The Problem:

Hey there, fellow code wranglers and pixel pushers! Today's devlog is all about a visual extravaganza—or at least, it was supposed to be. Picture this: a grand, cinematic VFX for our game's revive feature. You know, the kind that makes players feel like they're rising from the ashes, all dramatic and awe-inspiring. Only problem? Our journey took a detour through the wilds of Unreal Engine versions. So, there I was, all set up with Unreal Engine 5.1, the latest and greatest, ready to craft this epic VFX. Think glowing auras, ethereal lights, the whole shebang. UE5.1's tools had me drooling—enhanced particle systems, more realistic lighting. I was like a kid in a candy store, grabbing all the shiny new features to make our revive spell look like something straight out of a high-budget fantasy flick. But alas, the universe had other plans. Midway through my VFX crafting spree, I hit a snag—a big one. Turns out, the rest of our game was being developed in good ol' Unreal Engine 5.0. "No big deal," I thought, "I'll just port it over." Oh, how naive I was. The moment I tried to integrate my shiny new VFX into UE5.0, it was like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Compatibility issues left and right. The particle effects lost their sparkle, the lighting went haywire—it was a mess.

The Solution:

After a few (okay, more than a few) hours of banging my head against the wall, reality set in. I had to start from scratch—back to UE5.0, with its slightly less shiny toolset. It felt like being handed a box of crayons after you've been painting with oils. But hey, challenge accepted. I rolled up my sleeves and dove back in. Reimagining the VFX in UE5.0 was like a puzzle, finding new ways to mimic the effects I'd fallen in love with in 5.1. It involved a lot of tweaking, some compromises, and a good dose of creativity. I had to get inventive with the particle systems, play around with the lighting to get that mystical glow, and basically use every trick in the book to bring my vision to life in the older engine. And you know what? It worked. Sure, the VFX wasn't quite as flashy as the 5.1 version, but it had character. It fit seamlessly into our game's world, and it carried that feeling of triumph and rebirth we wanted our players to experience. Sometimes, less is more, and sometimes, the limitations push you to be more creative.

**Death Portal

**Pull effect on player model

**What it looks like in game

author: Dewayne Hicks
posted on 10/11/23