Houdini On the Spot

Introduction: Why This Book?

A few years ago, while I was working at Side Effects Software, the creators of Houdini, I saw an e-mail from one programmer to another, explaining how to use a particular feature of the software. The recipient wrote back saying “Thanks” and then he wrote “I never knew you could do that!”

And that was the inspiration for this book. I thought, if the people who write the software are still capable of learning new things about it, just think how much there is to learn for everyone else. So I started collecting tips from users – and the developers – wherever I found them. Originally, I thought this would be a thin, short volume with a few interesting Houdini hacks in it. In fact, the original concept was for something ...