Check out the new features and improvements that were implemented.
SideFX has finally released Houdini 19, bringing a ton of new improvements and updates that were previously covered in these articles. Key enhancements have been made to Solaris for lookdev, layout, and lighting, Karma for rendering, and KineFX for motion editing and retargeting, along with hundreds of improvements and new workflows to Muscles & Tissue, Crowds, Modeling, Pyro FX, FLIP Fluids, Vellum, RBD Destruction, FEM, Grooming, PDG, and more.
Previously, SideFX had released a two-hour presentation that shared an extended look at the new tools that came with the update. You can check it out below to get an in-depth look at all the new features.
And here's a list of some features and improvements that come with Houdini 19:
Solaris for Layout and Environments
- Unique brush-based framework for large-scale set dressing.
- HDA-driven brush architecture with unlimited customizability.
- Full access to verbified/compilable SOP networks.
- PDG-assisted creation of layout asset gallery.
- USD asset browser.
Solaris for Lighting and Rendering
- Comprehensive Houdini scene importer.
- Better motion blur generation.
- Option to pause viewer updates.
- Faster GL rendering of transformable instances.
- Viewport support for camera exposure attribute.
- Updated Karma LOP for faster render setup.
- USD 21.08.
Karma
- Beta tag removed to indicate production readiness.
- Improved final image quality and performance.
- Improved motion blur on crowd agents.
- Improved holdout/matte workflow.
- Support for deep camera maps.
- Improved memory usage.
- Redesigned Karma LOP UI.
KineFX
- Evolving framework with emphasis on motion data and physics.
- Support for all major mocap software like Xsens and Faceware.
- Ragdoll dynamics for hero characters with embedded full-body IK.
- Ability to specify custom collision geometry and rig control geometry.
- Improved animation baking controls in Rig Pose.
- Ability to configure joints faster in the 3D viewport.
- Enhanced skeleton blending.
- Custom metadata support for crowd agents.
- Direct character import into Solaris.
Grooming
- Completely redesigned grooming toolset.
- Many new tools and interactive brushes.
- 10-100 times faster hair sculpting with GuideGroom.
- Extensive mirroring capabilities.
- Powerful grouping and masking.
- Native support for Vellum physics brushes.
Muscles, Tissue & Skin
- Unified muscle, tissue, skin rigging, and simulation system.
- SOP-based workflow with Vellum soft-body simulation built-in.
- Non-destructive and fully interactive.
- Natural-looking muscle sliding.
- Full access to Houdini's geometry and visualization toolset.
Pyro
- More one-click Pyro effects via shelf tools.
- Ability to track burning objects in real-time using minimal solver.
- Cinematic quality results with real-time GL viewport.
- Ability to scale simulation velocities smoothly and accurately.
- Extrapolation of velocity into new tiles.
- Completely redesigned pyro solver UI.
RBD Destruction
- Ability to track RBD age.
- Much faster unpacking of packed elements.
- Ability to set and edit constraint properties.
- Faster and more accurate centroid extraction.
- Ability to convert deforming geometry to animated static packed objects.
- Enhanced visualization of guided and non-guided pieces.
Vellum
- Now a fully complete, unified multi-solver.
- Native support for XPBD fluids, rigid bodies, and plasticity.
- Expanded use of OpenCL.
- Real-time grain simulation with minimal Vellum solver.
- Interactive brushes for fluid and grain sculpting.
- Constraint browser to manage and visualize Vellum constraints.
3D Viewport
- Distant light support via cascading shadow maps.
- Light bloom and halo effects.
- Particle sphere lighting.
- Silhouette selection mode.
- First-person (WASD) navigation.
- Faster background texture loading.
- Fast rendering of cutout objects.
Modeling/Geometry
- Redesigned curve drawing with Beizer handles and corner rounding.
- Interactive curve editing embeddable in any HDA.
- Enhanced UVFlatten and UVLayout algorithms and UX.
- Enhanced GLTF mesh and texture export.
- Artist-friendy volume noise tools.
- VDB extrapolation and merging.
- Dozens more verbified/compilable SOPs.
Click here to learn more about what's new in Houdini 19. And don't forget to join our new Reddit page, our new Telegram channel, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, where we are sharing breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.