Houdini 6 Unchained

Side Effects Software has released version 6 of its award-winning Houdini 3D animation software. Houdini 6 is now available to all Houdini customers. Houdini Apprentice users can also download a free non-commercial version along with all-new training materials at www.sidefx.com.

A major addition is digital assets, a feature enabling technical directors to create and manage libraries of re-usable characters, effects and other elements that can be set up with artist-friendly controls. Additional enhancements in Houdini 6 include global illumination, embedded on-line help and enhanced animation, interface, lighting, compositing, and particle tools.

The new embedded help browser uses html and Houdini’s hscript language to create interactive learning materials while providing a framework for technical directors to produce in-house documentation and browser-driven scripts related to specific production pipelines.

Global Illumination is now supported in Houdini’s built-in Mantra renderer, allowing renderings that simulate the way light inter-reflects within a scene. The new version also features a hotkey driven keyframing system and new character tools including forward and inverse kinematic blending and dynamic parenting.

For pricing and purchasing information and more details on Houdini 6 features and system requirements, visit www.sidefx.com. The site also contains information on the Houdini Apprentice Challenge, Side Effects Software’s worldwide animation contest.