Houdini Ocean Spectrum on Toy

Here's my latest test in Houdini. In this test, I manage to apply Houdini's Ocean Spectrum to a non-planar non-convex geometrical shape.

The ocean spectrum in Houdini allows the artist to define parameters that describe an open-ocean surface. With these settings, Houdini can generate a very natural-looking ocean surface without the expensive simulation time (this is much like how Houdini's Heightfield is implemented). Since this tool was meant for an open ocean surface, it mainly works with a flat grid by adding displacement to it.

If we plug a non-planar object to evaluate this spectrum with the OceanEvaluate SOP, it results in a streaking projection downwards in the Y-axis. Also, the faces that face towards negative Y will get an inverted displacement pattern of that ocean spectrum.

In this test, I derive a set-up that overcomes the planar nature of the projection and the negative pattern caused by the same projection process. The output of a single ocean spectrum can now achieve a continuously displaced ocean across the surface of a complex object.

This is then rendered with Mantra and finally composited in Nuke.