OctaneRender 2025.1 Beta 2 for Houdini beta (2025.1.Beta_2.0)

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bruce.chai
OctaneRender Team
Posts: 61
Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2023 8:26 pm

This is a beta release of the OctaneRender™ 2025.1.Beta_2.0 for Houdini™ plugin compiled with the Octane 2025.1 Beta 2 core. This 2025.1.Beta_2.0 release is available for the latest Houdini production builds on Windows x64, Linux, and macOS arm64.

Houdini production builds supported by this release: 19.5.805, 20.0.896, 20.5.445, 20.5.487, 20.5.522.

If you are not sure if your Houdini version is compatible with the plugin - just run it and you will see an error message in case of incompatibility.

Linux Note
On Linux only default Houdini builds are supported.
This means that for Houdini 20.0 and 20.5, gcc11.2 builds are supported, and for Houdini 19.5, gcc9.3 build is supported.

New features
To learn more about the new features and improvements of OctaneRender 2025.1 Beta 2, please check out the 2025.1 Beta 2 release post

Known bugs
On Linux, MPlay IPR may not be working. If you are having problems with it, please switch to QT5 IPR and disable "Render to MPlay" in ROP nodes.
Octane is still working on supporting OCIO V2.3 (the version that Houdini 20.5 uses). The workaround for now is to use the Houdini 20.0's OCIO files when you use Houdini 20.5. e.g. You can use 20.0.751's OCIO file by adding the below line in your houdini.env file for Houdini20.5.

Code: Select all

OCIO = "C:\Program Files\Side Effects Software\Houdini 20.0.751\packages\ocio\houdini-config-v1.0.0_aces-v1.3_ocio-v2.1.ocio"
Downloads

Release 2025.1.Beta_2.0 Studio+ license
Windows Houdini 19.5.805 - https://render.otoy.com/customerdownloa ... _Win64.zip
Windows Houdini 20.0.896 - https://render.otoy.com/customerdownloa ... _Win64.zip
Windows Houdini 20.5.445 - https://render.otoy.com/customerdownloa ... _Win64.zip
Windows Houdini 20.5.487 - https://render.otoy.com/customerdownloa ... _Win64.zip
Windows Houdini 20.5.522 - https://render.otoy.com/customerdownloa ... _Win64.zip

Linux Houdini 19.5.805 - https://render.otoy.com/customerdownloa ... _Linux.zip
Linux Houdini 20.0.896 (gcc11.2) - https://render.otoy.com/customerdownloa ... _Linux.zip
Linux Houdini 20.5.445 (gcc11.2) - https://render.otoy.com/customerdownloa ... _Linux.zip
Linux Houdini 20.5.487 (gcc11.2) - https://render.otoy.com/customerdownloa ... _Linux.zip
Linux Houdini 20.5.522 (gcc11.2) - https://render.otoy.com/customerdownloa ... _Linux.zip

Release 2025.1.Beta_2.0 macOS Prime license
MacOS Houdini 19.5.805 - https://render.otoy.com/downloads/24/77 ... _macos.zip
MacOS Houdini 20.0.896 - https://render.otoy.com/downloads/09/18 ... _macos.zip
MacOS Houdini 20.5.445 - https://render.otoy.com/downloads/35/f7 ... _macos.zip
MacOS Houdini 20.5.487 - https://render.otoy.com/downloads/37/40 ... _macos.zip
MacOS Houdini 20.5.522 - https://render.otoy.com/downloads/a1/96 ... _macos.zip

Release Notes
=============================================
RELEASE 2025.1.Beta_2.0
=============================================
PLUGIN FEATURES AND FIXES:
  • Includes all fixes in 2024.1.2.2
  • Supported Houdini rest attribute
  • Updated RenderTarget HDA parms for Daylight Sun direction
  • Exposed realistic lens sensor width control
  • Improved light HDA's display in Houdini viewport
Note
From 2025.1.Beta_1.0, Octane plugin for Houdini uses Houdini package file. Each build ships a script (createPackageFileForOctane.bat for Windows, createPackageFileForOctane.sh for Linux and Mac) to help create the Octane.json file as below under C:\Users\<username>\Documents\houdiniXX.Y\packages on windows, ~/Library/Preferences/houdini/XX.Y/packages on Mac, or ~/houdiniXX.Y/packages on Linux.

Code: Select all

{
    "enable": true,
    "env": [
        {
            "OCTANE_AUTOSPAREPARAMS": {
                "value": 1
            }
        },
        {
            "OCTVERSION": "<path_to_plugin_directory>"
        },
        {
            "HOUDINI_PATH": {
                "value": "$OCTVERSION"
            },
            "HOUDINI_MENU_PATH": {
                "value": "$OCTVERSION/config/Menus"
            },
            "HOUDINI_SCRIPT_PATH": {
                "value": "$OCTVERSION/scripts"
            },
            "PATH": {
                "value": "$OCTVERSION/bin"
            },
            "PXR_PLUGINPATH_NAME": {
                "value": "$OCTVERSION/dso/usd_plugins"
            }
        }
    ]
}
Decal object feature
The new Decal object could be created by the new Decal button in Octane shelf or by the new Octane menu in Houdini Network View.
Decal objects will have default texture settings demonstrating how the textures can be set.
If there is an existing object or some primitives of an existing object are set, creating a new Decal object will prompt if the related materials of the existing object should be altered with decal textures so the decal object could affect the existing object's surface.
There are more options in the new Octane menu in Houdini Network View to help you create Octane nodes, insert/delete decal texture into/from an Octane material.


Important Note
2024.1.0.2 fixed the problem that the layered material nodes cannot be loaded properly, however this fix affects all layered material nodes and OSL material nodes in existing saved .hip files. When loading a .hip file for the first time using this build, it's necessary to adjust the connections of these nodes. Once the file is saved with the updated connections, the issue will be resolved.

Important Note for this release's Linux build
Octane Render 2025.1.Beta_2 uses libcef.so, and it indirectly depends on libcrypto.so.1.1.1k. However, Houdini Linux ships a different version (probably libcrypto.so.1.1.1b) and libs shipped with Houdini takes precedence. This makes Octane plugin can not be loaded properly by Houdini due to missing symbols. We are still discussing with SideFX support on how to solve this properly, but currently, there is a hacky workaround by using LD_PRELOAD. e.g. launching Houdini from console by this command:

Code: Select all

LD_PRELOAD=/lib64/libcrypto.so.1.1 HOUDINI_DSO_ERROR=2 /opt/hfs20.5.487/bin/houdini


There is a similar case in some other Linux distribution with libfreetype.so.6, so you will need to the following command

Code: Select all

LD_PRELOAD=/lib64/x86_64-linux-gnu/libfreetype.so.6 HOUDINI_DSO_ERROR=2 /opt/hfs20.5.522/bin/houdini
Octane core team is working on remving those dependencise, hopefully these workaround will not be needed in the coming releases.

[/color]

Common Issues and Solutions
- If the plugin doesn't work at all, set HOUDINI_DSO_ERROR = 2 in houdini.env and check for messages in the terminal.
- If you're missing libglut.so.3, install the freeglut package.
- If you are having any issues with the Deadline - please submit a support ticket to the AWS.

Happy rendering,
Your OTOY Team
dom_otoy
OctaneRender Team
Posts: 32
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2025 9:33 pm

One note on the object parm update:
We moved all the attribute related parameters on the octane object parms that used to be on the first page, to the attributes panel and added section labels, to have all attribute related parameters in one place and hopefully make it easier to identify the function.
EyasArraf
Licensed Customer
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2019 8:57 pm

Great release guys. Thanks.
Liked the new RenderTarget node.
One note though: The Decal node is missing the Transform Handle in the Viewport
DamjanMX_1
Licensed Customer
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2019 9:46 am

Great stuff! Thanks!
AslakKS
Licensed Customer
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2020 9:30 am

Any chance of a build for 20.5.550? That also released today :shock:
mori44h
Licensed Customer
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2020 1:52 pm

Can anyone explain how to make the rest attribute work in houdini? Activating the new "use rest attribute" does nothing with a valid rest attribute and valid uv attribute. Forcing the rest import in the point attribute does nothing either. I'm just testing in a simple emission texture, and the rest is not working. Tried the vertex disp with the "displace rest position" and same deal, doesnt work. Can a dev explain how to make it work?
EyasArraf
Licensed Customer
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2019 8:57 pm

mori44h wrote: Fri Mar 28, 2025 5:32 pm Can anyone explain how to make the rest attribute work in houdini? Activating the new "use rest attribute" does nothing with a valid rest attribute and valid uv attribute. Forcing the rest import in the point attribute does nothing either. I'm just testing in a simple emission texture, and the rest is not working. Tried the vertex disp with the "displace rest position" and same deal, doesnt work. Can a dev explain how to make it work?
You have to enable the Usage of Rest attribute in two locations:
1) Object node -> Octane tab -> Attributes tab -> "Rest position" check box: enable and set the right Rest attribute name
2) Material network -> Projection node -> "User rest attributes" check box: enable

* As for the Vertex Displacement, I think it's still not supported in this version.
AslakKS
Licensed Customer
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2020 9:30 am

Could Render_Target/camera/Texture_distortion's border mode(u/v) and channel format parameters be promoted so we don't need to unlock the network to set them?
marcikola
Licensed Customer
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Aug 18, 2024 10:01 pm

How does the rest attribute work with triplanar mapping on changing topology?

It works on deforming geometry, as long as the primitve number doesn't change, but breaks for emitting fluids etc.
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