If you like the incredible pyrotechnics, unique superpowers, gateways to new dimensions and magical transformations in your gaming experience, you can thank the unbelievably talented VFX artists who create those stunning visual effects (VFX).

Game VFX keeps you engaged and immersed in a virtual world where images create the emotional intensity that makes the scenes in a game so much more authentic. VFX wizardry and illustrations reduce the need for text and dialogue, creating more seamless action sequences.? It helps you to get to know your game in a more user friendly way.

We’ve only just begun scratching the surface of how emerging tools and techniques can be utilized to tell bigger and more engaging stories moving forward. I don’t think there’s a more exciting time to work in VFX than now’ Johnny Fisk, President of FuseFX

VXF Artist

But it’s not just gameplay effects that maintain your focus. Peripheral effects such as rainstorms, blizzards, fog, sandstorms and other more nuanced environments transport you to new realities and great gameplay experiences. “But it wasn’t always this way”, says leading VFX artist Geraldo Schiavone, speaking with SiGMA News.

“One of the most expensive visual effects is rendering. In the past I would have to wait hours or sometimes even days to render a scene only to discover it didn’t work artistically. So when someone told me years back about real-time rendering, I laughed. I thought cars would fly before that could happen, but I was wrong.”

Schiavone explains that the VXF industry is experiencing a revolution. Real-time VFX happens as events occur throughout live gameplay and, as “the process takes less than 1/60th of a second, you can say the game is in real-time”. But it seems that this is just the start. “Free licenses by Epic Games for small studios democratized game production and attracted the interest of? filmmakers and storytellers,” says Schiavone. These accessible resources from Epic Games have empowered the inspirational community, offering artists the tools to realize their ambitions. The ‘unreal engine’ is amongst one of the most advanced real-time 3D creation tools allowing artists to bring amazing real-time experiences to life.

Broader global VFX community

“Artists and developers have published ready-to-use assets and tools,” says Schiavone. This infrastructure creates endless possibilities enabling small teams to produce entire dynamic games. Schiavone believes that more companies will adopt an open-source approach and hybrid working arrangements will provide paid work for a broader global VFX community.

According to Schiavone a new set of tools is taking over the market. “GPU accelerated software, real-time simulation and AI tools are just a few of the technologies that will change the production of VFX. Better and faster tools allow processes with more iterations between artists and directors.? An increase in VFX budgets will also enhance artist quality.”

VFX applications in gaming

According to analysts, the animation and visual effects market will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 9 percent by 2025. It will transform video games to meet customer demand for high-quality 3D animation.

Schiavone concurs with a view that in the future more people will work in digital industries interconnected with developers, artists and producers being more aware of each other’s work. “New, more flexible, dynamic, decentralized and inclusive ways of working, VR and AR tools will help break down the walls that in the past have left teams feeling isolated,” adds Schiavone.

Harnessing the creativity of global VFX talent pools’? Gerardo points out that there will be more alchemy in morphing transformations, motion capture that digitally integrates real-world motions into a game and more extensive use of CGI in gaming.

Johnny Fisk, President of FuseFX, “High-end content is now being produced for all platforms in media. We are stepping into the next generation of VFX and this new entertainment renaissance will touch every one of us. The VFX industry will explode in all directions and proliferate throughout all market aspects” said Fisk.

“We’ve only just begun scratching the surface of how emerging tools and techniques can be utilized to tell bigger and more engaging stories moving forward. As artists, we’re forging new territories, such as utilizing real-time software and deep learning technology in our imagery and workflows. Bringing innovation to the table brings renewed energy to all of our work. I don’t think there’s a more exciting time to work in VFX than now.”

Esports

League of Legends, Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Call of Duty are the most popular games in esports.

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SiGMA News spoke with Gerardo Schiavone, a VXF artist who has worked on a number of high end film and game productions.? He specialises in real time rendering, gaming, AI tools with a view to improve the quality of cinematic and gaming projects.