[Houdini | UE | Niagara | VAT | Sim] VFX Breakdowns from my Snowman VR Project

Resources & Knowledge
, , , ,
#1

floor_tb_rtvfx
floor_tb_rtvfx1280×720 109 KB

I learned a lot from the community and am happy to start giving back - sharing the first episode of my Snowman VR breakdown series!
In this deep dive, I show the all-procedural workflow of crafting the Pillar Assembly effect using Houdini’s RBD and VAT, and integrating it into Unreal Engine.

Highlights:

  • Procedural pillar modeling
  • Seamless assembly trick
  • Customized RBD simulation setup
  • Automated Houdini → Unreal pipeline
  • FX setup in Unreal

I hope you find it useful! I plan to continue with a few more episodes, and your feedback on the format and content would be greatly appreciated.

Andrii

8 Likes
#2

Look amazing! Never had a chance to work with Houdini but it will be useful for my work for sure.
Thanks for sharing such valuable knowledge.

1 Like
#3

Great effect!
Scaling before and after fracturing is a nice trick I never though about. thanks for sharing.

1 Like
#4

Happy to share the second technical breakdown from my Snowman VR project.

In this episode we use Houdini to sculpt the floor and animate its destruction, then integrate the results into Unreal.

Highlights:

  • Procedural floor modelling and multi-stage fracturing
  • Customized RBD simulation setup
  • Scaling simulations using TOPs
  • Impact data analysis and export using Point Cache
  • Automated Houdini → Unreal pipeline
  • Meshes, Materials and Niagara setup in Unreal

I hope you find this breakdown insightful and inspiring for your own projects.

If you’re intrigued by my approach and think my skills could contribute to your team or project, I’d love to hear from you!
Please reach out for potential collaborations or job opportunities.

Best,
Andrew

2 Likes