Sifa : Sketch #26 Vertex Offset

[sifa]

Latest

Hello

This sketch theme is very challenging and interesting so I figured I’ll give it a try!

I had two initial ideas, first one was a single mesh flipbook using WPO which I prototyped already and looks super cool! Made an HDA to help with making them. I’ll post more about this in the future.

The second idea is was to have a smart “shield” that morphs, transforms and moves to the owner’s will. (It sounds way cooler than it is :D)

I went for the second idea because I want to build more gameplay-focused effects and concepts, they’re more fun and interactive and help me polish other areas (like blueprints and design) while working on them.

I’ll give it a random name, maybe DR-0N.

Here’s the super initial R&D and brainstorming

I want to have a few “modes” for this, thinking of something like

CONFIGURATION : SHIELD

DR-0N DEFENSE

Transforms into a flat/curved shield to block damage and incoming projectiles.

CONFIGURATION : FLANK

DR-0N DEFENSE

Transforms into a two smaller shields to cover the user from surprise attacks.

CONFIGURATION : DOME

DR-0N DEFENSE

Quickly configures into a dome around the user to provide limited protection from all angles.

CONFIGURATION : GAUSS

DR-0N OFFENSE

Transform into a weapon, able to compress the same energy used to operate DR-0N into deadly EM waves.

CONFIGURATION : WRECK

DR-0N OFFENSE

Transform into a ball shape, being able to wreck into enemies and objects at extreme velocities.

Along with a few idle effects, components dancing or hovering and some shader/transparency and glowy stuff.

And some on-hit effects and particles, perhaps.

That’s it for now, I have an overall feeling of how I’ll do all of these but as usual I’ll figure out as I go.

Excited!

[sifa]

Starting to prototype the effect, set up some simple vertex shaders and blueprint controls. The mesh is temp, there’s a TON I need to figure out with this. This is really fun

Some work on the design and the mesh

[sifa]

I’ve sketched out and prototyped a few ideas to change states and some more visual sketches of how I’d like the behavior to be.

Random gif

Jun

[Brasser]

Looking good, I love that little jiggle motion, is the idea that he can throw this and then it activates the shield?

[sifa]

Hey, thanks!

I have quite a few ideas for how to go about this.

I’m thinking to have some poses for various actions. I don’t want to just throw the thing and have it do something, I feel like that’d be too boring (Though, making a projectile system using vertex shaders sounds like a fun side project after this :D)

Something like science fiction tropes where they have some energy storage inside or have a way to get energy from somewhere nearby wirelessly and they can hover around. When you use a mode, I want to add transition FX for some transitions and for others I just want them to move to that state. I’m trying to set everything up so it’s pretty robust (and making sure I keep all the movement in the shader and not use any BP curves) so it doesn’t get overwhelming because there’s a lot of things overlapping and affecting everything.

[sifa]

Went through a dozen designs for the sphere but wasn’t feeling it.
Saw that Sigma released and played him a bit, his weapon animations are really pretty so I figured I’ll try to model the sphere like them because I really love their feeling. Also sort of a homage because OW has helped me with learning VFX a lot (and I really love the game )

Spent rest of my time setting up helper Material Functions and wrapping functionality into modules so it’s easier to construct my effect later.

[sifa]

Little more work on the helper Material Functions, gonna check out for tonight and work on it more during the weekend.

[sifa]

Small update, can select 3 points and the thingy moves along them.