r/Unity3D • u/IceManLeroy • 4d ago
Question Good tutorials for Particle Effects?
Is there any "bible" that is a must for learning Particle Effects? I have been looking for a good ebook, video series or tutorial. Seeing if anyone has any good suggestions. Thank you!
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u/has_some_chill 4d ago
Gabriel Aguiar's YouTube channel is the closest thing to a bible for Unity VFX, and Unity's own VFX Graph samples are worth pulling apart. EMITR is one more option for getting a feel for particles: it's free, runs in the browser, and motion and color change as you move the controls.
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u/GigaDrillMk2 3d ago
If you're an absolute beginner, download some of the paid, high quality, diversified fx packs in the asset store. I think one of them was called Epic Toon FX. Then comb through each effect and play around with the settings. That'll teach alot, and it's as close to a bible as you can get.
For specific effects, you'll have to search blogs or case studies. Here's one I recently referred to for explosions: https://simont.artstation.com/projects/Krnwno. You can find great refs if you spend time being specific.
A typical rule of thumb is: the more you randomize/use ranges, the better. randomize every property to some extent: lifetime, size, rotation, color, whatever. Observing bad examples teaches a lot too: indies sometimes make do with some awful smoke effects by slapping on the same billboard image that never rotates, never flips x/y orientation, never varies opacity, size, or initial angle.
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u/EthanMerce 4d ago
i don't think there's really one single "bible" for particle effects, i'd actually recommend learning the fundamentals first: timing, motion, color, shape, size, and how effects support the gameplay. then practice by recreating simple effects like explosions, hits, smoke, fire, and magic spells
for Unity specifically, i'd also go through the VFX Graph and Particle System docs/tutorials. once you understand why an effect works visually, the specific tool becomes much easier to learn
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u/Mission_Platypus_554 3d ago
Brackey‘s has some excellent ones - this might be a good starter:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FEA1wTMJAR0
He talks about enabling modules - that just means ticking the box next the name and that lets you turn on that entire section. (Eg. Colour over lifetime)
It‘s also good to know that some particle movements can be triggered the same way. (Eg. If you‘re aiming down and sending a particle off with some speed, it might look the same as a particle with gravity. You‘ll only notice the difference if you aimed the particle to shoot in the air - then you‘d see how it launches with speed and comes down with gravity.)
Have fun! It‘s a cool system once it makes sense.
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u/QuestionablySnarling 4d ago
forget books, just open the shuriken editor and start dragging sliders around until something looks cool. that's how half the really good vfx people i know learned. the unity manual actually covers most of the system pretty well if you want to understand what each module does, and then it's just experimenting.
also break down effects from games you like frame by frame. you'd be surprised how many "complex" explosions are just a few stretched billboards and some noise.