SideFX just released Houdini 22
A recording of SideFX’s Houdini 22 keynote, showcasing the latest features in the 3D software, including a new Gaussian Splatting toolset, and big updates to KineFX and Copernicus.
SideFX has released Houdini 22, the next major version of its procedural 3D software for VFX, game development and motion graphics.
We’ll be posting a deeper dive into its new features shortly, so check back for updates, but for now, here’s a brief rundown of the key changes.
Complete new toolset for integrating 3D Gaussian Splats into VFX workflows
The headline change in Houdini 22 is a fully fledged 3D Gaussian Splatting toolset.
It supports workflows for training splats from real-world reference photos or generating them from 3D scenes, makes it possible to animate splats using standard Houdini deformation nodes, to relight them to match their surroundings, and to render them with the Karma renderer.
Significant updates to character rigging, animation and CFX
KineFX, Houdini’s character rigging and animation toolset, gets a big update, with changes including reusable rig templates, rig inversion and a new Set Driven Keys rig component.
Animators get a new APEX character picker, support for nested clips in the Motion Mixer, and new forces and impact thresholds for Ragdoll animations.
The improvements to the CFX are more iterative, focusing on enabling character artists to build and test setups earlier, with highlights including new controls for switching LODs on rigs, new stress attributes and proper sliding constraints for soft tissues, and faster muscle simulation.
Groom artists get a revamped, end-to-end hair workflow and better interactive performance.
New texture-creation and world-building workflows in Copernicus
Copernicus, Houdini’s new image-processing framework, also gets a major update, with key changes including new nodes for generating grunge maps, an experimental 3D texture painting workflow, and a 2D ripple solver for creating motion graphics-style effects.
Copernicus also becomes a world-building toolset, with new workflows for working with heightfields for terrain generation, and generating ocean surfaces, with wave spectra and foam.
Updates to the interface and other core toolsets
In addition, Houdini’s UI has been revamped, and there are smaller update to 3D modeling, the VFX tools – primarily Pyro FX, fracturing and rigid body dynamics – and to Solaris and Karma.
Price, system requirements and release date
Houdini 22 is compatible with Windows 11, macOS 11.0+, and Linux distros.
The software comes in several editions. The full edition, Houdini FX, costs $4,495 for a node-locked licence; $6,995 for a floating licence. Houdini Core, which lacks advanced simulation tools, costs $1,995 for a node-locked licence; $2,995 for a floating licence.
You can find full pricing details, including rental, on SideFX’s website.
There is also a free educational edition, Houdini Apprentice, and a lower-cost, rental-only Houdini Indie edition. Both save in separate file formats. See a comparison table.
Read an overview of the new features in Houdini 22 on SideFX’s website
Read more about the new features in Houdini 22 in the online documentation
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