Combat VFX Implementation
Combat VFX Implementation
One of the key tasks of the project was implementing VFX into the gameplay experience. The VFX were created in consultation between the Player Character Programmer, AI Programmer, Character Artist and the VFX Artist to determine the requirements the VFX effect outcome should be in relation to its usage.
Background
A key area of debate within the team focused on balancing between the desired VFX artists interpretation, against the gameplay focused output of the player experience. This is a point of collaboration and consensus required to be met between team members, reflecting real industry practise – this was highlighted in the thesis by Acuña Ramírez (2024, pp. 5 - 6) in which Blizzard Entertainment employees working on Diablo 3 (2012) changed the visual effect of a character's frost attack from its original VFX to a more once, while less realistic, was more representative of the gameplay impact the effect had.
The implementing the VFX into gameplay required the making of custom script for controlling the size, shape and exposing and modifying properties of the VFX’s to change colour, opacity or dissolve depending on the VFX’s purpose. It was required for colliders to be matched to the shape and visual function of the VFX so that the player took damage when and where required as per the visuals of the VFX.
VFX_Base and Inherited States
Figure One: Demonstrations of some the VFX and Script being used to control the collisions to match the VFX visuals.
Thus, the VFX_Base script was developed to handle this problem, with the ability to customise how the script handles the VFX it is assigned along with the colliders passed as child objects. It also provided further function with sound management during the lifetime of the object as well as impact noise.
Multiple inherited classes were created from the VFX_Base to provide greater control for more specific usage of VFX in given situations. Some example include; the Projectile script which provided for the use of physics to launch VFX effect and their associated colliders through various means, the StrikeOverTime uses specific timings to sync with the VFX and activating and de-activating colliders to simulate lightning, the Slam script was specially designed to start from a chosen scale and lerp the collider or game object to a given end scale.
Figure Two : Gallery of Inspector extracts of various VFX _Base scripts and children highlighting the customization provided in how the VFX and their associated collisions can be used.
References
Acuña Ramírez, M. (2024) Visual effects for stylized video games. Bachelor’s thesis. Bachelor of Culture and Arts, Game Design. South Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences. Supervisor: Marko Siitonen.