Unreal Engine 5 is revolutionising video game design, as we see in our pick of the best game development software, but Epic Game's platform is also transforming workflows in VFX and 3D visualisation. It can be intimidating to get started, but digital artist Jesse Pitela has just launched a Niagara Fluids Crash Course aimed at giving beginners a head start.
Themed around The Witcher, the course includes 20 videos and will show how to create seven complete FX setups with fire, smoke, lightning and sparks (also see our roundup of Unreal Engine tutorials and the best Unreal Engine courses for more learning).
Jesse stresses that the course will begin with a complete introduction to Niagara in Unreal Engine 5.7 for total beginners, before introducing Niagara Fluids and working through effects like cryogenic smoke plus more advanced projects such as a ring of fire, force field and debris suction, leading up to the intermediate level.
"You will learn how to create real-time volumetric fire and smoke simulations, add sparks, ground dust, and increase realism with settings like Turbulence and Wind," Jesse says.
The course will be free until 25 November only. You can sign up at Jesse's site RedefineFX.
