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Explore our Game Design industrial training programs, projects, and learning paths.
Course / Game Design
Real-Time VFX Art & Design
Create effects that respond to gameplay and fit real-time performance.
About This Course
What you will learn
- Plan readable game effects
- Integrate VFX in a game engine
- Collect references and storyboard an effect
- Create reusable particle emitters and materials
- Compare visual quality with performance cost
- Build particle and material effects
- Review performance and polish
- Control shape, colour and timing for gameplay clarity
- Trigger effects through a gameplay event
What you will build
Portfolio outcome : A showreel of three game-ready effects with a short process breakdown.
Course curriculum
Explore the proposed learning sequence and project work.
Analyse impact, environmental, and ability effects. Plan silhouettes, timing, and readability at the gameplay camera distance.
- Overview of Unreal Engine FX capabilities
- Understanding the FX pipeline in Unreal Engine
- Setting up project for FX
- Introduction to Cascade and Niagara systems
- Basic material creation for FX
Course journey
Each stage builds toward the final portfolio outcome.
Stage 1
Effect References
Stage 2
Particle and Material Prototypes
Stage 3
Gameplay Integration
Stage 4
Showreel Polish
Tools and prerequisites
Entry: Entry: Basic familiarity with an engine or 3D workspace is helpful.
Tools: Tools: Unreal Engine Niagara or the approved real-time VFX tool.
How your work is reviewed
Three effects, optimization notes, and showreel review.
Possible direction: Junior real-time VFX artist pathway.
Who should join?
For artists and game designers with basic 3D or engine familiarity.
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