Ep9 - Summary of Final VFX - Learn with Us: First Playable Grenade Explosion | BFX-U

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Ep9 - Summary of Final VFX - Learn with Us: First Playable Grenade Explosion | BFX-U

The Wrap Up

The BFX-U | Learn with Us course continues, but we are now reaching our conclusion. In this episode, our hosts, Beyond-FX’s General Manager and Founder Keith Guerrette, and Director of Marketing & Content Julian Bahmani, are going to put the final pieces in place for you to go off and create more of your own effects. We want you to improve every time you switch on Unreal Engine and Episode 9 will assess the entirety of the course thus far, to show how flaws and faults can be ironed out. 

Episode 9 is available to watch straight away, alongside the rest of the Beyond-FX course. Keep an eye on our YouTube channel, like and subscribe for any updates, and continue to follow this blog for future announcements, features, and tutorial series. You can return to the BFX-U | Learn with Us course at any point in the future, so if there’s any topic you wish to go over again, you will always have that opportunity. 

Episode 9 - Homework Time 

This episode kicks off with a bit of housekeeping as the issue of looping and lifespan is discussed and the impact that may have on performance. After surveying the scene now that the effect is almost complete, it’s time to look at what could have been done better. 

Firstly, we look at the issue of motivation and ensuring that an effect works within the context of gameplay. Color matching is also an area of consideration, with continuity throughout the effect key to its visual impact. We also assess what else could be added to make the effect more realistic, from dust and dirt to other refinements such as more accurate lighting. 

Finally, this BFX-U | Learn with Us episode will test Julian Bahmani’s knowledge, and question what it means to be a VFX artist. Just like you following along, Julian and Beyond-FX Content Producer Jessica Villarreal, are given homework to create their own playable grenade explosion based on everything that has been taught in this course so far. Come back for the final episode to see how it turns out!

Previous Episodes:

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Episode 5

Episode 6

Episode 7

Episode 8

Next Episode:

Episode 10

Back To Basics 

Hopefully, you’re feeling inspired to continue exploring these tools and techniques, constantly refining your effects. Although this might be the last straight-up tutorial, there’s still room for questions. We’ll continue to help out in any way we can as your queries roll in, so keep them coming. 

If you’re going back to basics and starting from scratch with a new effect based on the entirety of this run, then we want to see how you progress. Be proud of your finalized effects and show them off by tagging us on Twitter @Beyond_FX. Head over to Episode 10 of BFX-U | Learn With Us: First Playable Grenade Explosion to see what happens next. 

Want to stay in touch with our studio as we craft world-class real-time VFX? Follow Beyond-FX on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, & TikTok!