Shaders and VFX
Combining Houdini’s generative capabilities with Unity’s interactivity, these tools enable rapid iteration for XR and game-ready content.
Ground Burst and Rock Debris FX
A hybrid destruction effect combining Houdini simulation and Unity VFX Graph to visualize the moment a goalkeeper breaks apart on impact — with sand deformation and debris burst.
In Houdini:
The sand trail under the goalkeeper’s feet was simulated using velocity-driven displacement to deform the ground dynamically. A secondary rock burst simulation was created, ejecting debris outward from the point of impact. These simulations were then exported: the sand trail was baked into a displacement/normal mesh, while the rock debris was exported as a Vertex Animation Texture (VAT) for Unity. Both effects were synchronized with the character’s animation, and optimized for lightweight runtime performance.
In Unity (VFX Graph):
A GPU-based mesh particle system was built to recreate the rock burst in real-time. The effect was triggered by specific animation events or positional logic. Each particle instance included randomized rotation, velocity, and scale, with curl noise and drag forces applied for dynamic breakup motion. Lifetime color fading was used to enhance the realism. The real-time particle system was blended seamlessly with the baked VAT ground deformation from Houdini, creating a hybrid effect that grounded the action visually.
Why this matters:
This effect showcases a hybrid FX pipeline, combining baked physical simulation from Houdini with procedural, real-time effects in Unity’s VFX Graph. It emphasizes how environmental reactions to character motion can enhance visual storytelling, while remaining optimized for real-time platforms such as XR and mobile.
Spreading Fire and Wind FX
Wildfire Magic Leap: A layered fire propagation system combining procedural shader ramps with GPU-driven wind simulation to evoke an aggressive wildfire effect.
In Unity (Shader Graph + VFX Graph):
A stylized spreading fire shader was developed using Shader Graph, combining UV scrolling, distortion, and layered procedural noise (including Perlin, Voronoi, and Simplex) blended through animated color ramps. The shader simulates multiple burn stages—cool, ignition, peak, and fade—while vertex offset adds flicker and depth to the flame surface. In parallel, a wind effect was created using VFX Graph with a swarm-like particle system. Trails pulse and orbit dynamically, driven by wind vector data, curl noise, and turbulence forces. Both systems scale with the scene and are triggered by object lifespans or scripted events, allowing them to be reused narratively or ambiently.
Why this matters:
This piece showcases the power of combining real-time shading and particle logic to create procedural, cinematic-style effects. The fire shader demonstrates advanced use of noise blending and time-based animation in Shader Graph, while the wind FX adds emotional and directional flow to the scene. The result is a visually rich and reusable system, ideal for cutscenes, character effects, or storytelling moments across XR and real-time content.
Portal and Assets Style
Magic Leap Assist app: A Houdini tool that generates modular soccer stadium seating structures using user-defined parameters, optimized for game engine deployment.
Unity Shader Graph (for Assets):
A custom stylized shader was developed using Unity Shader Graph to create a cohesive visual identity for assets transferred through the Magic Leap Assist app. The shader features advanced Fresnel-based rim lighting with finely tuned falloff controls, adding depth, glow, and edge clarity to objects in spatial computing environments. Its design emphasizes clear silhouettes and visual readability in AR, ensuring assets remain noticeable and elegant within real-world overlays.
Unity VFX Graph (for Portal Effect):
The asset transfer portal was built with Unity’s VFX Graph, using swirling particles and dynamic trails to evoke energy flow during teleportation. The effect balances sci-fi richness with lightweight performance, optimized for real-time response and visual clarity. It serves both functional and narrative roles, reinforcing the feeling of digital objects crossing between spaces within the AR context.
Electric Fence
A Shader Graph setup designed to drive the electric flow of a destructible fence system, fully integrated with your procedural Houdini tool for Unity.
In Unity (Shader Graph):
A stylized electric current shader was built using Unity Shader Graph to power the visual identity of the procedural fence system. The effect simulates directional energy flow through scrolling UVs, layered gradient maps, and dynamic color pulses. Fresnel effects and noise masks are used to create a soft, randomized glow, while sine-driven emissive bursts simulate spark behavior across the wire segments. The shader supports runtime intensity adjustment, color overrides for different energy states (e.g., warning vs. lethal), and UV-based variation per segment. It’s tightly integrated with the procedural Houdini fence tool, allowing each generated pole or wire to automatically inherit the correct material parameters without manual intervention.
Why this matters:
This shader enhances environmental feedback by clearly distinguishing between active and inactive states of the fence. Its modular setup, combined with real-time customization options, makes it scalable for mobile and XR platforms while adding a polished visual layer to interactive or destructible gameplay systems.
Built with Houdini
Implemented in Unity
