Course Overview

Class Description:

This intermediate course guides you through developing a building generator HDA for Unreal Engine, focusing on procedural problem-solving and tool prototyping. Learn to create interactive tools using Houdini, integrate user-friendly interfaces, and apply essential game development techniques like material application and lighting in Unreal Engine. By the end of this course, you'll be equipped with the skills to craft and optimize dynamic assets for game environments.

Learning Outcomes:

Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the HDA creation process, from the initial stages of prototyping and testing in Houdini to the advanced steps of integrating and refining the tool in Unreal Engine. Key learnings include applying materials, spawning elements like windows and point lights, and leveraging Houdini's powerful Session Sync for effective debugging. This course equips students with practical skills and insights to confidently navigate the HDA development journey in real-world game design scenarios.


Course curriculum

    1. Files

    1. 1. Julian's Introduction

    2. 2. Class Goal

    1. 1. Curve Tool Setup

    2. 2. Fixing Normals

    3. 3. Randomizing Building Height

    4. 4. HDA Parameters

    1. 1. Wall Isolation

    2. 2. Procedural Roof Generator

    1. 1. Building Division Setup

    2. 2. Isolating Floor Divisions

    3. 3.Deleting by Normals

    4. 4. Sweeping Along Curves

    1. 1. Initial Setup

    2. 2. Extracting Prim Center using VEX

    3. 3. Randomizing Window Variations

About this course

  • $70.00
  • 49 lessons
  • 4 hours of video content

Course Teaser

Session 1

Building the Foundation in Houdini

This session zeroes in on the foundational stages of crafting our procedural building generator HDA in Houdini. We'll start by demystifying the essentials of procedural modeling, paving the way for you to understand and construct your own stylized building generator. Step by step, we'll navigate through the core techniques and decisions that shape the heart of this interactive tool.

  • Personal Introduction
  • How to Approach a Procedural Problem
  • Teaching Procedural Modeling Workflows
  • Rapid Tool Prototyping
  • Creating an Interactive Tool using Splines/Curves
  • Implementing Parameters
  • Adding Attributes for Randomization and Art Directability
  • Building Simple UI for End Users
  • Randomized Asset Spawning
  • Automated Cable Tool
Session 2

Bringing the Tool to Life in Unreal Engine

In this session, we'll take the crucial steps to package our building generator HDA and integrate it into Unreal. We'll focus on practical skills like spawning instances and applying lights and materials. We'll also explore Houdini's powerful Session Sync for efficient debugging of our Tool.

  • Fool Proofing our Parameters
  • Turning our Tool into an HDA
  • Getting Our HDA into Unreal
  • Testing and Iterating
  • Giving Examples of Real World Development Challenges
  • Applying Materials
  • Spawning Lights and Instances
  • Accessing Unreals UI Using Attributes
  • Debugging Using Session Sync

Instructor

Julian Bragagna

Procedural Technical Artist

Julian Bragagna is a Procedural Technical Artist who thrives on problem-solving and knowledge sharing. He embraces the complexities of real-time 3D, continuously seeking the perfect blend of aesthetics and technical constraints. Julian constantly pushes boundaries and dedicates his free time to writing articles on Houdini and Tech Art, deepening his expertise while enlightening others.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO TAKE THIS COURSE

  1. Houdini 20
  2. Experience in Houdini, VEX, Houdini Engine, and Unreal 
  3. Computer (Please see SideFX system requirements)
    1. https://www.sidefx.com/Support/system-requirements/
    2. A second Monitor is recommended, but not necessary

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:
  1. Student’s full name
  2. Name of the course(s) being dropped

See you in Class!