SideFX Shared a Sneak Peek at 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.