_LEVEL_SEQUENCE
For this project, I used a Level Sequence as the main way to build and coordinate the effect, allowing me to block out the full presentation quickly and iterate on timing in a more direct way.
All major beats of the effect are driven through the sequence, including spawn timing, lifetime control, camera transitions, and the activation or deactivation of post-process elements.
This gave me a centralized way to manage the structure of the piece and helped the final result feel more cinematic, while still keeping the setup lightweight and efficient.
_SHADER
The shader work for this effect is primarily centered around its post-process materials, which are responsible for much of the final cinematic presentation. One of the key components is a custom Gaussian blur material, where I used HLSL to perform convolution kernel calculations directly in the shader for more precise control over the image treatment.
I also created additional post-process materials such as radial blur and chromatic aberration, which helped reinforce the magical atmosphere and gave the sequence a stronger sense of motion and visual intensity.
By comparison, the materials used for particles and mesh elements are much simpler, with most of them built from a basic opacity texture combined with base color, allowing the post-process layer to remain the main visual focus.
_PARTICLE_SYSTEM
Beyond the simpler particle systems used for spawning meshes and supporting particles, this effect also includes two systems driven by custom HLSL-based Niagara modules.
The first is used to control the circular motion and stopping behavior of the rune particles. It relies on trigonometric functions and conversions between polar and Cartesian coordinates to offset particle positions every frame, while also providing controls for orbital radius, motion noise, and particle orientation.
The second generates a pentagon form with five ribbons. By combining trigonometric functions with the ribbon count, it calculates the starting position of each ribbon, allowing the overall shape to be adjusted into a controllable pentagon-like structure.
_SHOWCASE
Arc Gate is a real-time VFX piece inspired by the scene in Arcane Season 1 where Jayce is teleported away in the snow by a mysterious mage.
In this project, I mainly focused on practicing camera staging and shot control through Sequencer, treating the effect not just as a standalone visual, but as part of a more cinematic presentation.
This was also my first time creating custom Niagara modules and using HLSL to precisely control particle behavior, which made the project an important step in both my technical and artistic development.
"Sometimes taking a leap forward means leaving a few things behind."
ARC_GATE
_SHOWCASE
Arc Gate is a real-time VFX piece inspired by the scene in Arcane Season 1 where Jayce is teleported away in the snow by a mysterious mage.
In this project, I mainly focused on practicing camera staging and shot control through Sequencer, treating the effect not just as a standalone visual, but as part of a more cinematic presentation.
This was also my first time creating custom Niagara modules and using HLSL to precisely control particle behavior, which made the project an important step in both my technical and artistic development.