[League of Legends FanArt] One VFX a day (or two), in Unity.

Sirhaian

INTERACTIVE PLAYER UPDATED: http://www.sirhaian.net/portfolio/LeagueOfEffects

Currently working on: Taking a break.

Dark Star Lux: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MelZY_2hbKM
PROJECT: Karthus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlVJvpiEOWE
Star Guardian Gragas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjNJ6M4ZBW0
Hextech Veigar:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8kr5G1N-P8
Arcanist Jinx:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mHHaSc8jRc

Hello everyone !

I'm not really used to posting here, so if I made anything wrong, please tell me. :awesome:

So, I love League of Legends. And I love VFXs. So, why not do something with both of them?
If anyone remembers, I participated in the 2014 Art Contest for Riot Games (Polycount Thread), and that's what motivated me to enter in the world of VFXs.

Two weeks earlier, I decided to give this another try. So, I started making more League-related VFXs, with the little knowledge I accumulated this last year. A friend recommended me to post here once again, so I do.

The programs I used are Unity, Photoshop and Maya.

Here are the VFXs I made. Below is the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WbBMz9OAbk
Here's the playlist I made with all the individual FXs: YouTube Playlist

Of course, my main objective by posting here would be to gather as much feedback as I can, as that is the only way I can improve.
Also, I will keep making more of these. If you are interested in following the progress, here are a few links you might find useful:

My Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/sirhaian.arts
My Channel: www.youtube.com/c/SirhaianNet

As an extra, here are a few WIP pictures. Some changed over time, so it does not reflect the final result:





Thanks for reading/checking the pictures and the video, and for the upcoming feedbacks. :proud: Have a good day!


Below are current WIPs:

Arcanist Jinx



Hextech Veigar

GravityBwlast

Great job buddy, nice to finally see you post here!
These FX totally look like ripped of the game. Amazing work.

Sirhaian

Thanks, Gravity!  

I know I should have come here earlier, but well, better late than never. :B 

praetus

oh, hey.  I found your stuff on youtube the other day when I was looking for VFX reference.  Your stuff looks really good and has excellent timing.  Keep it up.

Sirhaian

praetus said:

oh, hey.  I found your stuff on youtube the other day when I was looking for VFX reference.  Your stuff looks really good and has excellent timing.  Keep it up.

Thanks a lot, Praetus!  
I was a bit worried about timing, actually. ^^'

Tihef

As I already said a couple of times, really nice work senpai ! 

Thib  

Sirhaian

Haha, thanks, Tihef!  

Sirhaian

Started working on a new Jinx Skin: Arcanist Jinx. Will upload WIPs here. Stay tuned for more !

parag

Amazing work @Sirhaian

Sirhaian

Thanks, Parag! Really appreciate it.

parag

Sirhaian said:

Thanks, Parag! Really appreciate it.

Which engine you used for these? I loved that 8bit thingy :pleased:

Sirhaian

I used Unity.

The other programs I used would be Photoshop and Maya.

Sirhaian

Little update on Arcanist Jinx. More to come soon !

W Ability WIP:


Ultimate impact WIP:


And the WIP video: https://youtu.be/KfrvFLPtrMA

More WIP:

Sirhaian

Started working on Hextech Veigar.

Current WIP:

monster

Top notch work!

Sirhaian

Thanks a lot, monster! :chuffed:

rohMizuno

those look amazing! are they all original ideas or is it your version of something that is inside the game already?

Sirhaian

I'm mixing existing characters and abilities with skins they don't have, and that I'd love them to have.
So, let's say semi-original. c:
It's really more of a fan art than anything else.

Bluestemos

Those look astounding, great work! The animations definitely have that "Blizzard" feel. 

Are you using the Shuriken particles for any of these, or are these mostly made with meshes? Did you write any shaders for these? Would love to know some more about your workflow, in case you're willing to share

JasonLavoie

Woo! Just wanted to pop in and say this is some excellent work! Bookmarked!

Can't wait to see more from ya!

Sirhaian

@Bluestemos
Thanks!
I'm mostly only using Shuriken. Just a few parts are made in meshes.
I'll try to make a breakdown someday, but that might take some time. ^^'

@JasonLavoie
Thanks! ^_^
I'll share new WIPs as soon as I have them. c:

DanaosC

Holy cow...These are all top quality stuff! 
Quick question, you said you're using Shuriken in Unity right? Let's say you had to make something for Riot, how would that go? They don't use Unity so how would one be a VFX Artist for Riot?
Cheers bud, keep up the amazing work!

Sirhaian

@DanaosC
Thanks!  
I have no idea, I only know what they said on their Live stream not too long ago: they have their own engine (of course), and they can do some pretty sweet stuff on it, apparently. At least equivalent to Unity's Shuriken, with some nice twists. At least, that's what they replied on Twitch.  
I'll keep this thread updated. c:

Sirhaian

Some more WIPs for Hextech Veigar:

Auto-Attack


Q Spell

W Spell


E Spell


R Spell

Elyaradine

Beautiful work! I think everything feels right at home in League (except that your work's prettier, without their engine constraints...)

Sirhaian

Thanks!

I don't really know much about their engine, let alone their constraints. I only know they do not use HDR, so I don't either. I would love to know more about it, though.

praetus

I'm not as sure about engine consraints but there is a great youtube channel from one of the VFX artists at Riot.  Jason Keyser shows some insight and behind the scenes of some of the champions.  Your stuff doesn't look too out of turn from what he creates.  Keep it up.

Sirhaian

Yes, I've been following him for some time now. Great stuff, and awesome guy.

Thank you!

Sirhaian

Little update!
Complete Hextech Veigar video: https://youtu.be/X8kr5G1N-P8

tda

I love these! Once upon a time i had to do a whole bunch of particle work in unity and this is taking me back, though yours are way better than mine were haha Shuriken is actually quite nice and fun to use, i kinda miss messing with it. I just spent way too long in your web player trying to figure out what you did to achieve the effects. Subbed!

Sirhaian

@tda Aaah glad to see at least one used the web player. xD
And really glad you like my effects!

Do you have any feedback to provide? (:

JZak

Hello Sirhaian,
Thank you for posting these vfx.  I would love to see a breakdown in the future!  Unity's Shuriken particle system is powerful, I like how you have used it. 
I've only had to create a smoke flare fx using it so far, I typically don't get assigned to create vfx but seeing what you've created motivates me to try experimenting a little more inside of Unity.
Great work!

Sirhaian

Thanks a lot, @JZak !

I made a Breakdown for Arcade Garen, which can be viewed on my channel. I will make other breakdowns soon, if I have the time.

Sirhaian

First WIP for Star Guardian Gragas:




Imgur GIF: http://imgur.com/9Dazp3G

lospri

You're the best buddy, keep it up

Sirhaian

Thanks!  

Sirhaian

New WIP for Gragas:

 

As always, feedback is very welcome!


EDIT: New WIP video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYQDXQbzN1s

joseguilherme

Hello Sirhaian what a beautiful work I can seat here and watch it all day. Thanks for the breakdown! Great job on Zheros as well.

Sirhaian

Thanks a lot! Really appreciate it!

Sirhaian

Final update for Star Guardian Gragas:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjNJ6M4ZBW0

Sirhaian

Started working on PROJECT: Karthus.

First WIP, for his wall:

Sirhaian

More WIPs for PROJECT: Karthus !





And here is the video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60uk-Rk1UoE

Sirhaian

Little update, from the mountain of feedback I received:

Final version: https://youtu.be/DlVJvpiEOWE

Sirhaian

Now starting to work on Dark Star Lux!

Sirhaian

Final video of Dark Star Lux:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MelZY_2hbKM

Shadowstep

Oh wow, these are amazing!

As someone with a starting interest in VFX, seeing your progress (and breakdowns) are super interesting. There are just two things about motion I can't wrap my head around that you've solved. So if you don't mind my asking: How are you animating the trails for projectiles? Dark Star Lux's Q and W projectiles, for example, don't look like meshes that are simply following the missile, they look like they're dynamic trails. Similarly, with regards to DSL's W projectile, how did you achieve the binary star motion while the missile itself moves towards the target?

tda

Loving the new effects! As for crits, I'm mostly here just enjoying the eyecandy. However, in your karthus 11.2 vid I thought the satellite style beam attack lacked impact somewhat, compared to it's huge windup. I was expecting more boom, feels like it needs a shockwave? But it's very pretty none the less. I especially like the black hole style effect you have going on in this latest vid. Dark style PFX are definitely my favourite and yours look really great. Nice use of distortion too. Keep kicking ass!

Sirhaian

@Shadowstep: Thanks a lot! Actually, it's pretty easy. In Unity, I use the animator to animate the normal projectiles' position. Inside this object, I have a trail (a simple trail renderer)  with a wavy texture and a material with a texture multiplied in screenspace. I also have particles systems with a few in local position, like the main light, and some in world position, who stay where they are spawned.

For the binary stars, it's about the same, but I have one first object, of which I animate the position, and inside of it a second object, of which I animate the rotation. And inside of this second object, I have my two children, on the two ends of it, with a particle system and a trail for each.  

I'll most likely do a breakdown for this one when I can. 

Thanks a lot!  

@tda I do have some issues with impact in general, still learning that.  

About the Shockwave, I put one at first, but it looked like it was an aoe, while this is a one target spell.

tda

I feel like if you alter the timing on the targetting beam that shrinks down before the main beam strikes you could make it feel stronger without having to add anything. Instead of having a linear scale down, curve the scale over time so the beam slowly shrinks at first then quickly snaps closed right before the main beam strikes. Create that anticipation.

I feel you about the AOE vs targetted. Instead of a big blast wave you could throw in a very low opacity shockwave so it doesn't seem like it's an AOE, just compressed air kinda thing. Maybe try kicking up a little dust from the power of the impact too?

Sirhaian

@tda Thanks for the idea, I'll try that for the next VFXs!  
Didn't really think of the dust either. Maybe a small crater would have been nice too! 

fearian

Sirhaian, These are wonderful. 

I hope you don't mind me studying them frame by frame