What technical expertise do you attribute along with your success?

I’m seeking to make a profession change from 2D artwork and animation into VFX as a result of the potential for progress is far increased than my present position.
I’m nonetheless studying the ropes in Unreal, although I’ve been utilizing Unity for the big a part of my recreation dev profession. I don’t assume i’ll have the ability to make leaps on simply my understanding of Niagara, Shuriken, and Shaders/Supplies although.

I’d wish to ask (particularly to the large earners) – what technical expertise did you develop to entry increased pay tiers and what would possibly you encourage somebody to concentrate on early for larger returns later down the road?

I respect any response, thanks ya’ll!

I won’t be the right particular person to reply this as I acquired a bit completely different motivation for VFX, however from what I’ve seen round VFX artwork is about sure expertise:

• Most of our time is in engine: Niagara, Shuriken, Supplies/Shaders
• A while on asset creation: Photoshop, Designer, Blender and so on.
• A while on simulations/VAT: Houdini, Embergen and so on.

In lots of instances it’s properly paid specialization afterall, I consider it’s extra about high quality of results you make slightly than which instruments you selected (tho imo it will depend on so many components that it’s exhausting to foretell)

Hey Manus, you’re very energetic on the discussion board, and I respect your breakdown. I figured I’d must dig into simulation stuff ultimately – which is seeming extra ahead of later – however good level concerning the high quality of vfx being one of the vital vital figuring out components.

Does something come to your thoughts round assets to assist me be taught Unreal VFX? There’s a niche in what i’ve discovered between foundational/generic stuff and extra technical issues (which I can’t title trigger I don’t know)

Big a part of VFX are strategies (so completely different approaches of fixing a particular downside), to be taught them you principally simply must create number of results and watch folks use completely different strategies.

I’m unsure what’s your expertise proper now, tho if you’re nonetheless extra on newbie stage, then I might recommend following via results of CGHow: CGHOW – YouTube. They’re nice to be taught fundamentals and getting good understanding of Niagara.

Tharlev acquired tons of superior movies on many vfx/tech artwork matters: tharlevfx – YouTube

There you may get many high quality of life ideas from Partikel: Andreas Glad – YouTube

If you wish to be taught extra superior results or higher work pipeline I recommend testing Simon’s results: https://simont.artstation.com.
It’s an incredible place to be taught, he acquired breakdowns of all these results + Unreal challenge information so you may obtain them and tinker round. It’s really top quality!
Aside from that there are tons of gifted folks on this group, so learn via boards, possibly watch supplies about VFX, like talks on GDC: Can We Do It with Particles?: VFX Learnings from ‘Returnal’ – YouTube
And what’s most vital, benefit from the course of VFX are numerous enjoyable!

Ah, legend!

Thanks a lot for all of the hyperlinks and assets. I’ve solely discovered just a few of those assets by myself, so this helps a bunch

This has given me extra to dig via. I don’t know precisely the place i’d sit on the competence scale with VFX, however there’s numerous basic issues i’m sure i’m lacking.

I’d say a very powerful basic is simply studying the ins and outs of your particle editor. Studying all of the little tips and quirks you need to use to make a novel impact. Past that you simply’ll need a stable grasp of animation and timing, as a result of that’s actually going to be the primary figuring out think about how an impact feels to the participant. With good timing you can also make any impact really feel good with even the best of supplies.

What you actually need to do is research your contemporaries- see what different video games are doing to attempt to recreate it your self. Fashionable Warfare 2019 received an award for its VFX and it did nothing too technically fancy- no volumetric simulations or complicated materials- simply numerous very properly constructed particle programs and flipbook textures.