons
1. 1. Node Structure Example 7
1. 1. Using Loops to Fracture Initial Setup
2. 2. Piece Attribute Naming
3. 3. Note on Naming Attributes and Bypass
4. 4. Q&A: Does using a Subpiece Prefix give you Duplicate Names?
5. 5. Q&A: Drive with the name of the piece being fractured
1. 1. Alembic File Remapping
2. 2. Time Shift with Custom Animation
3. 3. Alternative and Limitations of Time Shift
4. 4. Q&A: Copying vs Instancing
1. 1. Packing Subdivisions
2. 2. Packing for Multiple Geometries
3. 3. Production Setup for Batch Geometry
1. 1. Setting Up Base Geometry
2. 2. Particle Sim Vex Explanation
3. 3. SOPS Thread Art- Fields
1. 1. Working with Vex and Future Sessions
2. 2. Q&A: Loops possibilities
3. 3. Q&A: Shading with Loops
4. 4. Q&A: Clarify For and For Each
1. 1. Resources
2. 2. Note on Last Session
1. 1. Geo Parameters For Setup
2. 2. VOPs Parameters Overview
3. 3. Varible Inputs
4. 4. Q&A: Why are the Colors Black and White?
5. 5. For Loop Until
6. 6. For Each Loop, Dealing with Arrays
7. 7. Q&A: Is Connecting Nodes to the Geometry Needed?
8. 8. For Each Loop Until
9. 9. While Loop
10. 10. Do While Loop
11. 11. Notes on Loop Types
1. 1. Dots UV Set Up
2. 2. For Each VOPs Setting Up Variables
3. 3. VOP Final Output Details
4. 4. Q&A: ‘Import Point Attributes’ vs ‘Bind’ Node
1. 1. POP and Geo Setup
2. 2. VOPs
3. 3. Q&A: Is Falloff Node making Displacement Effect?
1. 1. Creating the Ring and Variables
2. 2. Displacing and Parameters
3. 3. POP Sim Set Up
1. 1. Creating Iridescent Texture
2. 2. For Loop Set Up
3. 3. USD Specific Rendering
1. 1. Noise Setup in Loop
2. 2. Attributes and Render
1. 1. Replicating Lights with Variation
2. 2. Creating a Primitive Path with Math and Vex
3. 3. Q&A: Replicate with SOPS and Instances
1. 1. More items you can do with SOPs and Loops
1. 1. Updates
2. 2. Note on Files
1. 1. For Loop and Code Overview
2. 2. For Loop Inputs
3. 3. For Each
4. 4. While and Do While
5. 5. Comparison SOPS and Break
6. 6. For
7. 7. For Each
8. 8. For Each B Loop
9. 9. While and Do While
1. 1. False Positive Note
2. 2. Setting Up Geo and Density
3. 3. Declaring Variables
4. 4. Custom Function
5. 5. Using Custom Function to Create Trails
6. 6. Final Output of Head
1. 1. Creating the Initial Frame
2. 2. Modulo and Loop
3. 3. How does the Loop end of Repeating? Is it because of the Gap?
1. 1. Setting Up Attributes and Base Geo
2. 2. Making the Mask
3. 3. Displacing Face with Mask using For Each
4. 4. Final Touches and Clean Up
5. 5. Q&A: Where is the Velocity in the For Each Loop
6. 6. Q&A: Velocity Corresponds with Normals
1. 1. Detail Intrinsic with Use Case for While Loop
2. 2. Setting Up Geo with Variables and Creating the Warp Zones
3. 3. Mapping Position, Setting Deformation and Forces
4. 4. Setting Deformation FX Strands with While Loop
5. 5. Adding Extra Details to Trails
6. 6. Particle Sim
7. 7. Final Details on Sim and Cache
1. 1. Do While and Arrays
2. 2. Adjusting Parameters
1. 1. Declaring Variables in Attribute Wrangle
2. 2. Manipulating Points with Nested Loops in Static Version
3. 3. Non Static Version - Creating POP Sim
4. 4. Final Details and Rendering
5. 5. Q&A: Rendering process with TOPnets
6. 6. Addendum Fix to TOPnet error
1. 1. Note on Vex and Questions
2. 2. More Classes
3. Submit your work

About this course

$180.00
166 lessons
10 hours of video content

Course Teaser

Session 1

Loops | SOPs Part 1

Get an overview of the course, and dive into SOPs Block Begin and Block End functionality, then learn how to make a detailed particle sim, and randomizing poly extrusions of a surface.

Introduction
Breakdown of Block Begin and Block End concepts
Basic implementation
Particle wedging
Randomizing poly extrusion

Session 2

Loops | SOPs Part 2

Learn how to time offset Alembic file copies, slicing up geometry, SciFi vector graphics inspired animation, convert attribute to UV patches, sub fracture RBD pieces, geometry animation, utility task of limiting geo subdivision in a batch process.

Slicing up geometry
Vector graphics inspired geometry animation
Convert geo-named segments to UV patches
Sub fracture RBD fracture pieces
Time offset Alembics and native geo animation
Stop condition with batch geo subdivision
Generate unique abstract art

Session 3

Loops | VOPs

VOPs Block Begin and Block End feature breakdown. You will also learn how to make a bokeh feeling pattern, displacing geo via particles, basic particle portals, use a VOP generator in COPs to make displacement texture, custom noise-based SciFi surface, and a bonus LOPNet light array generation.

VOPs Block Begin and Block End Functionality
Bokeh style pattern on geo
Displace geo via POPNet
Basic particle portal
COPs Vop Generator texture for displacement
COPs Vop Generator custom SciFi noise pattern
Bonus build: LOPNet light array generation

Session 4

Loops | VEX

VEX presentation breaking down each code-based loop option. Then you will learn how to create curves along a surface, cycle through points to make a geometric pattern, geo disintegration in a vector graphics style, choose a node path based on attribute existence, generate a transition zone particle effect, and drive curve-creation based on point density.

VEX code loop breakdowns
Surface curves abstract art
Geometric pattern
Vector graphics style geo disintegration
Choose node stream if the attribute exists
Transition zone particle effect
Connect point cloud sequentially
Density-driven curve creation

Instructor

David Torno

Visual Effects Professional

David Torno is a self-taught visual effects professional with a passion for the technical and educational side of VFX. Since beginning his career in 2000, he has worked on films, commercials, music videos, and large-scale multimedia projects. In 2008 he started sharing his wealth of knowledge with other creatives through video tutorials, project templates, and utility scripts. In recent years David has focused mostly on 3D volumetric and particle animation. Through the consolidation of his life's work under the Fendra Fx name, David continues to create helpful tools, and informative training videos for the creative community.

WHAT YOU NEED TO TAKE THIS COURSE

Familiarity with Houdini node building
Comfortability with coding with VEX (all code will be fully explained)
Computer (Please see SideFX system requirements)
1. https://www.sidefx.com/Support/system-requirements/
2. A second monitor is recommended, but not necessary
Houdini (Apprentice License is free)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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REFUND POLICY:

Multi-Session Courses

Students may request a refund up to 1 day before the start of the course. Students may also withdraw from Multi-Session Courses at any time and are entitled to a pro-rated refund. The withdrawal date must be 1 day before the next class they intend to drop.

On-Demand Courses

All on-demand courses are non-refundable.

How to Drop a Class

Please send a request to drop a class via email to [email protected].

Your written request to drop any or all of your classes must include:

Student’s full name
Name of the course(s) being dropped

See you in Class!

Enroll today

Class Description:

Learning Outcomes:

Resources

1. Introduction

2. Basics of Loops

3. For Each Fetch Input

4. Metadata

5. Block End

6. Swiss Cheese

7. SOPs

8. Smoke Simulation

9. Random Extrusions

10. Corrections & Notes

11. Nested Loops

12. SciFi Vector Graphics

13. Using For Loops for UVs

14. RBD Destruction With Loops

15. Using Loops for Time Remapping

16. Using Stop Action

17. SOPS Thread Art

18. Questions

19. Corrections & Notes

20. Loops Input Types

21. Abstract Dots Using For Each

22. Displacement of Geometry with ForEach

23. POP Portal For Until

24. COPs - Iradecnet Displacment

25. COPs - SciFi Landscape

26. LOPs and Loops

27. Ending Statements

28. Corrections & Notes

29. VEX and Loops

30. Web Head

31. Geometric Pattern with For Loop

32. Peel Back Effect with For Each Vex

33. Burst Particles With While

34. Scattered Circle With Do While and Arrays

35. Living Network Example - Densitty Based Connections

36. Last Words

About this course

Session 1 Loops | SOPs Part 1

Session 2 Loops | SOPs Part 2

Session 3 Loops | VOPs

Session 4 Loops | VEX

REFUND POLICY:

Session 1

Loops | SOPs Part 1

Session 2

Loops | SOPs Part 2

Session 3

Loops | VOPs

Session 4

Loops | VEX