Hi guys, I’m Ashif Ali, and you’re watching CGHOW!
In today’s video, I’ll show you how to create a simple rotating trails effect in Unreal Engine 5. If you haven’t subscribed to my channel yet, please do so. And if you like this video, don’t forget to like, share, and comment. Now, let’s dive into the tutorial!
Step 1: Set Up Your Niagara Effect
Start by creating a new Niagara effect.
Disable the “Pause” process if it’s on.
Enable GPU for better performance and adjust the particle count to 1000.
Make sure there’s no gravity or velocity.
Step 2: Location and Animation
Set the particle location to 100, or adjust as needed.
Animate the scale location offset. For example, add a sine wave for X-axis animation with a value like 100 to move particles along the X-axis.
Add a cosine for the Z-axis to create a ring shape.
Use a radius animation to control the particle movement, adjusting the sine curve for better control.
Step 3: Particle Size and Color
Set the particle life to 1.4 seconds and increase the spawn rate to 10,000.
For color, I recommend green with a slight alpha fade to make them look more dynamic.
Add noise to the particles for added variation.
Step 4: Refining the Look
Adjust the particle rate and alpha transparency to make the effect smoother.
Add a card noise for texture variation.
Set an initial bright color and make it fade over time to simulate the desired effect.
Randomize particle life between 1.5 and 2 seconds for variety.
Step 5: Adding Layers for Variation
Duplicate the particle layers for more complexity.
Adjust the size and spawn rate of each layer to create variations.
Use different material setups for more interesting looks. (I’ll cover creating a star material in another tutorial, so check that out on CGHOW).
Step 6: Final Touches
Add post-processing effects like bloom and grading to enhance the visual quality.
Use a contrast adjustment to make the particles stand out more.
Step 7: Rotation and Final Effect
Duplicate the Niagara effect, rotate it 90 degrees, and adjust as necessary.
Now you’ll have overlapping trails that create a beautiful rotating effect.
Step 8: Additional Effects
Copy the blurry layer and adjust the sphere size to 500 for a larger effect.
Use a sharp fading radius for added realism.
Experiment with camera offset to adjust the view.
And that’s it! This is how the effect will look in Unreal Engine 5. I hope you found this tutorial helpful.
I am Ashif Ali, Real-Time VFX Artist, I make Unreal Engine Niagara Tutorial on this channel. I've made it my mission to share my knowledge and expertise with the world through my YouTube channel. So why not join me on this exciting adventure? Follow me on my social links, subscribe to my channel, and support my growth as a creator. Together, we can create amazing things and take our skills to new heights. And who knows, you might even get access to some of my exclusive files for free!