I want to share with you a free-to-use asset. It’s a shader that I’ve been adding features to whenever I needed them until it reached this point. This shader is intended solely for educational purposes; it is NOT OPTIMIZED and may cause some issues if you use it in projects, but it has been very helpful to me for working on and creating my own effects.

Here’s a video where I demonstrate the features—there’s no audio or anything; it’s just a guide in case you don’t understand what I’m explaining in this blog post.

- YouTube

We’ll start from the top and work our way down.

<This is the basic setup for your material>

Cull ----> Render one face or both

BlendMode ------> Controls the blend factor of each component going into the blend

Wrap ------> If u want the texture tiled or not

Depth Fade -----> Jarring edges where translucent objects intersect with opaque surfaces

Offset Camera -----> Move The mesh in front of the camera

Main Text -----> Texture

TO_Main -----> Tilling and offset of the texture

Rotate -----> Rotator of the Texture ( 1.57 = 90º / 3.14 = 180º )

OffsetCustomVertex -----> Activate this to control the offset manually in the custom data

ColorIn ----->1st color blended

ColorOut ----->2nd color blended

ColorInBack -----> 1st color blended in the back face

ColorOutBack -----> 2nd color blended in the back face

RGB Channel -----> to use the RGB

Alpha Channel -----> to use the Alpha

Vertex Color -----> The particle system can put the color on your texture

Polar Coordinates -----> Activate the polar Coordinates of the texture

DissolveText -----> Texture used to dissolve the main

TO_Dissolve -----> Tilling and Offset of the Dissolve texture

BlueChannelDissolve -----> If u have a dissolve texture in the blue channel of the texture you can activate it

DissolveLerp -----> Lerp between the main texture or the dissolve texture to dissolve it

SmoothDissolve -----> smooth edges in the dissolve

Flow Map -----> Texture to distort the main

TO_FLow -----> Tilling and Offset of the Flow Map

PowerFlow -----> Power of the distorsion

Mask -----> Mask texture

PowerMask -----> Power of the texture

RotatorMask -----> Rotate the UVs of the mask

Pan_UV_Mask -----> Panner the texture

TO_Mask -----> Tilling and Offset of the mask

Multiply/SubtractMask -----> Change the operation of the mask, the subtract give you a different result

GradientMask -----> Activate the gradient mask, used only if you dont have a gradient texture or you need to used together with the mask texture

Gradient X/Y -----> Change the gradient in the different coordinates

Control Gradient Left/Down -----> Control the gradient

Control Gradient Right/Up -----> Control the gradient

<This texture only i use it to do a different gradients and make the color less flatten>

RampColor_On -----> Activate the check if u want to use it

RampColor -----> The texture of the ramp color, you can use a color or a gradient to do different effects

TO_RampColor ----->Tilling and Offset of the Ramp

UVTexturedRampColor -----> This check allow the texture to put the colors playing with the gradient of the texture ( An example, if u have a gradient that has red and goes to green this gonna take the black and white of the main, so the black part will be red and the white green, if the main has a gradient it gonna do the lerp.)

PolarCoordRampColor -----> Activate the Polar Coordinates of the UV

PowerRamp -----> Intensity of the Ramp

RotatorRampColor -----> Rotate the UV

<As the name says is a texture i use to add to the main and give it more randomized>

AddedText_On -----> Activate the check if u want to use the added texture

AddedTexture -----> Texture

ColorAdded -----> Color of the texture

TO_AddedText -----> Tilling and Offset of the Added Texture

PanningAddedText -----> Panner of the texture only works X and Y

IntensityAddedTexture -----> The Intensity of the texture

RotatorAddedText -----> Rotate the UV

PolarCoordAddedText -----> Activate the polar Coordinates

Fresnel_ON -----> Activate the check if u want use the fresnel effect

RimMin -----> Adjust the minimum of the Rim

RimMax ----->Adjust the maximum of the Rim

RimSmooth -----> Smooth the edges of the Rim

SubtractFresnel -----> Do the One minus to the Fresnel

RimIntensity -----> The intensity of the Rim

If you want to dissolve the texture from the particle system remember activate this option

And check the Custom Data module

X -----> Dissolve

Y -----> GLow

Z -----> Offset Main X

W -----> Offset Main Y

Remember if u want to use Z and W activate the check box “OffsetCustomVertex” in the main Part

Note: " This shader might be a bit complicated for beginners but dont hestiate to ask any doubt"

Download Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JoIH4lS7Y45Y2gNe9e7aj6-mHjuynSy2/view?usp=sharing

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So I was doing a certain VFX (in which I can’t elaborate too much in the details due job reasons) and I’ve been stuck for some hours with a wall, basically for this effect I need it to be masked, so I am using a DitherTemporalAA with my mask as Alpha threshoold to handle the Opacity Mask.

The issue? We work with Temporal Anti-Aliasing as our rendering method and it produces a ghosting effect with the dither pattern. If I change the render method to FXAA (like you can see in the video that is a recreation with a Shader made just to showcase this issue) this issue is solved, but I can’t change the aliasing method of an entire project just for one effect… so I’m wondering if there’s any way to solve this issue or it’s just a live with it situation.

- YouTube

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Video of Pikmin 3’s Juice effect (or whatever it is):

- YouTube

If you can’t see the video, it’s basically a widget of an empty bottle, then a stream of juice falls into the bottle, and depending on the amount the bottle fills up while animating, waving and leaving drops and etc… in all direction (in few words behave like a fluid would do normally); Also it mixes the colors of the juices if you have two different ones, but instead i want the liquids to be separated (think oil + water, they are in the same bottle, but you can clearly see the separation of the two colors).

I would appreciate if anyone could help into either explaining how to do this directly, or how to at least learn how to work with materials (if that’s what it probably is in Pikmin 3).
Anyway thanks for the help in advance (also sorry, if this isn’t the right place for this question, it’s my first time here)!

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I’m excited to share my latest work, Musa Tactics. Following my previous “Paladin” series, this project focuses on the swift and lethal spirit of the traditional Korean warrior, the Musa. Unlike the support-oriented Paladin pack, this system is purpose-built for Direct Strike Dealers (DPS) who demand high-speed combat and aggressive visual impact.

Preview Video

- YouTube

Key Technical Highlights

• 100% Niagara-Native: Built from the ground up for UE 5.4 – 5.7, leveraging the full power of Niagara for maximum flexibility and performance.
• Production-Ready System: Includes 14 functional Blueprints (Skill casting, Projectile logic, and Hit detection), making it a complete combat framework, not just a collection of sprites.
• Musa-Specific Mechanics: Features specialized logic for Dynamic Weapon Swapping, Crystalline Empowerment, and persistent Sword-Wind Trails that scar the battlefield.
• Extreme Optimization: Meticulously crafted with efficient vertex counts (25 - 3,000 per mesh) and optimized texture usage to ensure high FPS during intense combat sequences.

Technical Specs

• Niagara Systems: 12 (CPU/GPU Hybrid)
• Master Materials: 30 (with 4 Material Functions)
• Blueprints: 14 (Combat & Skill Logic)
• Textures/Meshes: 24 Textures / 9 Static Meshes

Launch Celebration & Special Deals

To celebrate the launch, I’m running a special promotion on Rinban Academy:

• [New Release] Musa Tactics: Currently on Launch Sale! 린반 아카데미
• Paladin Tactics: -90,000 KRW Discount! https://www.rinban.com/goods/lecture_info/97
• Unreal Classic (Shield): -50,000 KRW Coupon for new members! 린반 아카데미

I’d love to hear your feedback on the timing and the “hit-stop” feel of the effects.
Stay tuned for more updates!

#UnrealEngine niagara vfx realtimevfx #GameDev #MusaTactics #RinbanAcademy ue5

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Also changing the bg for this one, idk if ill keep it just black, but maybe something that isnt a ground would be better (My last 2 pieces have an earth grass terrain)? I also notices i used a ribbon in this one and was like, i havent used that in so long thats very off for me. So i went in and made my FB trails for the bigger movements for the wand.

Next up is the spell that appears in front of the character.

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Ps. Any advice helps thank you
unity
Unity Help
vfx

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I have some water splashes and I am checking the impact they have in the shader complexity view. If I use a translucent lit material the impact is absolutely terrible, I can make that a bit more performant by changing the material to unlit but it is not a radical change for the better.

The best option for performance seems to be to use an unlit masked materials but that is terrible for how the effect actually looks as the masked material does not do opacity fades but hard cutouts.

ISSUE 1:
I am not happy with how the splash looks when changing the material to masked and it also introdues some weird shadow artifacts. I disabled shadows in the material and in Niagara, including any lumen related shadows but the artifacts remain.

ISSUE 2 :
Performance-wise I know that I can try to optimize the material, I know I can use cutout textures in the particle system and I know I can make my particle system GPU based. Are there any resources you can recommend to learn more about optimization? It is hard to find good information in this topic.

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Application:

Gameplay Teaser:

- YouTube

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I am the director of Patch W Games (leading a team of 9) and am looking for a vfx artist that would be willing to do some work for 700 dollars. It is a low amount of money, but this could be an opportunity to become part of the team when we try to secure funding. We are aiming to offer a 4-5 month contract (4400 a month) to whoever decides to join us.

About the team: We are making a dating hack & slash lead by the narrative designer of Eternights (it made 4+ million dollars in revenue. The team is a collection of industry veterans and talented upstarts. The project has been in development for about 2 1/3 years

About the work: We are doing a stylized lowpoly style mixed with paper.

If that sounds interesting to you, please reach out!

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Im looking to make something simular to this very small gif with a dark souls laser attack.
But instead of one laser I want 4/5 starting from different points but the end point being the same.

How would you guys attack an effect like this?

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Hi everyone!

I decided to participate in another challenge! I had difficulties to find an idea for this theme. I’m not sure if my idea is enough “silly” but I said to myself to give it a go! The essential is to create something and to practice

This time I only have a rough sketch in my sketchbook, so I’m posting directly the block-out step! I preferred to have something concrete before publishing!

- YouTube

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Creating this thread as a natural extension of the blog post I wrote about IlluGen as a Real-Time VFX artist. If the blog was the “here’s how the tool fits into a production pipeline” overview, this is the hands-on companion to it — concrete assets, start to finish, IlluGen straight into UE5 in one go.

Each video covers a specific asset type: simulation in IlluGen, export, then live in Niagara. No detours. Just the pipeline.

Videos so far:

#01 — Butterfly Flipbooks https://youtu.be/gfbzA85llqE

#02 — Growing VAT Roots https://youtu.be/Bw9lQ0iHZ5U

More coming. Requests welcome — drop them below and I’ll work them into the series.

Tagging @JangaFX as their tools are just awesome.

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A whale-like creature (bit larger) will jump half out of the water straight up.

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I want to see a creature under the sea, i want it to be like a dark shadow u can see moving if its fully submerged. However the sea is opaque so I can see through it, making the sea transparent makes the sea look uglu.

What would you guys do for a problem like this?

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Hello, so I have been trying to create a portal like the reference video. The main goal is to have a flat plane and make the material look like a wormhole/portal.

I have been able to make portal using a wormhole mesh but I want it on a flat plane like above.
I tried using bumpoffset but it doesn’t keep hole in center and moves.
I used parallaxocclusionmapping node and it works the best but this is an expensive node from what I know. So I have been trying to make something simpler.

I have also tried using bumpoffset and stacking rotating texture at different heights but still same issue, the center hole (black color) does not stay in center when moving at different angles.

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Working on a AAA project in Unreal Engine 5, I recently integrated the JangaFX Elemental Suite (EmberGen, IlluGen, and LiquiGen) into our production pipeline — and it pretty much replaced what previously required four separate tools: Substance Designer, Blender/Maya, and Houdini.

The goal wasn’t to simplify for simplicity’s sake. It was a deliberate systems decision: fewer switch between tools means faster iteration, a lower barrier for the rest of the team (especially our more junior and art oriented members), and a more maintainable pipeline over the life of the project. One suite, one consistent workflow, one place to look when something breaks.

The results were concrete: we produced a full set of production-ready assets including textures, meshes, and Niagara systems, all authored within the Elemental Suite and integrated directly into our UE5 pipeline. The workflow was recognised during a project-wide monthly update, which confirmed it wasn’t just a personal efficiency gain but a visible improvement at the team level.

I wrote a quickstart guide on ArtStation for VFX artists curious about IlluGen specifically — covering how to approach it coming from a real-time production background rather than a simulation background. Link below. Happy to answer questions in the thread about the broader pipeline integration as well.

Oh and I also provide an extensive package of IlluGen files that covers various assets, such as VATs, Meshes (soulercoasters, tornado, etc) & textures (noises, basic shapes, complex, patterns).

Blog Link: ArtStation - IlluGen - QuickStart (as a Real-Time VFX Artist)

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Unreal Engine Game VFX Mastery — Rinban Academy

“Transform your imagination into reality. See the power of our students’ work!”

Hello, this is Rinban!

Are you looking for the ultimate Unreal Engine Game VFX course? Stop searching. This is a comprehensive VOD-based curriculum featuring high-quality Korean instruction with full English subtitles, making it accessible to artists worldwide.

Witness the incredible transformation of our students from beginners to industry-ready professionals. Master 6 core concepts and unlock 2 additional bonus levels upon completion!

[ArtStation Promo Body]

Master the industry-standard Semi-Realistic Game VFX with Unreal Engine 5 and Niagara. This is a self-paced VOD course designed to take you from Junior to Senior level.

Promo & Student Showcase: https://youtu.be/wUfxDJr7fS0?si=M0hhLByeXLM2L5Mh

6+2 Concept Roadmap: Master Every Element

• Level 1. Wide-Area (AoE): Master large-scale battlefield impacts and ground-shaking logic.
• Level 2. Projectile Systems: Craft high-speed energy bolts and precision-guided projectiles.
• Level 3. Sword Attributes: Develop heavy-hitting blade trails with unique elemental properties.
• Level 4. Lightning & Combat: High-voltage strikes and dynamic battle-ready electricity.
• Level 5. Fire & Ice: Contrast destructive pyromancy with crystalline freezing effects.
• Level 6. Electric & Wind: Master fluid aero-dynamics and sparking electric systems.
• BONUS Level 7 & 8: Exclusive advanced content added recently to push your portfolio further!

Why Rinban Academy?

• Format: High-quality VOD Lectures (Learn anytime, anywhere).
• Language: Taught in Korean with Professional English Subtitles.
• Massive Volume: 334 Lectures | ~182 Hours of pure Unreal Engine 5 & Niagara expertise.
• Direct Support: Exclusive Discord community & Portfolio feedback for students.

For more information and detailed inquiries, join us here: Rinban Academy

[Purchase Options]

Full Package — 8 Levels (Best Value)

• 1 Year Access | Discord Community | Portfolio Feedback
• Price: ₩3,760,000 (Fixed KRW — Huge advantage as USD rises!)
• Link: 린반 아카데미

Flexible Pass (Manual Payment — No Auto-Charge)

• 1-Month: ₩330,000 | 린반 아카데미
• 2-Month: ₩640,000 (Save ₩20,000!) | 린반 아카데미

Supports Global Credit Cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB) & PayPal. Credit cards are recommended for lower FX fees!

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Available for remote work (worldwide, freelance) or on-site roles in Canada.

I have 3–4 years of experience in AAA game development, with credits on two AAA titles, while also being comfortable working in smaller, flexible indie teams.

Strengths:
• Houdini-based simulations (RBD, Vellum) and real-time integration
• Creating grounded and stylized/supernatural VFX
• Implementing effects directly in Unreal (Blueprint-driven workflows)
• Procedural tool development (Houdini HDA, environment/prop tools)
• Optimization for real-time performance
• Strong collaboration with design and environment teams

I can handle both the artistic and technical sides of VFX, from creation to in-engine implementation, and adapt to fast iteration cycles common in indie projects.

Demo reel is available

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For the past 8 years, I’ve focused entirely on production work without releasing any public assets — mainly due to security concerns around proprietary pipelines.

- YouTube

The goal was to build a support/paladin-class combat skill system the way it’s actually done in a game studio — structured, scalable, and immediately usable in a real production environment.

The hero of this project is the VFX. To keep the focus there, backgrounds and characters were kept intentionally minimal and cost-efficient, so the effects can play out naturally within a real gameplay loop — not just in an isolated preview window.

The system is built entirely in Niagara + Blueprints on vanilla UE5 (no engine modifications), covering:

Assets included:
→ 24 Blueprints · 24 Niagara Systems · 11 Static Meshes
→ 45 Textures · 52 Master Materials · 17 Material Instances
→ Post-process FX: Zoom Blur / Vignette / Dark Transition / Grid Scan

• All states structured as Casting → Active → Impact → End
• Keys 0–7 pre-mapped for immediate in-editor playtesting
  Supports Unreal Engine 5.4 – 5.7

If this is useful for your project, check the link below.
Available on Fab (Unreal Marketplace)
https://www.fab.com/ko/portal/listings/b973c139-ded1-4732-971b-431c027393ee/preview

Due to popular request, the asset is now also available on Rinban Academy!
Since Fab doesn’t support direct coupon distribution, I’ve set up an alternative listing where you can get it at a lower price.
~$35 USD discount coupon — issued automatically when you sign up for Rinban Academy Cheaper than buying on Fab directly
린반 아카데미

Why this pack is different from other VFX assets on the market:

Most game VFX asset packs look great in previews — but once you actually drop them into your project, they rarely fit. Wrong scale, wrong timing, no gameplay context. You buy them and never use them.

This pack was built differently.

It was designed around a real gameplay scenario — a defined character class (paladin/support) with a full combat loop — using the same workflow and knowhow applied in actual game production. Every effect is split by state: Casting → Active → Impact → End. You just plug it in. It works.

Characters and environments are intentionally kept minimal — because VFX is the hero here. The background exists only to give the effects context, not to compete with them. And despite the full scope of content, the entire package is under 300MB.

This is a production-ready pack built to actually be used — not just previewed.

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I spent a long time thinking about what kind of VFX I could come up with for the April challenge and I got an idea! I was very impressed by the rat effect from “Plague on the Tail”
so i want to make a vfx inspired by this only with snails XD

Today I created a base and am starting to create 3D models.
Wish me luck with this difficult task

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Honestly, I don’t do animations like this, so I just had to figure out how to do it quickly. The animation and rigging itself took about 6 hours. I’ll share my progress below.

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I wanted to share a helpful resource for real-time VFX reference.
This is a website where you can browse real-time VFX reference videos captured directly from in-game footage.
All videos are recorded in-game, making them useful for practical production reference.
You can quickly find specific effects using the tag filter on the left sidebar.

Hope you find it useful!

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- YouTube

Thank you for your time!

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https://www.artstation.com/artwork/YGw0eb

Created as a test for Vertex Animation Textures (VAT).
The approach separates the skin and flesh: only the outer skin is driven by VAT, while the inner flesh is built and animated independently. To enhance the sense of thickness, vertex color data (e.g., thickness) is used to modulate texture color variation, helping the surface appear more volumetric.
Since the VAT uses a Soft Body setup, interpolation is possible, allowing for a reduced frame count. The VAT texture size is kept at approximately 1MB.
The flesh portion is handled using UV-based morphing.

I’m not very familiar with this, so I apologize if I’ve made any mistakes.
If I come up with any more ideas, I’ll post them here.[quote=“KayY, post:1, topic:30689, full:true”]
Hello! This is my first post.

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/YGw0eb

Created as a test for Vertex Animation Textures (VAT).
The approach separates the skin and flesh: only the outer skin is driven by VAT, while the inner flesh is built and animated independently. To enhance the sense of thickness, vertex color data (e.g., thickness) is used to modulate texture color variation, helping the surface appear more volumetric.
Since the VAT uses a Soft Body setup, interpolation is possible, allowing for a reduced frame count. The VAT texture size is kept at approximately 1MB.
The flesh portion is handled using UV-based morphing.

I’m not very familiar with this, so I apologize if I’ve made any mistakes.
If I come up with any more ideas, I’ll post them here.
[/quote]

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Job Description:
Odd Meter Studio is seeking an exceptional FX Artist to work on a new project – an action combat game in a realistic style with a strong focus on believable environmental interactions and cinematic quality.

Responsibilities:

• Developing effects for combat systems – attacks, reactions, interaction with the environment and characters.
• Working with complex systems of effects and materials and their interplay – wind, dust, water, mud, blood, vegetation.
• Working with plugins (Prismatiscape and others) and interacting with the Unreal Engine 5.
• Optimizing in-game effects.

Requirements:

• A portfolio/showreel with examples of high-quality work.
• Advanced proficiency in Unreal Engine 5: excellent knowledge of Niagara, Material Editor, and familiarity with Chaos.
• Experience with standalone DCCs such as Houdini / EmberGen / Substance Designer.

To apply for this vacancy, please submit your application here:
https://hh.odd-meter.com/apply.php

There are also many other open vacancies!

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So I made this character BP to play some Animation Montages. It’s the default UE mannequin btw. And I have made some montages from its anims as well. They have Root Motion enabled. Then I made a basic Animation Blueprint for the character too. The problem is when I play the montages the character doesn’t move. Basically the root motion isn’t working properly. I have also ticked the Root Motion Mode in the ABP to Root Motion from Everything. Nothing seems to work. Does anyone know what the issue might be?

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