VFX Roundtables topic suggestions?

General Discussion
#1

The 2017 VFX Roundtables are upon us!

Any topics people are curious to dive into? I like to bring a list of potential topics and then we get through as much of if as we can over the 3 sessions (although admittedly sometimes the conversation goes in unexpected directions - which can also be fun).

http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/visual-effects-roundtable-day-1
Date: Wednesday, March 1
Time: 11:00am - 12:00pm

http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/visual-effects-roundtable-day-2
Date: Thursday, March 2
Time: 4:00pm - 5:00pm

http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/visual-effects-roundtable-day-3
Date: Friday, March 3
Time: 1:30pm - 2:30pm

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#2

I don’t think VR is going anywhere anytime soon; I’d like to hear and share techniques for working with a 90 fps restraint and constructing fx in an environment where a player could potentially run around an effect or hold it up to their face. Also raymarching seems to be more and more common with vfx, and is looking like it may become a standard in the near future for lit volumetric clouds and smoke, so I’d like to hear about that as well.

#3

I’d love to discuss what can be done to make it easier to become a VFX artist. Education, knowledge sharing, tools and so on. How can we create a talentpool that matches that of other art disciplines?

What’s the next step for gameplay effects? Raymarching, alembic and vertexshaders are awesome for cutscenes and static shots, but in the end, they are prebaked. Are there ways to make them more dynamic? Are there other options?

I’d love to get deeper into the topic of film vfx in VR. There’s a skillgap when filmstudios try to create VR projects in realtime. How can we fill that gap? Are there overlap with regards to what tools we and they need to develop?

Lighting. Lighting in PBR still sucks on particles. Does anyone have any ideas how to fix it?

What’s the best reference tool for VFX? There are plenty of software for static images, but if I want to see only the first 30 frames of a housecollapse, I still gif it or framestep the video. I often want to load in a vapture of my effect next to the ref and framestep them simultaneously. Is there something out there that does it all?

Also, no interesting discussions on the friday session please. I have to catch a flight then…

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#4

I won’t be able to make it but hope to catch these if they are recorded.

Here are some ideas for what could be discussed:

  1. Showcasing VFX work, better in an environment or a grey test scene.
    One offers the in world application of it, the other isolates just the effect.

  2. What are some overdone FX in portfolios that you’d rather not see. Perhaps a flaming torch? An energy projectile?

  3. From Mobile to High end PC, from ultra realistic to super stylised. How diverse should a VFX artist strive to be?

  4. Many VFX are achieved using tricks that may not work out in VR. Discuss

  5. The hardest effect you’ve ever had to work on, and how you overcame it.

Hope it helps :slight_smile:

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#5

This will be my first round table, should be interesting.

-I’d like to hear about your unusual methods of creating an effect, something that isn’t the typical sprites 'n meshes solution. We do some wierd stuff on Warframe, and I’m sure you guys do too…let’s share!

-Shortage of Fx artists, goes along with Partikel’s first topic. We’re definitely feeling that pain.

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