Houdini production builds supported by this release: 20.0.896, 20.5.613, 20.5.654, 20.5.684, 21.0.440.
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, 20.5 and 21.0 gcc11.2 builds are supported.
New features
To learn more about the new features and improvements of OctaneRender 2026.1.Alpha 3, please check out the 2026.1.Alpha 3 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 2026.1.Alpha_3.3 Studio+ license
Windows Houdini 20.0.896
Windows Houdini 20.5.613
Windows Houdini 20.5.654
Windows Houdini 20.5.684
Windows Houdini 21.0.440
Linux Houdini 20.0.896 (gcc11.2)
Linux Houdini 20.5.613 (gcc11.2)
Linux Houdini 20.5.654 (gcc11.2)
Linux Houdini 20.5.684 (gcc11.2)
Linux Houdini 21.0.440 (gcc11.2)
Release Notes
=============================================
RELEASE 2026.1.Alpha_3.3
=============================================
PLUGIN FEATURES AND FIXES:
- Added "Distorted UVW" node
- Supported new rgb image output color option
- Supported pin/parameter folders to VOP/Material nodes
- Avoid reloading unchanged polygon mesh object's geometry after scene frame changes
- Fixed scatter on surface loading problems
- Fixed Volume Ramp max vlaue parameter doesn't work
- Added Volume to Texture node
- Changed default log level to Error
- createPackageFileForOctane.bat update: Added a section that checks for the old solaris.json file existence. If this is found, then it will ask to remove this file, as it can create issues, and WILL stop the plugin from working
- Rendertarget and Rendersetup hda update: Updated the "ACES tone mapping" tooltip to remove version specific information (used to be 1.2 but will be changing version to version)
- Reimplemented volume feature
1. New volume object parameters
2. Faster VDB grids loading
3. No more extra absorption and scatter grids after loading (meaning smaller memory size)
4. Set Voxel size correctly
5. Support extra grids like Cd grid
6. Support velocity vector grid
7. Fixed vdb volume sop level transform offset
Still updating
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"
}
}
]
}
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.- If you are having any issues with the Deadline - please submit a support ticket to the AWS.
Happy rendering,
Your OTOY Team
Btw did you know Octane has a discord?