The Houdini Skin Slide Deformer is an innovative tool designed for visual effects and 3D animation artists. It allows simulating skin sliding on characters in a realistic way, without the need for full tissue simulations. This tool is optimized for GPU use, significantly improving its performance.
A tool for fast and precise simulations
The main objective of the Skin Slide Deformer is to achieve realistic skin sliding while maintaining the character's mesh volume. Unlike other traditional deformers, such as delta mush used in programs like Maya and Houdini, which remove artifacts but can alter the character's shape, this deformer preserves the original mesh structure.
GPU Optimization
Developed with OpenCL, a parallel programming framework compatible with different types of hardware, this deformer enables efficient skin sliding simulation by leveraging GPU acceleration. Additionally, it is compatible with triangle and quadrilateral-based meshes, making it easy to use on geometries with reasonable density.
Superior Performance
The deformer was developed as part of research work with OpenCL, which offers significant acceleration compared to the version using VEX, Houdini's CPU-based language. The GPU-accelerated version is considerably faster, making the deformer ideal for projects where rendering time is crucial.
Availability and Access
The Houdini Skin Slide Deformer is available for free download on Gumroad, under the pay what you want model. Artists can obtain it at no cost or make a donation to support the work. The download includes the deformer's HDA files, its OpenCL wrapper, and a demonstration scene in .hip.
Other Zhang Projects
On Gumroad, another project by Zhang can also be found: the Houdini Wrinkle Deformer, which allows generating wrinkles on animated geometries without causing vibrations, complementing the Skin Slide Deformer very well.
Requirements and License Conditions
The Houdini Skin Slide Deformer requires Houdini and a graphics card compatible with OpenCL (such as AMD and NVIDIA GPUs) to take advantage of GPU acceleration. The tool is available for non-commercial purposes under the pay what you want model, but commercial licenses are also available for studios starting at 200 dollars.
License conditions:
- Use of the tool is permitted only for non-commercial purposes.
- Commercial licenses for studios are available starting at 200 dollars.
- It is prohibited to claim authorship of the tool in derivative works shown in reels.
Conclusion
The Houdini Skin Slide Deformer is a powerful and efficient tool for visual effects and animation artists seeking realistic skin sliding on their characters, without the need for complex tissue simulations. Its accessibility and GPU-accelerated performance make it an indispensable resource for any animation project.