Real-time Destruction FX

March 01, 2025

Week 01: Planning and Fracturing

In the first phase of my project, I am focusing on planning the fracturing process for real-time destruction FX in Unreal Engine 5 using Houdini.

I. Fracturing

II. Different stages of destruction

To get a rough idea of how my destruction will look, I am leveraging my experience in film VFX to create an initial Rigid Body Dynamics (RBD) simulation. In this setup, the force will primarily burst outward, ensuring a natural, explosive effect. If a modular piece is placed on the ground, the fragments will interact with the surface, adding realism to the simulation. To avoid uniform motion and make the destruction feel more organic, I am introducing noise to the velocity, causing the pieces to scatter in a more varied and dynamic manner. This rough simulation helps me visualize the overall movement and behavior of the fractured elements before refining them for real-time implementation.

To enhance realism, I am implementing an animation stage system that controls how destruction unfolds based on different impact forces. Since I want the destruction FX to react dynamically to various types of weapons and environmental forces, I will create multiple stages of destruction.

This includes:

  • light impacts that cause minor cracks and debris

  • medium impacts that break apart certain sections

  • heavy impacts that result in total destruction.

By utilizing this staged approach, I can achieve a more controlled and believable destruction effect while optimizing performance for real-time gameplay. This planning phase is crucial in ensuring that the destruction system not only looks visually appealing but also integrates seamlessly into Unreal Engine’s physics and gameplay mechanics.

III. Test simulation

My approach involves designing three to four distinct fracture patterns for each modular building piece. This ensures a good amount of variation, making destruction appear more dynamic and less repetitive. These fractured pieces will be assembled in Unreal Engine, allowing me to construct an environment with modular, destructible assets that can break apart in unique ways depending on the situation.