#13 - VFX Too Heavy?! 👾🏋️
Hey there,
Let’s talk about something that really matters in the VFX world - optimization! You can build the most gorgeous effects in the engine, but if your VFX aren’t optimized for performance & platform, they can really hurt the game.
Let’s dive into the why and the how:
🧠Ask Yourself
Who is this effect for?
What platform will it run on?
What’s the visual priority of this effect in the game?
Is it worth the cost it takes to render it?
These are the questions VFX pros ask before they even begin. Optimization isn’t something you should slap on at the end - bake it into your decision-making from the start!
📱 Platform ≠Platform
Let’s say you build an awesome fireball for a fantasy game:
On PC or PS5, you can have lit particles, high-res textures, dynamic lights & post process.
On Mobile, you’ll need to simplify - no dynamic lighting, no collisions, fewer particles, compressed textures, unlit shaders.
On VR, your fireball needs to run at 90+ FPS with volume so it doesn’t look flat when seen from any angle. Meshes & shaders are key here.
âś… Optimize Like a Pro
Reduce Particles Use fewer particles. Ask yourself: Do I really need 100 embers or will 25 smartly-timed ones do the job?
Destroy Unused Particles Early Particles hanging around off-screen still cost performance. Kill them when they’re done.
Skip Collisions & Lights on Mobile They’re expensive. Save them for high-priority effects on powerful platforms only.
Use Unlit or Simple Shaders Lit materials look great, but they cost more. Unlit + a strong texture can often do the trick.
Masked > Translucent Translucent materials cause heavy overdraw. Masked materials can be cheaper.
Reduce Overdraw Overlapping transparent particles stack up quickly. Use tools like Shader Complexity View in Unreal or Unity’s Overdraw view to spot performance issues.
Apply LoDs Lower particle count or reduce complexity based on camera distance. Players won’t notice the difference far away - but your frame rate will.
Smart Textures Reuse textures. Pack them smartly. Use texture atlases & channel packing.
Test on Target Hardware What runs smooth in the editor might tank on an actual device. Always test on your target platform.
Debuggers Use profiling tools like Unreal Insights or Unity’s Frame Debugger to see exactly what’s eating your performance.
✨ Final Thought
Good VFX isn’t just about what looks cool - it’s about what performs well. As a VFX artist, you’re balancing visual fidelity with technical limits. Mastering optimization doesn’t just make you a better VFX artist - it makes you a better game developer!
Need more guidance? Feel free to reply to this email and ask me anything. I’m here to help!
PS: 🚨 Join TheFXFrontier Discord - Connect, share knowledge, get feedback and grow with fellow VFX artists. Copy-paste this in your browser if the link doesn’t work: https://discord.gg/CRkCKUpH8R​
Thanks for reading!​
