Terminology

A blending mode used in VFX to combine multiple layers or elements by adding their color values together, creating a cumulative effect.

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The base color or reflectivity of a material or surface, often represented as a texture or shader parameter.

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Side by side comparison of an Albedo Map and a regular Photo

The process of combining a foreground image with a background image based on their alpha values, resulting in transparency effects.

A channel that represents the transparency or opacity of a pixel in an image or texture.

The general, non-directional light that illuminates a scene without any apparent source.

A shading technique used to simulate the soft shadows caused by the indirect lighting in a scene.

The indirect light that is reflected onto objects in a scene, contributing to their overall appearance.

The magnitude of the maximum disturbance in a waveform.

A lens flare effect that simulates the optical artifacts caused by an anamorphic lens, adding a cinematic look to a scene.

The process of creating and manipulating motion in a game or a scene.

A method used to improve the clarity and sharpness of textures when viewed from oblique angles.

A technique used to smooth out jagged edges and reduce pixelation in images or rendered frames.

The distinctive visual direction or aesthetic approach used in a game, encompassing the choice of colors, shapes, textures, and overall visual design.

Visual distortions or irregularities that occur in a rendered image, often caused by limitations in the rendering process

Any digital element, such as models, textures, or animations, used in a game or VFX production.

Elements that enhance the overall atmosphere or mood of a scene, such as fog, mist, or volumetric lighting.

The effect of light interacting with particles or molecules in the atmosphere, creating phenomena such as haze or color gradients.

A technology that overlays digital content onto the real world, blending virtual elements with the physical environment.

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Backface is opposite side of a polygon or surface that is not visible from the camera’s viewpoint.

Backface culling is a technique used to optimize rendering by discarding the rendering of backfaces.

The process of combining multiple graphical elements into a single batch to improve rendering performance.

An effect that simulates a narrow, elongated visual element, often representing energy, light, or projectiles traveling in a straight line. Beams can be used for various purposes, such as laser blasts, magical spells, or futuristic weapon effects.

A 2D sprite or texture that always faces the camera, commonly used to represent distant or highly detailed objects, such as trees or billboards.

An effect that creates a halo or glow around bright objects, simulating the way light scatters and blooms in the human eye or camera lens.

A visual effect that reduces sharpness or detail, often used to simulate out-of-focus areas or create a dreamy or cinematic look.

A photographic effect that produces aesthetically pleasing out-of-focus areas in an image or scene, often used to enhance depth of field.

A point in a system where the flow of data is restricted or limited, often affecting overall performance.

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The indirect lighting effect caused by light bouncing off surfaces, which contributes to the overall illumination of a scene.

The perceived intensity or luminosity of an object or light source, adjustable through parameters to control the overall brightness of a scene.

A gameplay mechanic or visual effect that slows down time, often accompanied by specific VFX to enhance the perception of slowed motion.

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An effect that simulates the shaking or vibration of the camera to create a sense of impact, chaos, or intensity.

A rendering technique that produces a stylized, cartoon-like appearance by applying flat shading or a limited number of shading levels to create a 2D cel animation effect

A visual artifact that causes colors to separate, usually at the edges of objects, creating a rainbow-like distortion effect.

A physics-based simulation that simulates the behavior of cloth or fabric, allowing it to move, drape, and interact realistically with other objects or forces in the game world.

The process of determining whether two or more objects in a game have collided with each other.

The process of adjusting and enhancing the colors of a rendered image or video to achieve a desired mood or style.

Design principles focused on maintaining consistent color palettes and shapes throughout a game or project to convey a specific mood or theme.

Visual representations created during the initial stages of game development to explore and communicate ideas for characters, environments, and overall aesthetics.

A technique used in games to smoothly transition between different animations, textures, colors, or particle effects, creating seamless and visually appealing transitions.

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A 6-sided texture used for environment mapping, which simulates reflections and refractions by projecting the scene onto a cube surrounding the object.

A process that determines which objects or elements are visible in a scene and should be rendered, optimizing performance by excluding unnecessary or occluded objects.

A tool or interface used to manipulate the curves that control various parameters of elements, such as particle size, color, or movement over time.

A specialized shader created by developers to achieve specific visual effects or render certain materials in a game, often used to enhance realism or create unique stylized looks.

A non-interactive sequence in a game that advances the story or provides cinematic elements, often featuring pre-rendered or real-time rendered VFX.

A texture or image that is applied to a surface or object in a game to add visual details such as dirt, scratches, or logos, often used to enhance realism or convey information.

is a technique used  to control the opacity or transparency of objects based on their distance from the camera or a specified reference point in the scene. It is commonly used to create smooth transitions or effects, such as fading objects as they move further away or gradually revealing or concealing objects based on their proximity to the camera

An effect that simulates the blurring of objects that are out of focus, creating a sense of depth and directing the player’s attention to the main focal point of the scene.

The process of planning and creating the overall structure and functionality of a game, including mechanics, levels, and user experience.

A system that allows objects or environments in a game to be realistically damaged, broken apart, or destroyed, often accompanied by VFX such as debris, particles, and explosions.

An effect that gradually disintegrates or fades away an object or character, often used to depict destruction, transformation, or magical effects.

It is a commonly used term that refers to the alteration or deformation of an image or object to create visual effects. It involves manipulating the pixels or vertices of an element to give it a different appearance or behavior.

A technique used to significantly reduce overdraw by reduce color banding in images by adding a pattern of noise to smooth transitions

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The command to draw an object or element on the screen, typically in the context of graphics programming.

Is a techniques used in games to simulate realistic lighting conditions, such as changes in brightness, color, or direction, based on the game’s environment or player interactions.

Shadows that are dynamically generated and updated in real-time based on the position and movement of objects and light sources in a game, enhancing realism and adding depth to the scene.

A process that identifies and highlights the boundaries or edges of objects in an image or scene, often used for stylized or outlined effects

A visual effect that adds a glowing or luminous outline around the edges of objects or characters, often used to enhance visibility or highlight important elements

A tool for creating and simulating realistic fire and fluid effects in game development.

The process of generating or emitting particles, light, or other visual elements such as a particle system or light source.

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The core software framework that powers a game, providing tools and libraries for developers.

The creation of 3D models, textures, and assets that form the game’s environments

VFX elements that enhance the atmosphere or ambiance of a game’s environment, such as rain, fog, snow, dust, or wind, contributing to immersion and visual realism.

An effect that represents the gradual wearing away or weathering of objects or terrains, commonly used to depict natural processes like water erosion or wind erosion.

The control of the brightness or intensity of an image or scene, often adjusted to simulate different lighting conditions or achieve specific visual effects

Abbreviation for “Frames Per Second,” which measures the number of individual images or frames rendered and displayed per second, indicating the smoothness and responsiveness of VFX animations and gameplay

A transition or effect that gradually changes the opacity or visibility of an object, often used for scene transitions, appearance or disappearance of objects, or fading in/out of UI elements.

The extent of the observable world seen through a virtual camera in a game, affecting the perceived depth and perspective of the visuals

A technique where a series of pre-rendered frames or images, known as a flipbook, is played sequentially to simulate an animation, commonly used for 2D effects like explosions or sprites.

A texture or map used to control the direction or flow of elements, such as fluids, smoke, or particles, creating more realistic and coherent simulations.

A technique used to simulate the behavior of fluids, such as water, lava, or goo, in a realistic or stylized manner, often involving particle-based or grid-based simulations.

The process of breaking or shattering objects into smaller pieces, often used in destruction effects, such as collapsing buildings or breaking apart props.

A program that processes individual fragments (pixels) during the rendering pipeline, contributing to the final color of each pixel.

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a frustum is a geometric shape that defines the visible region for a camera, determining which objects appear on screen based on their position relative to the camera's view.

VFX that cover the entire screen, altering the visual appearance or adding atmospheric elements, such as blurs, distortions, or color grading.

[That mythical thing that i can’t even get because it doesn’t exist when i try to buy it]

The hardware component responsible for rendering graphics and executing complex calculations in real-time, playing a crucial role in the performance and quality of game VFX.

A technique used to adjust the brightness and contrast of colors in an image to ensure accurate perception and display on different devices or viewing environments.

A blurring effect that uses a Gaussian distribution to create smooth and gradual transitions between pixels, commonly used for softening or reducing the sharpness of elements.

A bright and intense light effect that creates a halo or streak around a light source, often used to simulate intense sunlight, lens artifacts, or stylized lighting

A visual or audio artifact that represents a temporary or unexpected distortion or malfunction in a game’s graphics or sound, often used for stylistic or narrative purposes.

A visual effect that adds a soft and radiant illumination to objects, often used for highlighting or emphasizing certain elements.

A visual effect that adds a fine texture or noise to an image, often used for filmic or retro effects, simulating the appearance of film grain or analog video artifacts.

The force that pulls objects towards each other, creating a sense of weight and realistic physics simulations, affecting the movement and behavior of particles, debris, and characters

A color mode or image representation that uses shades of gray, ranging from black to white, without any color information, commonly used for various VFX techniques and texture maps.

A regularly spaced arrangement of cells or points used in  simulations, often employed for particle systems, fluid dynamics, or environmental effects like rain or sparks.

An effect that simulates the movement of air or a powerful wind, often accompanied by swirling particles, debris, or foliage animation

Refers to high-resolution graphics or display quality that provides greater visual clarity and detail, often associated with higher pixel counts and improved image quality.

In the context of Houdini, an HDA is a reusable and self-contained node or component that encapsulates specific functionality or effects, allowing artists to create and share complex VFX setups or simulations.

A rendering technique that captures and displays a wider range of luminance values and color intensities, allowing for more realistic and visually appealing lighting.

A programming language used to write shaders in the DirectX framework, enabling developers to define how objects and surfaces should be rendered and lit in real-time 3D graphics.

An effect that simulates a thin atmospheric mist or haze, often used to enhance depth perception and create a sense of distance in outdoor environments.

A visual effect that simulates the distortion or waviness of air caused by heat, often seen above hot surfaces or intense fires, creating a realistic heat haze effect.

A visual effect that emphasizes or draws attention to specific areas or features of an object or character, often achieved by adding brighter or more intense lighting to those areas.

An effect that represents the visual feedback of a collision or impact, often accompanied by sparks, debris, dust, or other particles to enhance the sense of force or impact.

An effect that creates the illusion of a three-dimensional, translucent projection, often used to depict futuristic interfaces, communications, or virtual objects within a game.

A script or code snippet used to intercept or modify certain game events or functions, allowing VFX artists or developers to customize or enhance specific aspects of the game’s visual effects

Houdini FX, a powerful procedural 3D animation and VFX software widely used in the game industry, offering a wide range of tools and capabilities for creating complex VFX systems.

A visual style or approach that aims to closely resemble real-world visuals, often achieved through meticulous attention to detail, accurate physics simulations, and high-resolution textures

The process of lighting a scene or object, involving the placement, intensity, and color of light sources to create desired visual effects and atmosphere.

Visual artwork created for storytelling, often used in games for promotional materials or narrative elements.

An effect that simulates the inward collapse or compression of an object or structure, often used for implosions, black holes, or other collapsing phenomena.