Hou2Touch 207: Terrain Pipeline
Learn How to make a variety of generative landscapes, using
Houdini Terrain Tools and automate it using PDG
Export the generated landscapes to TouchDesigner
and render it in realtime and with AudioReactivity.
Last summer, I received from Joachim Spieth the offer to produce a music video for his album "Terrain".
Hearing the first track, I immediately imagined the visual concept:
Meditative Camera flight-through Virtual landscapes,
Different Cartographic elements reacting to the sound frequencies.
The structure of the track gave me an idea to produce around 12 different landscape versions.
In order to optimize production time, I decided
to dive into Task Context in Houdini and use PDG Network to automate the creation process.
Terrain. Music Video for the Album of Joachim Spieth
The Target of this workshops is:
1. To give you an overview of Houdini to TouchDesigner Workflow
2. To explain the Practical case of usage of the Terrain Tools in Houdini
3. To make a practical explanation of the power of Procedural Dependancy Graph for automatisaion of production
4. To improve your VEX and GLSL knowlege
5. To show how to make photorealistic realtime Rendering in TouchDesigner
Course Trailer
COURSE PROGRAM
Procedural Landscapes using Terrain Tools
Basic Landscape Asset
We learn basics of Heightfields.
How to:
Create a basic shape,
Use masking for the borders and
make the HDA controls
Riverbed Asset
In this lesson, we create the procedural blend between the basic shape and riverbed controlled by the path curve.
Terrain Details Asset
After we created the basic shape with the riverbed, we want to make more reach looking terrain shape.
We learn different Heightfields tools including: Heightfield Pattern, Noise, Distort, different masking techniques including Mask by Height, Occlusion etc.
Erosion Simulation
In order to make the Terrain more realistic, we will learn the Erosion Simulation tool.
Geometric Features using VEX and Export
Isometric Lines
We will learn the approach how to create the isometric Lines using geometric loops.
Gradient Lines
In this part we will create a very beautiful effect of gradient lines - curves going from the top of the mountain down in direction of lowest slope or, imagine, that could be the path of water flowing from the top of the mountain.
We will create it using VEX Wrangle.
Export Terrains to TouchDesigner
Exporting Terrains as Textures using COP2
We will learn how to capture different channels from the Terrain as an image data using COP2 context operators.
Load Terrain Data in TouchDesigner
In this part, we will make the loader of terrain data in TouchDesigner
TouchDesigner Terrain Shader
We are going to create the deformation shader using the Vertex and Geometry Shaders and the Terrain Data, exported from Houdini
Automatisation using PDG Tools
Setting up the Wegdes
We are going to set up the basic PDG network for varying the Terrain Asset's parameters and automating the Landscape version's creation using Wedge TOP
Exporting the Geometric Sequences
We will create the Geometry Export TOPs for exporting Isolines and Gradient Lines animation as the Alembics.
Exporting the Terrain DATA as Images
In this part, we will create the PDG Setup for exporting the Terrain Data as EXR Images for import in TouchDesigner
Rendering and Sound-Reactive Animation
Material and Rendering Setup
In this part, we create the complex PBR material using different Heightfield Data channels and Substance Archives and set up the rendering network including the post-processing effects for achieving the magic decorative look.
Parametric Camera Animation
We will create the camera animation using parametric approach.
Sound Reactive Animation
We are going to:
Create the setup to load the multichannel sound and analyze it, Create the control parameters,
Connect the resulting data to different parameters and components of the rendering network for the easy and precise Sound-driven animation.
PROJECT STILLS
Skills you will have after the course:
You will be able to:
- Create the procedural Landscapes using Terrain Tools
- Build effective pipeline using PDG Tools
- Render Landscapes in TouchDesigner in Realtime
- Make audioreactive and parametric Animation in TouchDesigner
- Understand the workflow for making a Music Videos in TouchDesigner
Who will profit from this course:
Workshop oriented for Motion Designers and CGI Artists, who want to:
- extend their workflow with Deep understanding Houdini to TouchDesigner workflow
- increase the production speed using Houdini PDG Tools and TouchDesigner Realtime PBR Rendering and Compositing
Course Contains:
5 Livestreams
TouchDesigner and Houdini Projects
Students chat
TouchDesigner 207: Terrain Pipeline
295 €
Incl. VAT: 47,10 €
If you have EU VAT ID, please
contact us to avoid double tax
COURSE AUTHOR:
Stanislav Glazov
3D and audiovisual artist with over 22 years of experience in computer graphics and 20 years of teaching experience
Worked in the production of the computer game Killer Tank, Pilot TV, on the first Russian animation projects in the Classic Studio, on the largest film projects in the German studios Trixter Film and Scanline CA as a technical director for pipeline, Character Animation, Cloth Simulation TD, RnD for VFX.
After 2010 - creation of an automated infographic visualization system for Kommersant TV, cooperation with the largest Russian companies - SilaSveta, Stereotaktik, Invisible, Raduga Design - on VideoMapping projects.
In 2013, he created his own generative design studio Licht.Pfad.
Cooperation with WhiteVoid.
Creation of AV Performances in partnership with Dasha Rush, Robert Lippok
Performances at all the iconic festivals of the planet: Berlin Atonal, Mutek Montreal, Ars Electronica Linz, Unsound Festival in Krakow, Raster-Noton night in Berghain, Barbican London, Resonance Festival in Tokyo, Mira Festival Barcelona, L.E.V. Festival, Light Festival Lyon
Since 2016 - working on theater projects with Maxim Didenko, including the creation of media servers for various performances.
2001
Creation by Stanislav of the first author's course. It was a course on character animation in Maya, prepared for Realtime School in collaboration with Maria Stepanova (Animation director and teacher at VGIK)
> 40 performances
at major international festivals and conferences such as CGEvent (lectures on Houdini), Signal Festival in Prague, LPM Rome, Touchdesigner Summit in Montreal, etc.
> 2,000 people
have attended various trainings and courses by Stanislav - both organized by him personally and conducted jointly with various schools and institutes (among the latter - "Realtime", "SAE Academy", "Screamschool", "Houdini-Howto + RRM", "Bilgi University")