VFX for Games - Programs and stuffs

escudero

Hello!

I see a lot of people and material talking about 3D models, sketching and digital art but just a few talking about FX for games. Do you guys know the programs to FX for games? Does the Foundry Nuke or After Effects worth it for it?

I`m looking for some FX tutorials (particles) but i`m not finding a good one actually.

When I see jobs for FX Artists most of them say this:

`` Experience developing particle systems and geometry based visual effects ``
`` Strong Photoshop skills for creating effect textures for use with particles ``

But how do I start? for example, If i`m focusing in 3D modeling, I start studying the 3D programs such as: zBrush, Maya and so on, and FX?

(FX Animation)

See ya!

sprunghunt

FX for games are made using the game engine. Usually there are in-editor particle system creation tools. You cannot use nuke, or after effects. Some game engines let you export a particle system from a 3d editor but most have an in-editor system.

unity:
http://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/ParticleSystems.html

unreal:
https://docs.unrealengine.com/latest/INT/Engine/Rendering/ParticleSystems/index.html

To be good at this you would also need to know how to create shaders for use with particle systems.

escudero

sprunghunt wrote: »

FX for games are made using the game engine. Usually there are in-editor particle system creation tools. You cannot use nuke, or after effects. Some game engines let you export a particle system from a 3d editor but most have an in-editor system.

unity:
http://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/ParticleSystems.html

unreal:
https://docs.unrealengine.com/latest/INT/Engine/Rendering/ParticleSystems/index.html

To be good at this you would also need to know how to create shaders for use with particle systems.

Which program is most used in Game companies?

Bruno Afonseca

Very often companies have their own internal tools for particle work. At Gameloft we use a mix of the internal tool and 3ds max.

I'd suggest you play around with Unreal because there's a lot it can do right out of the box, don't want to limit yourself when building a portfolio, right? But most tools are quite similar.

sprunghunt

escudero wrote: »

Which program is most used in Game companies?

Those two engines are the bare minimum. There are many other engines used by other games companies. There's no standard.

Eric Chadwick

I think I posted this in your other thread, but here it is again.
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Special_Effects

TheBeardedBerry

There are an endless number of vfx options. It really depends on what you want to do. Vfx are really just smoke and mirrors (pun intended).

- You can use something like Houdini or Real flow to generate dynamic fluid sims that can either then be retoppoed and rigged for a game engine or used to get renders for flipboards.

- You can obviously use Photoshop to paint flip-boards.

- Unreal supports vector fields that can be generated in Maya and apply force to particle systems.

- Not too long ago I was playing with the idea of trying to do a Substance graph that would dynamically generate flip-board textures. Not exactly practical but definitely fun.

- After Effects is handy for organizing your flipboard textures.

The end result is always going to involve using a game engine in some capacity to build the effect (especially when you are using publicly available tools).