Orientation Attributes: Instancing Part 1 - Handy Houdini Tips

In this part we are looking at the attributes required for instancing and copying with a focus on orientation attributes. As such, we are looking at how to use the Normal attribute in conjunction with the Up attribute to generate correct orientations. Additionally, we will be looking at some useful quaternion workflows for generating orientations.
00:00 Intro
01:20 Setting up Normals for Orientation
03:08 Normal and Up Attributes Explained
05:24 The Orient Attribute
07:20 Rotating using Quaternions
09:50 Scatter and Align
11:45 Blending between Quaternions
14:51 Controlling Instancing Attributes
18:03 Outro

[@NineBetween]

Hey! This video ended up focusing quite heavily on orientation workflows. We'll be doing more parts related to instancing workflows in the weeks to come.

[@machinist1051]

5:13 Well said. That's something many schools/universities miss, I think. You often need to learn how to work WITH it before learning HOW it works. Raw theory for beginners lacks a context. You don't need to know the physics of gyroscopic precession or the biology behind the human vestibular system to ride a bicycle. But when (or if) you need to learn it to push your skills further, practice will help you to understand it much faster and deeper.

[@chienao9360]

haha.Thank you for your work. you said "This is super basic" had me blow my mind because it took a lot of my brain cells and time to finally understand what the code does. Please keep up great work.

[@pr0fess0r]

Awesome! So much useful information and so clearly presented 👍

[@khalilboss2855]

This looks somehow like an advanced level of the sprinkles tutorials in Houdini isn't scary series haha. But it's a great tutorial. Looking forward for the next parts

[@NineBetween]

You're right! In that video, the sprinkles all used the same orientation attributes. This one is definitely an advanced version of that. Thanks for the comment as always!

[@brunocfer2]

You are fast becoming the GO TO button of all new Houdini user, thank you!!

[@wydjeefx992]

That was an amazingly handy houdini tip. Thanks a lot ;)

[@sayee8492]

This video is a godsend, I have to re-look up how quaternions work every few months. Thank you so much! 🙏

[@tinyredkite]

Wonderful tutorial, clear and straight to the point! Thank you so much!

[@travislrogers]

Really great explanation of these concepts. Happy to see you're back in action with the new videos and I'm loving the new set! Excited to see more in this series, especially animated instances and Karma!

[@syns369]

Best tutorial out there, thanks nine!

[@philippwelsing9108]

"This is super basic", haha. NOPE. But it is incredibly useful for those starting to use Houdini for production and their own custom projects. Actually, this IS the base line for really controlling what Houdini does, but no one would get that stuff if it was the first thing being taught. Thank you for this!

[@pr0fess0r]

Thanks

[@NineBetween]

And thank you too!

[@GrafxPlug]

Thank you!

[@RageNitrik]

Very cool, I am going to use this knowledge to create animations, keep up the great work

[@NineBetween]

Thank you

[@henrythejeditube]

wow, this is by far the most comprehensive and yet advanced orientation tutorial I have ever seen on Houdini, it may be the only one I will ever need, all thanks to you sir, very warm greetings from a fellow artist also based in the Republic South Africa :)🤗

[@NineBetween]

Awesome, I'm glad to hear it. It was a video I wished I had when I was learning so I decided to make it. Also, if you wouldn't mind dropping me an email (under the "About" section), we are looking at holding an event in SA for Houdini Artists. I'm getting in touch with as many artists as I can in the meantime but it will only be next year sometime :)

[@henrythejeditube]

@@NineBetween You are welcome sir, I will email you now. Thank you once again

[@maarten176]

Thanks!! you helped me so much with all your videos

[@matteomigliorini]

thanks a lot for sharing it

[@vynylPooh]

Thanks a lot! very useful!

[@frame_rand]

Such great vid

[@houdiniinsider]

Yeah ! Video quality 🔥

[@NineBetween]

Thanks 🔥

[@massimobaita7178]

Thank You very much!

[@NineBetween]

No problem at all 😁👌

[@johannestiner]

Fantastic video!

[@NineBetween]

Thank you!

[@badSTUDIOdal]

Awsome!

[@gouthamvanga5129]

I want to randomly rotate individual points by the multiples of 90s along the normal. Can you please help

[@brahimnz_]

Awesome 💯

[@shafiq-rehman]

EPIC TUT!! thanks

[@teshtishtoshtesh3218]

Nicely explained, thank you. How would one take those quaternions and control their rotations per point in a For Each loop? I've been trying to control all 3 axes of rotation, giving an end user control of how much randomness and rotation gets applied. I've been given to understand that these lovely little quaternions via the orient attribute ought to afford such control, but I can't seem to get them to behave.

[@asierlabfx]

Thanks!

[@lowrax]

Goood goood

[@TGSuineg]

Any rough ideas when the revamped beginner tutorials will be out? No rush, just curious.

[@Jorgal.2022]

Hi, I don't understand why the VEX expression in your video is v@up = (0, 0, 1) instead of v@up = (0, 1, 0), as I think it should be. Thanks

[@litote9]

Why do you use += rather than = for this line of code, pls explain what += means: v@P.y += v@scale.y/2;

[@NineBetween]

Sure, I'll do my best to explain it:
= is used to make the left side equal to the right side. For example, if you say:
x=1;
Then x will have a value of 1.
+= is different because it adds the right side to the left side. For example:
x = 10;
x += 5;
This will give x the value of 15 because we are making it equal to 10, and then adding 5. It is the same as saying:
x = 10;
x = x + 5;
It is simply a shorter way to add a value to itself. So, in this case, we're saying add (v@scale.y/2) to (v@P.y)
I hope that helps!

[@tunatopaloglu4770]

Awsome!

[@NineBetween]

Thanks for watching😁