https://github.com/parkerbritt/houdini-environment-builder

A high level HDA for building environments in Houdini.
https://github.com/parkerbritt/houdini-environment-builder

3d-animation computer-graphics hda houdini houdini-digital-assets python qt qt5 tool vfx

Last synced: about 2 months ago
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A high level HDA for building environments in Houdini.

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/parkerbritt/houdini-environment-builder
• Owner: ParkerBritt
• Created: 2025-01-29T11:47:44.000Z (over 1 year ago)
• Default Branch: main
• Last Pushed: 2025-02-11T19:08:27.000Z (over 1 year ago)
• Last Synced: 2025-03-31T08:46:20.553Z (about 1 year ago)
• Topics: 3d-animation, computer-graphics, hda, houdini, houdini-digital-assets, python, qt, qt5, tool, vfx
• Language: Python
• Homepage:
• Size: 3.41 MB
• Stars: 1
• Watchers: 1
• Forks: 0
• Open Issues: 0
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md

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README

          
Houdini Environment Builder



  

  




# Overview

Houdini Environment Builder is a node for styling terrain, populating a scene with repeated elements, and rendering the resulting geometry.

It combines tools for terrain generation, plant placement, stage material assignment, and rendering settings.

> [!IMPORTANT]

> I designed this tool to work ad hoc on linux, while it should be fully cross compatible, and I cannot gauruntee functionali[](url)ty on other operating systems or environments.

# Usage

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/7374495a-8637-41f1-91c0-32991673c540

#### I designed this tool to be accessible even for beginners of Houdini. With this tool you can:

 - Configure, draw, and delete terrain or water using the **Terrain** page.

 - Add plants by using the using the tools in the **Plants** page.

   - place, draw regions, edit regions, or delete regions

   - Make sure to add a plant with the "+" button first.

- Assign materials and refine their properties using the **Stage** page.

  - Use the _edit network_ button or double click on the node to dive in and make custom changes in LOPs

- Render your final scene using the settings on the **Render** page.

# Installation

> [!NOTE]

> While I currently have no planned updates to this repository, if you find this tool useful and would like to request a feature or a fix, let me know by opening a new issue

> 

To neatly contain all the parts of my tool and maintain portability, I've packaged it using the Houdini packaging standard.

The included start script will automatically generate and load the package.json and start Houdini using the ```houdini``` command.

If the houdini binary is not in your ```$PATH``` environment variable you will need to change this line to path to your Houdini binary.

eg.

```sh

/opt/hfs20.5.332/bin/houdini

```

Installation can also be done manually by adding a package json file to your ```$HOUDINI_USER_PREF_DIR/packages``` directory.

You can use this template to create the package file, make sure to replace the paths with where you saved the package.

```json

{

    "path" : "/path/to/garden-package",

    "env": [

        {

            "GARDEN_TEXTURES_DIR": "/path/to/garden-package/textures"

        }

    ]

}

```

Additional guidance on generating these files can be found here

https://www.sidefx.com/docs/houdini/ref/plugins.html