For those who don’t know the tool: tyFlow is a particle and simulation plugin for 3ds Max. It is commonly used for particle effects and procedural simulation within pipelines. The tool expands 3ds Max application simulation features with node-based operators and GPU-accelerated modules.

A CUDA fluid solver arrives

The 2.000 release of tyFlow introduces a new GPU fluid simulation solver named ZENITH. According to the official release notes, the solver runs on CUDA and integrates directly with the tyFlow simulation environment.

The update also introduces twenty new operators for the Inferno module. Inferno is tyFlow’s internal system for simulation tasks, including volumetric and fluid workflows. The release notes confirm that the operators are designed to support the new GPU fluid pipeline introduced with ZENITH.

CUDA modules distributed with tyFlow have also been updated. The package now includes machine learning models intended for fluid up-rez and compression. These models ship inside the CUDA module package together with a defined installation location described in the included documentation. The release raises the minimum supported CUDA version to 12.8. Users are instructed to ensure that GPU drivers are updated accordingly.

Updated CUDA modules

The updated CUDA modules are a central part of the release. The vendor states that the package now bundles machine learning models used for fluid up-rez and compression. Fluid upres workflows typically reconstruct higher resolution detail from a lower resolution simualtion. The release notes do not specify the training method, dataset, or inference process used by these models. No benchmarks or performance figures are provided.

The CUDA modules also now require installation in a specific location. Users are directed to the README documentation included with the CUDA module package for installation details. The vendor also updated the CUDA cub and thrust libraries used internally by tyFlow. According to the release notes, the update addresses rare CUDA crashes during Multifracture operations. (Multifracture is tyFlow’s system for procedural mesh fracturing used in destruction simulations.)

Twenty Inferno operators

The release introduces twenty new Inferno operators designed to work with the new GPU simulation capabilities. Inferno operators in tyFlow provide node based controls that modify simulation behaviour or generate simulation data. The addition of twenty operators suggests a significant expansion of the Inferno system.

New operators for general workflows

Outside the Inferno system, the release adds several new operators and modifiers for tyFlow workflows. A new Global operator has been added. The official documentation referenced in the release notes is required to understand its full functionality.

The update also introduces a MAXScript operator. MAXScript is the scripting language used inside 3ds Max. The operator presumably enables scripting access within tyFlow simulations, although the exact capabilities are not described in the release notes.

A new tyMeshBlend modifier has also been introduced. The modifier blends normals where meshes intersect. This behaviour is typically used to reduce shading artifacts where two meshes overlap or intersect.

Another addition is a new SDF shape mode for the PhysX Shape and PhysX Collision operators. SDF stands for signed distance field. According to the release notes, the new mode allows more accurate concave collisions.

Signed distance fields are commonly used to represent complex shapes in simulation because they encode the distance to the nearest surface point in volumetric form.

tyCache improvements

The release expands tyFlow’s caching capabilities. The tyCache modifier can now cache spline data. Previously, the system primarily cached particle and mesh data. The Export Particles operator now supports subframe export of tyCache data. Subframe data enables simulation playback at time steps smaller than a single frame. This is typically required for accurate motion blur in rendering workflows. The tyCache object also now displays PhysX bind connectivity.

Mesh and material improvements

Several modelling and mesh related updates are included in the release. The multifracture, tyBoolean and tyWeld modifiers now include UVW seam weld options. A new Merge mat IDs mode has been added to the tyMaterial modifier. The same option is also available for the tyMesher object. According to the release notes, the feature merges and concatenates material IDs across instanced objects and generates a compatible multi material with the new ID layout. This behaviour can simplify material management in procedural setups where multiple objects share or generate different ID sets.

UI and usability changes

The update includes multiple interface adjustments aimed at improving usability inside the tyFlow editor. Comboboxes, checkboxes and radio buttons now display non-default values in blue. Previously, this behaviour was limited to numeric spinner controls.

Large dropdown comboboxes now include a text entry field at the top of the list that allows users to search items using fuzzy matching. The release also introduces a Houdini-style value stepper dialog. Middle Mouse Clicking any spinner control opens a dialog that allows incremental changes across multiple orders of magnitude.

Export and procedural variation

The Export Particles operator now supports exporting ranges for tySwitcher indices and reseed values. According to the release notes, this allows permutations to be exported from the same operator during a single export operation. Exported object names and layers now also support symbol replacement variables such as $tySwitcherIndex and $tySeedIndex. These variables allow procedural naming during export operations.

OpenVDB update

The OpenVDB SDK used by tyFlow has been updated to version 13. OpenVDB is an open source library widely used in volumetric workflows. It provides sparse volumetric data structures for storing grids such as smoke, fire or fluid simulation volumes.

Practical implications

The most significant change in this release appears to be the introduction of the ZENITH CUDA fluid solver and the expansion of the Inferno operator set. However, the official release notes do not provide technical descriptions, performance data or architecture details for the solver. GPU fluid simulation inside particle frameworks can reduce iteration times when compared to CPU grid solvers. Whether this holds true for ZENITH cannot be determined yet – so it is time to have a good long playing session with Tyflow!

Users interested in adopting the new system will likely need to examine the updated CUDA modules and example scenes to evaluate real world behaviour. As always, new tools and innovations should be thoroughly tested before use in production.

// https://pro.tyflow.com/

The post tyFlow 2 adds CUDA fluid solver and 20 Infernos first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t now the tool: HydroFX is a standalone GPU-based FLIP liquid simulator from Storm VFX, designed to generate water simulations for downstream use in DCC tools via Alembic, USD and OpenVDB. It does not render, shade or composite anything itself, and it does not try to be clever about it.

A standalone solver, not a Swiss army knife

Storm VFX has released Storm HydroFX 1.0, a commercial version of its GPU-based FLIP fluid simulator previously available in beta form. The software is positioned as a focused standalone application for liquid simulation, rather than a general-purpose dynamics system or a host-integrated plugin.

HydroFX implements a custom FLIP solver designed specifically to run on NVIDIA GPUs using CUDA. The solver runs entirely on the GPU, with the stated aim of providing faster iteration times compared to CPU-based fluid solvers. This performance claim is made by the developer and is not independently verified at press time. HydroFX runs on Windows only. No macOS or Linux versions are listed on the official site or the commercial product page at the time of writing.

Import, simulate, export, repeat

HydroFX is intended to sit between layout and lighting in a conventional VFX pipeline. Users import static geometry in Alembic or OBJ format, which can act as emitters, colliders or force drivers. Simulation parameters are adjusted directly through a node-free interface that mirrors the design language of Storm VFX’s main Storm application.

Simulation output can be exported as particle caches in Alembic, USD or PRT formats. Storm HydroFX 1.0 also supports exporting liquid surface meshes, allowing the simulated water to be rendered in external DCC applications or real-time engines. OpenVDB output is available for preview surfacing and volumetric workflows. Cache sizes for playblasts / preview can be reduced by exporting only surface particles rather than full particle sets. .

Whitewater, foam and other small things that float

HydroFX 1.0 includes built-in systems for foam, bubbles and spray, collectively described as whitewater. Whitewater can be simulated as part of the main solve or as a separate system, and can be exported independently from the main liquid body. Storm VFX describes improvements to whitewater behaviour and stability compared to the beta versions.

The solver is explicitly positioned as an offline simulation tool. There is no claim of real-time playback, interactive editing or on-the-fly meshing, and none should be inferred.

Pricing and licensing

Storm HydroFX is sold via Gumroad under annual subscription licences. The base (Indie) Storm HydroFX licence is priced at €145 per year. A Storm HydroFX Studio licence is priced at €249 per year, with multiple seat options selectable during purchase. Exact seat counts and per-seat pricing for the Studio tier are not listed as fixed values and must be configured on the Gumroad page.

Licences are activated online. The Gumroad listing specifies a seven-day money-back guarantee. HydroFX is distributed as a downloadable standalone application rather than an installer-based package.

Hardware and compatibility limits

HydroFX requires an NVIDIA GPU and uses CUDA. No support for non-NVIDIA GPUs is listed. The software currently runs only on Windows. These limitations are explicitly stated by the developer and should be considered non-negotiable at this stage. While HydroFX does not provide host-specific plugins, its reliance on standard interchange formats allows it to be integrated into pipelines built around tools such as Blender, Maya, 3ds Max, Houdini or Unreal Engine. Storm VFX does not provide official integration tools or presets for any of these hosts.

Production reality check

Storm HydroFX 1.0 is a narrowly scoped tool that does one job and avoids pretending otherwise. It does not replace broader simulation frameworks and it does not attempt to manage rendering, shading or scene assembly. For teams already comfortable moving caches between applications, this may be a feature rather than a limitation.

As with any newly released simulation software, artists and technical directors should test HydroFX thoroughly on representative shots and hardware before committing it to production use. New tools and innovations should always be validated in controlled conditions before being deployed on actual client work.

Link Citation Block

// Storm HydroFX product page
// https://stormvfx.gumroad.com/l/hydrofx

// Storm VFX official website
// https://storm-vfx.com

The post Storm HydroFX ships water without the node graph first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Theory Accelerated is the independent R&D studio of former ILM and Naughty Dog technical director Matt Puchala. Known for Axiom, a GPU-based volumetric solver for Houdini, the studio builds specialised simulation tools aimed at faster, artist-friendly workflows for VFX and cinematics. Paradigm extends this approach from smoke and fire into liquid dynamics.

Theory Accelerated has released Paradigm, a new GPU-accelerated sparse liquid solver for Houdini. The software, currently in open beta, aims to provide a faster alternative to Houdini’s native CPU-bound FLIP solver. According to Theory Accelerated, Paradigm can simulate millions of particles “in a fraction of the time a CPU would take”.

Like its sibling tool Axiom, Paradigm is designed to handle simulations across scales—from small splash tanks to large-scale water scenes. The solver runs entirely on the GPU through OpenCL, making it hardware-agnostic and compatible with GPUs from AMD, Intel, and NVIDIA, as well as Apple Silicon.

Built on the same tech as Axiom

Paradigm shares its underlying sparse-simulation architecture with Axiom, Theory Accelerated’s established GPU-based volumetric solver. Development of the two products is intertwined; improvements made during Paradigm’s creation reportedly led to better collision detection in Axiom 4.0. Despite the shared lineage, Paradigm and Axiom are separate tools, and there is currently no two-way coupling between liquid and volume simulations.

Simple setup, Houdini-native workflow

Paradigm integrates directly into Houdini and is structured around a compact node set—just four nodes are required to set up a basic splash tank. Its interface closely resembles Axiom’s, offering familiar workflows for existing users. Artists can use source shapes as emitters, colliders, or custom forces.

According to the developer, the goal is to make iteration as fast as possible. Paradigm’s GPU core enables quick previewing of surface tension, viscositiy, and adhesion effects, helping artists evaluate sims without long cache times.

Still missing whitewater, but it’s coming

As of the current beta, Paradigm supports small- and medium-scale liquid simulations but lacks several production-level features. Whitewater simulation and full support for Houdini’s ocean spectra are not yet implemented. Upcoming updates are expected to add colour sourcing, temperature-driven behaviour, viscosity attributes, and support for narrow-band simulation. Matt Puchala describes the current build as “highly unoptimised”, but plans to bring Paradigm to “the same level of polish that Axiom has”.

Free to test until February 2026

The open beta is free to download for all users until the end of February 2026c (See the FAQ for details). After that, Paradigm will move to a commercial model “similar to Axiom”, offering both perpetual node-locked and floating licences. The software runs on Houdini 20.0+ across Windows, Linux, and macOS, and requires an OpenCL 3.0-compatible GPU. The documentation includes setup examples and sample projects. Installation requires creating a free Theory Accelerated account.

Early verdict: promising, but still maturing

While Paradigm’s GPU acceleration promises a major speed boost for Houdini-based liquid simulations, it is still in beta. Key production features, such as whitewater and advanced ocean interaction, are not yet ready, and the solver is described as unoptimised. For now, Paradigm is best used for testing and experimentation rather than critical production work. As always, new solvers should be tested on controlled scenes before deplorment in a production. And we’ll check out the next builds to keep you in the loop when it is worth your precious GPU-cycles!

The post Liquid Thinking: Paradigm Brings GPU Speed to Houdini first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Manuel Kotulla.