VFX Works:
Quick Access Links
Until You Wake
A third person action game made up of a 16 person team. I was the sole VFX artist for the project working with designers, programmer, and artists to ship the game.
Art Team:
Lead/UI/Character: https://hmarquardt.art/
Environment: https://ldebenon64.wixsite.com/lucdebenonart
Character/Props: Adolfo Makoukdji
Character/Rigging: Alissa Gowan
Props/Set Dresser/Environment: https://danielallard95.wixsite.com/allardiangames
Lighting/Environment/Tech: https://dylankingart.com/
Creatures: https://emj4650.wixsite.com/emmajsonart
VFX: Jacob Saunderson
Props: Mitchell Dixon
Animation: https://ryan-chan.net/
A host of both Houdini, open source, and handmade sprite sheets that were used in the game.
UE4 Work Shop
I built a first person level with character and BP's as my first UE4 project. Doing this allowed me to gain a lot of knowledge about the tools and thought processes that are involved in the backend of VFX work. During the lifespan of this project I built a gunshot and grenade as my VFX and all the subsequent BP's to have them working in the game world.
Black Hole Grenade
Niagara System
Outer Black Hole Material
Gunshot
Inner Black Hole Material with radial distortion
Gunshot Niagara System
Smoke Trail Material
Basic Mechanics Walkthrough
FirstPerson BP
Grenade Throw and Line Trace
Grenade BP
Early Work
A grouping of some images and videos of weird bugs, previous iterations of effect, and some concepts
This was one of the first iterations on my level with a very basic ragdoll, FP controller, and a stock gunshot effect. All of which later in production were either scrapped, overhauled, or edited heavily.
This was one of the first major bugs that I discovered, causing the enemy characters to be flown from the level. The problem ended up being with the way I initially set up how impulse would be applied to the skeleton and specific bones based on where it was hit.
This video was just me looking over all my materials and the different ways I applied them in the early versions of the black hole grenade.
This is a look at one of the earlier iterations of the black hole grenade. As you can see this version had a lot of visual and timing problems that I feel got worked out in the final version.
Some early concepts for effects and layouts of the world
VBD Fire Tornado
A procedural fire tornado made in Houdini.
I started the simulation out by using the line node to create a path to guide the volumes.
I then convert the line's into geometry that will later be converted into a volume
I then convert the geo into a volume that I use as a base for the smoke simulation.
After the smoke volume is made i apply a flame material to turn the normal tornado into a fire tornado
Higanbana Buff
A combat buff based off of the Japanese flower the Higanbana (Japanese spider lily) made in Unity. This project presented a major set back in the entire Unity scene getting corrupted and me having to redo the entire thing from scratch. Thankfully however i had planned previously for any major setbacks and was able to cut out and modify a portion of the effect in order to still put out a polished piece of work.
Concepts for the effect, the effect ended up needing adjustment after certain unforeseen circumstances resulting in it changing into a buff effect.
