Houdini 7 Apprentice Programme

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If you want to learn Houdini, here it is! Apprentice is a free "learning edition" of the 3D Animation software Houdini which you can install at home.
Apprentice includes the complete Houdini package, with a few minor restrictions - eg. image output is restricted in size and rendered with a Houdini watermark.

To introduce 3D artists from around the world to Houdini, Side Effects Software Inc. is proud to bring you the Houdini Apprentice program, which gives you access to the same creative power used by the best animation professionals in the industry such as Electronic Arts, Sony Pictures Imageworks and Disney Feature Animation.

Houdini Apprentice is unlike any other learning package. Once you have downloaded the non-commercial Apprentice Edition software, you can use it to run ALL products in the Houdini family, including Houdini Master, Houdini Escape, Houdini Select and Houdini Halo. All your work can be saved to a special Apprentice file format so you can develop real projects then render with unobtrusive watermarks.

The Houdini Apprentice Edition software is available for [url=\"http://sidefx.vislab.usyd.edu.au/\"]download[/url] from the Sydney Vislab website. Many thanks to our sponsor for making the download site available to users worldwide.

The current version is 7.0.102 and will run on Windows, Linux and Irix. This is not a small download. The Windows version is 67mb.

With access to full documentation, easy-to-follow tutorials, online videos and sample files, you will quickly find yourself hooked on Houdini.

Further Information:

The Apprentice Program gives you access to the same creative power used by the best animation professionals in the industry and provides a look at the latest Houdini work of companies like Electronic Arts, Sony Pictures Imageworks and Disney Feature Animation, among others.

Equipped with a non-commercial edition, a CD full of documentation, easy-to-follow tutorials, online videos and sample files, you will quickly find yourself hooked on Houdini. The flexibility of Houdini's workflow makes it possible to pursue effects that you've been dreaming of.

Unlike any Other Learning CD

The Houdini Apprentice Program provides access to a complete self-study program and includes the following features:

The Apprentice Edition software can be used to run ALL products in the Houdini family including Houdini Master, Houdini Escape, Houdini Select and Houdini Halo.
All your work can be saved to a special Apprentice file format so you can develop real projects then render with unobtrusive watermarks.Click here for program details
Listed below are some of the features of the Apprentice program presented as a series of questions and answers:

Q: What does the Houdini Apprentice Program entitle me to?

A: In some cases, you can get the Apprentice Program CD which is made up of a non-commercial version of Houdini and a Learn CD full of tutorial videos and pdf lessons. In other cases, such as on a magazine, you may have access to only the software, or the software and a subset of the full tutorial video set. In each of these cases, you will be given access to our community site for access to more learning materials.

Q: Can I use Houdini Apprentice Edition software for production?

A. No. The Apprentice Edition is only for non-commercial use. You may use the software to complete personal projects, such as demo reel content, as long as you are not making money from those projects.

Q: Which version number is the Apprentice Edition?

A. The Apprentice Edition is the same as the shipping version of Houdini. The version that is shipping with this CD is Houdini 5.5.

Q: Which product in the Houdini Family am I running when I run the Apprentice Edition?

A. The Apprentice Edition allows you to run any of the Houdini family products [Master, Select, and Halo] in non-commercial mode. This will let you work with all the products to determine which feature set best suits your production needs. Support for Houdini Escape will be available in a future Apprentice Edition release.

Q: Can I open a standard Houdini file in the Apprentice Edition?

A. Yes. All Houdini files will open in the Apprentice Edition.

NOTE: Any file opened in the Apprentice Edition will become an Apprentice file when it is saved. This means that you will no longer be able to work on the file in the commercial version of Houdini.

Q: Can I open an Apprentice file in a commercial version of Houdini?

A. Not really. Opening an Apprentice file in the commercial version will turn the commercial version of Houdini into the Apprentice Edition until your next quit.

Q: What happens when I render a file from the Apprentice Edition?

A. The Apprentice Edition will restrict your renderings to 640x480 and will place an unobtrusive watermark on images saved out to standard image formats.You can also render to the Houdini Apprentice pic format which does not use a watermark and can be used to test Houdini's compositing features. Output from the compositor would then be rendered with the watermark in place to output to industry standard image and/or movie formats.

Q: It seems like geometry files and VEX code can be exported from Houdini Apprentice Edition and opened in commercial Houdini. Is this true?

A. The Houdini Apprentice Program encourages you to experiment with the pipeline integration available with these export functions. Please be reminded that your participation in the program is under a non-commercial license and files should only be used for learning purposes.

Q: How is the Apprentice Edition licensed?

A. Your Apprentice Edition will be licensed automatically when you launch the software. Each license will last for 30 days at which time it will be automatically renewed. You will require an internet connection every time you acquire a license. At the time of a renewal you will be informed of any software updates.

Q: What happens if I install the Houdini Apprentice Edition on a machine with commercial Houdini 5 licenses?

A. The Houdini Apprentice Edition CD contains an actual copy of Houdini 5.5 that becomes licensed for the Apprentice program. If your computer already has a commercial license of either Houdini 5 or Houdini 5.5, the Apprentice Edition software will use your existing liceses and run in commercial mode. In effect, you will have installed a copy of Houdini 5.5. If you have an older license of Houdini (4.x or below), you can run the Apprentice Edition in non-commercial mode until you choose to upgrade.

Q: How long will the Apprentice Program run for?

A. Currently the program has an indefinite lifespan. Side Effects Software does reserve the right to terminate the program at any time without notice.

Q: If I purchase a Houdini product can I use any of my Apprentice files?

A. Side Effects Software is able to do a one time conversion of Apprentice files into standard Houdini files when you first purchase a commercial license of the software. Talk with your sales representative when you purchase the software for details.

Side Effects Software is known worldwide for its Houdini software which is available as a family of products that include Houdini Master, Houdini Select, Houdini Escape and Houdini Halo.

To help you determine which Houdini product is perfect for you,click on one of the categories listed below:

Visual Effects
Visual Effects have become an integral part of film, television and video games. Houdini has a full set of features for integrating effects with characters, sets and background live-action plates.

Character Animation
Houdini's procedural architecture offers flexible character animation features that let you quickly go from storyboard to rendered output.

Game Development/Level Design
With the introduction of the advanced graphic capabilities of gaming consoles and personal computer graphic cards, the demand for superior 3D visuals is growing. Houdini has the tools to meet the needs of any gaming development team.

Broadcast Graphics
Fast turnaround and an every increasing demand for more results that match the standards set in the film industry make it vital that your animation tool be powerful and easy to use. Houdini fits the bill perfectly.

Compositing
Compositing is a vital tool for bringing together characters, digital sets, live-action plates and visual effects. Houdini offers integrated or stand-alone solutions to meet your high-end compositing needs.

Film Previsualization
The creation of a virtual storyboard where 3D actors interact with digital sets offer directors the ability to make decisions that will save time and money later on in the filming process. Houdini is an ideal tool for quickly previsualizing a movie at various levels of detail.

Visualization
Beyond film, television and video games, many artists work in 3D to support the design and scientific professions. Houdini has tools that allow artists and designers to easily explore design iterations and input scientific data into the pipeline.

Modelling
In a larger production environment, teams of modellers can be found building characters and digital sets. Houdini's wide range of modelling features are ideal for feeding geometry into the pipeline.

Shader Building
Shading is also a key area of focus in larger production environments. Houdini lets you create shaders interactively then share the results with other Houdini users throughout your production pipeline.

[url=\"http://sidefx.vislab.usyd.edu.au/cd2_5.5.151/start_here.html\"]More Apprentice Programme Info & Learning Tools[/url]

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