VFX Pipeline

Purpose

Use When

• combat or interaction effects are being built
• VFX cost is escalating
• readability is poor

Inputs

• art bible
• combat readability needs
• engine constraints
• performance budget

Process

1. define effect categories and quality bars
2. separate gameplay-critical clarity from decorative layers
3. set cost expectations for particles, materials, lights, and post-process
4. create review checkpoints for style and readability
5. test effects under combat or stress conditions

Outputs

• VFX guide
• cost tiers
• readability checklist
• integration notes

Quality Bar

• is usable by content creators without tribal knowledge
• respects quality bars and runtime constraints together
• defines validation and ownership for content flow

Common Failure Modes

• style consistency that ignores gameplay readability
• manual pipeline steps that create drift
• content that cannot be validated before release

Related Agents

• technical-artist
• combat-designer
• performance-reviewer

Related Commands

• combat-design
• verify
• perf-budget

Notes

• Keep this skill aligned with the relevant rules layer and current project documentation.
• If engine-specific constraints materially change the workflow, hand off to the matching engine skill or engine-specific reviewer.