Pixel Art Renderer for SideFX Houdini - (Test Version 1)

Note: This tool requires SideFX Houdini. I have tested and made it in in the indie version, and it should work in the free Apprentice Version I believe (but have not tested). I have not tested it in either Core or FX, and until I have some feedback regarding whether it works in those, I cannot say for definite.

VERY IMPORTANT:If you are using a version other than Indie, please don't donate (if you wanted to) until you have tested the asset. And I would expand this to cover any users, I don't expect any donations (unless you choose to if you are really happy with the tool and it helps with your workflow.)

Please leave feedback if there are issues, the asset is an early test version, and if you have troubles, by providing feedback you will shape the future of it. I am hoping eventually once it becomes mature enough that I will be able to submit the asset to SideFX labs to include as part of their official toolkit extension.

This Houdini Digital Asset was born out of a research project I started which I (not seriously) called "The Quest for Dead Cells." (referring to the art pipeline that was used on the amazing indie game.)

For those not in the know who haven't read the Gamasutra article (link here: https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/313026/Art_Design_Deep_Dive_Using_a_3D_pipel...), Dead Cells pixel art style was created first as 3d models using 3DSMax, then they used a custom private tool that was never released to the public to batch convert their 3d animations into pixel art. My goal in this project is to make this type of art pipeline available to developers without them having to code custom tools.

This asset uses the Houdini Compositor via the COPS node network. You can feed it premade 3d renders or render live with it in Houdini with your own 3d models. It also supports batch conversion of preexisting frames and can render out a 60+ frame animation very quickly.  You can bring in 3d models from other software such as Maya or Blender, and don't even necessarily have to use the Houdini Renderer to make your original renders, you can bring in rendered frames from other software too. As a bonus you can even bring in textures (from Substance for example) or 2d images (and animation frames) such as paintings or vector art to turn to pixel art.

Note: The YouTube video is a placeholder for now, still relevant to the asset, but a preliminary test I used on my HoudiniGamejam2020 game. The asset is (hopefully) much easier to use now, you do not need to construct your own complex node trees to use it like I had in the youtube video, just plug your own inputs and outputs into the asset in the Compositing Network.

Read the docs (currently only 3 pages currently) for more information before use on the asset's controls. The docs will develop as the asset does, they are very bare bones now, and will improve over time. I will be creating some tutorials on how to use the asset when I have a chance too, and the docs will hopefully soon have some tutorial content included.