OctaneRender 2025.2.1 for Houdini production (2025.2.1.1)

[bruce.chai]

This is a production release of the OctaneRender™ 2025.2.1.1 for Houdini™ plugin compiled with the Octane 2025.2.1 core. This 2025.2.1.1 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, 20.5.584, 20.5.613, 20.5.654, 20.5.684.

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 2025.2.1, please check out the 2025.2.1 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.

Downloads

Release 2025.2.1.1 Studio+ license
Windows Houdini 19.5.805
Windows Houdini 20.0.896
Windows Houdini 20.5.584
Windows Houdini 20.5.613
Windows Houdini 20.5.654
Windows Houdini 20.5.684

Linux Houdini 19.5.805
Linux Houdini 20.0.896 (gcc11.2)
Linux Houdini 20.5.584 (gcc11.2)
Linux Houdini 20.5.613 (gcc11.2)
Linux Houdini 20.5.654 (gcc11.2)
Linux Houdini 20.5.684 (gcc11.2)

Release 2025.2.1.1 macOS Prime license
MacOS Houdini 19.5.805
MacOS Houdini 20.0.896
MacOS Houdini 20.5.584
MacOS Houdini 20.5.613
MacOS Houdini 20.5.654
MacOS Houdini 20.5.684

Release 2025.2.1.1 Demo version
Windows Houdini 19.5.805
Windows Houdini 20.0.896
Windows Houdini 20.5.654
Windows Houdini 20.5.684

Linux Houdini 19.5.805
Linux Houdini 20.0.896 (gcc11.2)
Linux Houdini 20.5.654 (gcc11.2)
Linux Houdini 20.5.684 (gcc11.2)

Release Notes
=============================================
RELEASE 2025.2.1.1
=============================================
PLUGIN FEATURES AND FIXES:

• Added Texture Layer Group and Texture Mask with layer group node
• Fixed Octane light not showing the divisions for circle/disk
• Fixed a messed up label under motionblur in Render Setup
• Fixed error after selecting ROP before rendering starts

New Octane tools

• Materials from Attributes
• Vop level quick material hda

IPR improvements

• New IPR toolbar icons
• Canvas zoom mode: zoom image like in an image viewer, and this is made the default mode with "Fit" zoom setting
• Pick Object: select the obj node
• Pick ROP: select the currently active ROP
• Safe frame: show the framing of the camera when IPR is in "Fill Window" Resolution mode
• Show the full path for ROPs under the ROP dropdown menu
• Switch cameras: switch camera from IPR
• Film region: Works like "Render Zone" but only renders the selected region to the current max samples setting
• Snapshot Gallery: take snapshots of the current rendering, and supports comparing later rendering with the snapshots
• Update IPR when camera resolution is changed
• All pick options ignores invisible objects

Octane for Houdini - IPR Update
The video covers the IPR updates listed above.

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"
            }
        }
    ]
}

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.


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. On some Linux distributions, you may also need to manually create a libglut.so.3 symlink pointing to the current version in /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu.
- If you are having any issues with the Deadline - please submit a support ticket to the AWS.

Happy rendering,
Your OTOY Team

[EyasArraf]

Love the new IPR functionality and look: the new "Canvas" mode, "Film Region", "Snapshot Gallety" and Choosing the camera from IPR.
It has come a long way and we are happy about it thanks to you.

Regarding the IPR I have these notes:

1) Scene Update (Functionality)
Under the the "Update" tab there's a selection of objects to check for scene update like: camera, lights, materials, etc.
I noticed they work correctly when hitting the "Update Scene" button and the scene updates only the selected ones.
But when the scene updates due to changes in the viewport or in parameters of the camera, objets, or renderTarget (manipulating the scene); all of the objects under the "Update" tab are updated regardless if any is unchecked.
I don't know if this was the purpose or not.
But I personally wish for the "Update" objects list functionality to work also when manipulating the scene and working interactively for faster and efficient working.

2) IPR Color Sampler (Feature Request)
It would be great to have a color sampler in Octane's IPR which shows scene linear RGB values.
It's efficient and necessary to light matching CGI and lighting to Footage Plates.

3) MPlay Snapshots (Feature Request)
Octane IPR Snapshot Gallery is a good addition and can store and compare not only Beauty passes but also other AOVs. Which is great.
On the other hand, user may still use "Save Image to MPlay" because of missing image tools in Octane's IPR like mentioned above in (2).
Currently, Snapshooting to MPlay only take the "Beauty" pass not matter what AOV is selected in Octane's IPR.
It would be great if "Save Image to MPlay" takes into account what AOV is selected (or snapshots all the AOVs to MPlay and from there one can select which channel to view).

[lavrenovlad]

Thanks a lot for the release!
I already reported this bug via a support ticket, but will drop it here too:
Volume Motion Blur doesn't work with Standard Volume Shader.
I am waiting on this fix, it's much needed. I hope for the next build if possible

[jandress]

For the benefit of frustrated linux users - If you are on a current Mint, or probably debian/ubuntu even if you have freeglut-dev installed you will not have a file libglut.so.3, you may have to create a symlink to the current version (in my case libglut.so.3.12.0) in /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu. Otherwise your octane IPR will just be a black rectangle.

[bruce.chai]

Love the new IPR functionality and look: the new "Canvas" mode, "Film Region", "Snapshot Gallety" and Choosing the camera from IPR.
It has come a long way and we are happy about it thanks to you.

Regarding the IPR I have these notes:

1) Scene Update (Functionality)
Under the the "Update" tab there's a selection of objects to check for scene update like: camera, lights, materials, etc.
I noticed they work correctly when hitting the "Update Scene" button and the scene updates only the selected ones.
But when the scene updates due to changes in the viewport or in parameters of the camera, objets, or renderTarget (manipulating the scene); all of the objects under the "Update" tab are updated regardless if any is unchecked.
I don't know if this was the purpose or not.
But I personally wish for the "Update" objects list functionality to work also when manipulating the scene and working interactively for faster and efficient working.

2) IPR Color Sampler (Feature Request)
It would be great to have a color sampler in Octane's IPR which shows scene linear RGB values.
It's efficient and necessary to light matching CGI and lighting to Footage Plates.

3) MPlay Snapshots (Feature Request)
Octane IPR Snapshot Gallery is a good addition and can store and compare not only Beauty passes but also other AOVs. Which is great.
On the other hand, user may still use "Save Image to MPlay" because of missing image tools in Octane's IPR like mentioned above in (2).
Currently, Snapshooting to MPlay only take the "Beauty" pass not matter what AOV is selected in Octane's IPR.
It would be great if "Save Image to MPlay" takes into account what AOV is selected (or snapshots all the AOVs to MPlay and from there one can select which channel to view).

Thanks for the feedback, these features have been added into the todo list.

[bruce.chai]

Thanks a lot for the release!
I already reported this bug via a support ticket, but will drop it here too:
Volume Motion Blur doesn't work with Standard Volume Shader.
I am waiting on this fix, it's much needed. I hope for the next build if possible

Thanks for bring this again.
Currently, we are looking at fixing multiply of problems related to Volume, and this is one of them.
I cannot give a time when this will be fixed, but this is one of the high priority todo issues.

[bruce.chai]

For the benefit of frustrated linux users - If you are on a current Mint, or probably debian/ubuntu even if you have freeglut-dev installed you will not have a file libglut.so.3, you may have to create a symlink to the current version (in my case libglut.so.3.12.0) in /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu. Otherwise your octane IPR will just be a black rectangle.

Thanks for sharing this!

[jandress]

Unfortunately I always get - ERROR: Rendering failure. Octane can't render the scene. Check the available GPU memory or the scene complexity.
This is on a scene with just a cube and a camera. Karma is able to render with the GPU, as is Octane Blender, so for now I am reduced to playing with octane on my M3 Macbook Air, which actually performs surprisingly well.
Can anyone confirm this version running successfully on linux?

[bruce.chai]

Unfortunately I always get - ERROR: Rendering failure. Octane can't render the scene. Check the available GPU memory or the scene complexity.
This is on a scene with just a cube and a camera. Karma is able to render with the GPU, as is Octane Blender, so for now I am reduced to playing with octane on my M3 Macbook Air, which actually performs surprisingly well.
Can anyone confirm this version running successfully on linux?

Hi Jandress, sorry for the trouble. This indicates this is a Octane Core error. Can you please let me know which Houdini version are you using? I will message you a build to gather Octane Core logs. Thanks.

[Terryvfx]

Amazing update! Thanks.

PD: Do we have COPs support now?