VFX Breakdown – Fire Projectile
This effect has been one of the most popular on 1mafx.com, and for good reason. It’s designed to be lightweight while still delivering a strong visual read, making it a great fit for any real-time VFX portfolio.
Here’s a breakdown of how it was made, and how you can follow along to create your own version.
Watch the teaser:
The Creation Process
Before opening any software, I like to plan out the full asset list. That early prep saves a lot of time and helps me stay focused during production.
For this effect, the key elements included:
- A stretched sphere mesh with a few custom tweaks
- Vertex color data baked into the mesh for glow control
- A world position offset (WPO) texture to drive the fire shape
- Two trail textures, one for flames and one for smoke
Each component is covered step-by-step in the supporting tutorials below.
Here's what we'll create:
- A base 3D mesh (a simple stretched sphere with some special tricks),
- Added vertex color data for the glow effect
- World position texture (WPO) for that signature flame shape
- Two distinct trail textures (one for the flames, one for the smoke)
- Here is a breakdown of all the elements
Want to learn each step in detail? I've prepared comprehensive tutorials:
🔥 Mesh Creation & Texturing:https://youtu.be/XykZ1ICPmCg
🔥 Flame Texture Tutorial:https://youtu.be/XdGQclSg9wA
🔥 Trail Effects Guide:https://youtu.be/cwKOU5aYTmI
Blueprint Setup and Impact FX
After the visuals were ready, I used Paragon’s Gideon character as a base for implementation. Blueprints handled projectile spawning, collision, and movement.
The final detail was an impact effect using a shockwave mesh to add weight to the hit. That part is broken down here:
🔥 Shockwave Tutorial:https://youtu.be/DvqibG6va3o
Build It Yourself
If you'd like to follow the full process and build this effect from scratch, you can find the complete tutorial inside the Tier 1 membership at 1mafx.com.
It includes all the assets, materials, blueprints, and polish steps covered above. You’ll also get access to a full library of other VFX tutorials aimed at helping you build up your real-time skills.
Create this VFX
