Week 11/12 – Ultra Dynamic Weather and Rendering

Niagara system for particles

Preparing for implementing Niagara Systems into the scene:

1. Adjusting SkyLight.
2. Adjusting SkyAtmosphere with Rayleigh Scattering Scale and Mie Scattering Scale, Nie Absorption Scale.
3. Keeping project organised with folder layers. The first system was too intense so I opted for standard sprite rendered and adjusted these options instead.
4. I opted for the flare material to keep the soft dreamy vibe.

I utilized Unreal Engine’s Niagara visual effects system to generate and view particle effects in real-time. Since it is the key tool for visual effects (VFX) in Unreal Engine 5, I opted to use it for the Emitter System.

In my opinion, the initial simulation was too fast for the small landscape and created too much noise, which didn’t fit the dreamy scenery. Therefore, I chose to discard it and use a simpler but more appropriate Sprite Renderer system.

After finishing the particle system, I turned my attention to the weather system. I was able to create a basic rain sequence, but unfortunately, it would have required adjusting all of the textures throughout the scene to properly animate. Given that I only had less than a week left and the file contained too many items with different textures, I ultimately did not have time to make those adjustments.

Instead of using the default weather effects, I decided to use the Ultra Dynamic Sky plug-in. This required me to adjust the lighting of the scene, resulting in multiple renders with different lighting conditions. However, simply adding weather effects was a simple and clear process. Given more time, I would have customized the effects further, but due to the complexity of the task, I decided to stick to the basic options.

I observed that the fog and dust simulations were malfunctioning, making it impossible to use them. They were either not visible at all or would cause the screen to crash. I believe this issue is also affecting the Niagara System, as they share the same base. Although the small landscape plane has helped in organizing the scene, it is not sufficient for the particle system to function correctly. Hence, I will test the settings in another scene with more space.

Afterwards, I placed three cameras in specific locations and used Film Dimensions to maintain a consistent look across all three renders. I adjusted the render settings and created a level sequence and movie render queue. Finally, I rendered 120 frames for each location.

I needed to color-correct the files in Nuke before finalizing everything. Though I wished to add more post-production effects, I lacked the time. However, I plan to rerender the scene with adjusted lighting and incorporate more effects.