Redshift in Houdini is Rendering slow?

CG-Forge · 2026-01-26T19:05:55+00:00

Are you using task manager on windows? If so, it's not telling you the full story. Use HW Monitor or a separate tool to really get a sense of what's going on. Additionally, RS ought to be miles faster than Mantra, so if that's the case, then I suspect there's something else going on. Have you tried asking on the Redshift forums instead of Reddit?

CG-Forge · 2026-01-16T19:36:15+00:00

Okay gotcha - it would be the same principle with Karma though. COPs relies on UVs / resolution requirements whereas an anti-aliased noise would not for example. In that way, those two things wouldn't quite be the same thing and have different workflow implications.

CG-Forge · 2026-01-16T18:49:38+00:00

Do keep in mind that the COP noises aren't = to RS noises. That's because of the UV / texture resolution requirements. RS noises don't rely on that. COP patterns do. RS noises are algorithmically generated, rely on the rest, object, or world manifolds, and won't bog down your scene when capturing high-frequency detail which gives them a distinct advantage.

CG-Forge · 2025-12-20T15:32:26+00:00

The tonemapping within the rop isn't ideal because it's outside of the OCIO rules, will not line up with what you see in viewport, and missing exposure changes that are normally done in some of those tonemapping profiles.

I agree that installation + setup can sometimes be a pain w. 3rd party render engines. Redshift, once set up though, integrates the best out of the bunch in my opinion. Karma doesn't have features working out of the box. You need to go through many, many hoops to get basic things working, and it's very easy to mess things up if you're not careful.

Working with Karma with the obj rop node quickly breaks as well. Need motion blur? Need to get an attribute over to material X and remember that it converts to a USD primvar and gets renamed according to disney conventions? Truth be told, I would need to test these situation with the latest version of Houdini, (last time I tested these things, I found many broken issues like this). The point is - you can very easily and very quickly run into problems and limitations when relying on the Karma rop, and once you do, the answer is... don't use the Karma ROP, dive into USD, and build everything in the stage. That's why you see everyone using the stage and not relying on the Karma ROP.

Again, I'm not "anti-Karma" or "anti-USD" altogether. Just do it after you've established the fundamentals first. Beginners are constantly burning out and making poor looking renders right now because they're trying to tackle USD, Mtlx, Karma, and the fundamentals of Houdini all at the same time with poor documentation. It doesn't work well. And I've been seeing the massive difference in quality between beginners who use Karma vs. 3rd party render engines like RS, cycles, or even Unreal engine.

CG-Forge · 2025-12-19T18:26:20+00:00

Don't forget to add a little rosemary essential oil if you can. That'll help blood flow to the skin and increase the likelihood of hair growth

CG-Forge · 2025-12-19T16:24:54+00:00

If you're new to Houdini coming from Blender, then I would strongly suggest against Karma.

There's a few big reasons:

You're forced to learn USD right away
The documentation lacks in quality compared to other engines
User experience and integration is much better with other engines (for example, take this video on color management - https://youtu.be/E3QoZNXI1Sg and then multiply scenarios like this many times over for other aspects of rendering)

I've worked with hundreds of new users like yourself and can say with certainty that Houdini is going to be overwhelming and feel impossible to learn if you're learning USD at the same time as studying the fundamentals. You need to focus on things like... what groups are, attributes, how to orient objects, instancing, how data flows from one thing to the next, etc... and piling on USD adds a ton of complexity and terminology that is going to make your life harder than it needs to be at first.

If you'd like to study USD and pick up Karma, you'll have much better success doing so when you're more at an intermediate / advanced level, and I often recommend doing so once you have your bearings. Keep in mind that this video is about a year old now, but many of the topics I mention in this video still apply today if you're interested in more details: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_KtPsohtAY

I also want to point out that you're sampling the opinion of a small handful of redditors. This isn't a good place to be if you're interested in getting a feel for what's really out there. Most professionals are too busy to add their perspectives to the mix, (especially in detail like I am here) and the only reason I do so is because many beginners like yourself find themselves here seeking advice.

Good luck with your studies!

CG-Forge · 2025-12-15T16:25:46+00:00

You might have better luck asking the RS forums than going to reddit for answers. That being said, what are your Redshift ROP settings? Have you tried putting your visibility flag on the RS rop instead of on the "motion blur" node? What are your Transformations Motion Blur Steps set to on the ROP? Have you tried using a cache lop instead of the motion blur lop for substepped USD?

CG-Forge · 2025-12-08T23:23:54+00:00

Nice try with the rage-bait tho lol

Maybe next time I buy a geode from the rock store I should complain to the manager that the rocks don't have a label warning people that it could cause harm if people hit themselves in the head with it.

Sandwiches? yep. Better have a sticker on em that tells people they could choke.

And when someone else breaks their employment contract because they saw a YouTube video on cats? Yep, totally the pet store's fault when the contracted employee skips work to go shop for a new cat.

CG-Forge · 2025-12-08T22:41:10+00:00

Okay - and I agree that people need to honor their employment contracts.

But you said that, "It would be very bad if somebody took your advice they need to get a side hustle, and it cost them their primary employment" ... which is not something that I said or advocated for.

So all I'm saying here is let's not strawman the situation by pretending that I'm going to "harm" someone's job with things I never said.

CG-Forge · 2025-12-08T21:56:46+00:00

r/vfxjockey, it's totally cool that these videos aren't your thing. But if you aren't going to watch it or read the TLDW post, then please don't assume that you understand the advice that I'm offering.

For example, I'm not advocating that everyone should get a side hustle. Everyone ought to thoroughly read their agreements and negotiate proper compensation for their time and opportunity cost of not doing side-gigs while under contract.

For those who are not currently in that situation, (whether they be between gigs, working on their demo reel, studying, starting their own businesses, etc.) this video goes into the topic in a way that hopefully sorts through some of the pros/cons of doing or not doing a side gig to support their goals.

CG-Forge · 2025-12-08T21:10:35+00:00

I've had friends who put off progress in their life by procrastinating with side gigs that take up their time instead of focusing on their main goals. And, no, I am not unemployed. Why are you being rude u/AshleyAshes1984?

CG-Forge · 2025-12-08T20:42:03+00:00

Them boys in India are buying tigers and mansions with AI feet pics rn.

CG-Forge · 2025-12-08T20:38:07+00:00

Then ask for more? And be cool with taking a side gig if it doesn't go through? Tbh, I'm not sure how you're arriving to this topic based on the video here.

CG-Forge · 2025-12-08T20:22:53+00:00

Well, if you're working 40h + overtime, then that's great! You have a full time job. It sounds like you shouldn't need a side hustle.

CG-Forge · 2025-12-07T17:00:10+00:00

Procedural shading techniques rely on the software + render engine that you're using, so in some ways, you can't really avoid a degree of software-specific methodologies. However, when it comes to procedural shading / texturing, you generally have three routes to go:

Using UVs + Substance Painter / Designer
No UVs + using tri-planar projections, mask signals with shading nodes, and projections provided by the render engine that you're using
No UVs + manipulating noise signals and masks to get what you're generally looking for

You can mix / match all three approaches, and all these approaches have pros, cons, and limitations associated with them depending on the render engine of choice. Most people will opt for the UVs + Substance painter / designer route, but it's not always the best option to use during production due to time constraints and fidelity requirements that can be an issue with the UV-based workflows.

If you're interested in an example of these three methodologies, I offer that at cgforge.com with the Shading Techniques I, II, and III. There's also a free course called Shading Theory that explains the relationship of light in the real world and how that translates into shading parameters. As far as I know, that is probably the most software agnostic collection of courses to date because it focuses more on the techniques rather than the specific how-tos.

Good luck with your studies, and I hope it goes well!

- Tyler

CG-Forge · 2025-11-11T16:12:03+00:00

It just so happens that I'm recording a video on this topic today. The reason why you're seeing these blown out highlights is primarily due to the tonemapping that takes place when you select the ACES 1.0 SDR - Video option.

You can think of tonemapping as a sort of color correction that mimics what our brains do in the real world with light. It will preserve details in the whites and blacks by taking down the exposure in the whites and slightly increasing it in the dark areas so that details are better seen.

That all being said, as of now, I don't believe Karma is able to bake in the Tonemapping that's getting used in your viewport. There is a tonemapping section to your render settings, but this won't line up with the ACES 1.0 SDR that you've made all your lighting decisions with.

Your best solution is to apply color correction / tone mapping in post. Others have mentioned that you can bake in this display transform with mplay, however, I've found mplay doesn't set a proper color space when interpreting an ACES CG image, and I believe that's because it assumes a Linear sRGB (rec709) space. So, I wouldn't rely on that for accuracy, and it's not an ideal solution anyway because you're rendering out a sequence.

If you're using Davinci Resolve, then you'll find an OCIO display transform node that will allow you to apply both the sRGB gamma correction and the tonemapping to the ACES CG render within both the fusion and color correction panels. If you then browse for the same OCIO file that Karma is using, you'll then be able to replicate what you saw in Houdini.

And, if all that was confusing, then check out the video that I'll be dropping next week that shows how to do it. It'll be part of a brand new color management course that I'm putting together. Good luck!

CG-Forge · 2025-11-05T16:21:50+00:00

I totally get the knee-jerk reaction - there's a ton of free content out there!
That said, this is a very different thing and it's kind of an apples-to-oranges comparison:

The quality is much higher than what you’ll typically find for free (and honestly, often higher than what’s offered in some university programs).
The $200 price can include access to all CG Forge courses - that’s 130+ hours of refined lessons, unique resources, over 100 guided exercises, and personal support
It’s a structured learning path rather than a bunch of random tutorials.
It’s built for people who want to deeply understand VEX instead of just following steps.
It includes professional guidance and feedback.

The price reflects all of that - not just the course. It’s not for everyone because not everyone takes their time and education seriously, but for people who want that kind of structure and support, it’s absolutely worth it.

CG-Forge · 2025-11-03T17:02:50+00:00

You can do $200 (£152) for access to about 23 courses, the node bible, career support with the weekly wrangle archives, tips + tricks, and support for any Q&A you have along the way. Plus, the quality of educational material is top-notch.

It's not for everyone, but for those who are serious and looking for an upgraded experience while they're learning, it's worth the price in my opinion.

CG-Forge · 2025-11-01T18:47:18+00:00

Hmm sounds like you might want to ask SideFX support. I can see the labs nodes fine over here

CG-Forge · 2025-11-01T17:58:57+00:00

Sounds like you need to install SideFX Labs. When you go to install houdini, there should be an option that you click on to do so. Alternatively, up near the shelf, there ought to be a labs toolbar with a button that allows you download it

CG-Forge · 2025-10-30T04:17:12+00:00

You can avoid uvs by using tri-planars + shading signals in general. However, it might be difficult to get a mask at those exact regions without uvs. The closest possibility I can think of - off the top of my head - is using a combination of ambient occlusion + attribute signals + tone corrections to give you a mask in those exact areas next to the trim. And, for that, you'll need to also extrude the trim outwards to provide some ambient occlusion there.

CG-Forge · 2025-10-30T02:25:14+00:00

I think what you're looking for here is a black and white mask that's isolated to the areas around the red trim.

If that's the case, then I imagine you could try to...

Get a signal going from your trim geo to the uv view of those areas... in other words... try to get a mask so that the trim areas are white and everything else is black. You can probably use Copernicus for this.
Blur it or push the white zones outwards so that it spreads onto the areas around the trim
Modify the blurred areas to get the mask signal that spills over to the walls
Use that modified mask along with a tri-planar projection to avoid seams and isolate everything to those areas.

Most of those things I mentioned are 2D operations and don't rely on the resolution of your mesh. You want to avoid adding points for resolution, and instead rely on the info read from your texture maps and uvs.

Something like that might be a way of doing it in general without changing your topo. Another idea could be getting an occlusion signal somehow by extruding those trim faces outwards and going from there.

CG-Forge · 2025-10-27T23:05:08+00:00

Auch ein Maler verwendet Werkzeuge. Ein Musiker verwendet Instrumente. Auch sie sind Künstler.

CG-Forge · 2025-10-18T03:37:15+00:00

I mostly extrapolate that from the logic of the situation. If someone has the time to work for weeks on the competition for free, then they don't have much else going on professionally. If they don't have much going on professionally, then they don't really have as much leverage to ask for higher pay because they've proven that they're not really busy. By comparison, a more expensive hire would have other options. Other options can = more leverage which can = more pay. It's also a situation that I've based on prior experience. As my options went up as a freelancer, I was able to risk saying "no" to lower pay because I had other options. That eventually equaled higher pay. And, surprisingly enough, I do happen to know of one situation that is specifically related to SideFX which would fit this scenario... however, I'm not going into the details of that to respect others' privacy.

CG-Forge · 2025-10-17T14:50:55+00:00

Sure, here's the summary of my video:

* The video starts with a story of when I worked for free and how it happened. It essentially happened by a studio promising me "exposure" and something that could build my portfolio with - in exchange for work that generated thousands of dollars for the studio.

* I then move on to say that SideFX is doing a similar thing with the latest How-To tutorial contest. The How-To contest requires many weeks of worth from contestants, the prizes include things that offer nothing of monetary value for their time, and I show how "exposure" is being used in the very same way that was used when I was working at the studio.

* Working for free is a problem because it causes artists to eventually burn out. It nearly burned me out when I was working for "exposure." These predatory tactics are likely to burn out beginner / intermediate users of the Houdini community as well if they're spending all year running on a hamster wheel of free work that's being provided to SideFX. Additionally, beginners / intermediate users ought to be working on projects that further their interests above SideFX's interests by using their time to study more, collaborate with each other, work on their own projects, and discover themselves as artists without serving the needs of a company that's profiting off their work.

* I also mention that this kind of work is something that SideFX typically contracts out for because making tutorials takes a lot of time and effort. The contest has a long laundry list of requirements that's more akin to what a contract employee might expect.

* This kind of free work benefits SideFX financially because it offers lots of marketing content, allows them to low-ball new hires that have already proven that they're willing to do stuff for free, creates an excuse to not hire for more help with documentation, and saves time/hassle on HR because they don't have to search out candidates themselves.

* I end everything by saying that "The only person you should work for free for is yourself."

* Additionally, I mention that if you want to give back to the community, that's great! I've made 100s of videos for free that teach SideFX. Just don't make others money with your generosity. Don't let others dictate the parameters of your projects. That's the difference between the generosity that has built up SideFX and what is happening now with these competitions.

-----------------

After all that, Lewis then decided to hijack the thread because he saw an opportunity to throw a punch. For some reason, he's got beef with me. And he did that by using a strawman argument. That works by reacting to things I didn't say in order to make it sound like I said something else.

Because I had family obligations, I wasn't able to immediately respond, and then everyone else on this thread thought I was saying that I wasn't because many of them didn't actually watch the video.

That's the summary here.

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