SideFX has released a new build of Houdini that allows Indie license owners to render image sequences of up to 4K (previously the limit was 1080p). The revised licensing terms also enable Indie users to install Houdini on a second computer or laptop, provided they are not used simultaneously. In addition to the license update, a new UV Flatten node is added as well as improvements to the import and export of FBX files.
UV Flatten
UV Flatten is a new node “written from the ground up” that supports spectral and angle based flattening. Users can use either edge groups or new cut and sew tools to define seams, or a combination of both. Pin Vertex tools enable users to transform and freely deform UV islands and selections of vertices can be rotated to the U or V axis using the align vertex tool. Finally there are repacking options and new ways to visualise which uvs relate to which polygons by highlighting them both when the mouse hovers over a UV island
FBX support
FBX support has been improved with a focus on improving import and export for gamedevs. The File node now gives the user option to either load all the objects from an FBX file or specify a selection, and LODs are now supported for import and export. Importing objects from FBX using the File node now bakes transforms directly to points, and the normals are modified accordingly. Additional FBX properties like material names or custom FBX properties will be converted to primitive attributes.
When exporting via the File menu, users now have an option to disable to export of end effectors to improve the reliability when exporting rigs to games engines. Finally, to support customisation, the source code for the updated FBX exporter is freely available on SideFX’s GitHub.
Pricing Changes
This build introduces a price change for the Indie license, increasing the previous price of $199 per year to $269 per year. There’s also a new two year option that costs $399, more or less retaining the previous cost if you don’t mind paying for two years up front. You can find out more about this version on the .
Awesome news! A big thanks to SideFX for continuously listening to its customer base, providing an affordable, yet fully featured, solution for freelance artists and indie studios!