The Magic of VFX

The latest Fateless Podcast is packed with explosive insights, literally! This week, host Brad is joined by Dirk, Damon, and a special guest, Brian Venzen, the newest addition to the team. Brian is the lead VFX artist at Fateless, bringing years of experience from industry giants like Ubisoft, Telltale, and Nintendo. Together, they break down the art of visual effects (VFX), how they shape the feel of Godforge, and what it takes to bring a hero's abilities to life.

Brian kicks off by explaining the core role of VFX in gaming. VFX is everything that happens between interactions whether it's a gunshot, an explosion, or a hero unleashing a god-tier ability.

For example, if a hero casts a fireball, VFX ensures you don't just see a number pop up, but actually feel the power of the attack. Flames roar, embers scatter, and the battlefield is left scarred from the impact. It's this kind of visual storytelling that makes every ability in Godforge feel impactful and satisfying.

Ever wondered how long it takes to create those stunning VFX moments? Brad asks Brian about the time and effort that goes into crafting a hero's abilities.

• Simple effects (like a campfire) can take a few hours.
• More complex abilities (like a hero's ultimate) can take 4-5 days of work.
• Everything goes through multiple passes—starting with basic movement and timing, followed by detail passes, and finally a polish phase where everything comes together.

The process also involves tight collaboration between VFX, animation, and game design to ensure everything looks and feels right.

Dirk, who has experience with game design and implementation, jumps in to explain his role. While Brian and Damon craft the VFX, Dirk ensures it fits seamlessly into the gameplay. If an ability takes too long, he fine-tunes the timing without losing the intended visual impact.

Creating an RPG-style hero game means balancing quality with quantity. Some similar games launch with around 50-90 heroes, but Godforge is aiming much higher.

Why not just release fewer heroes with insane visuals? Some games have done that, but it often backfires when abilities take too long to play out. Players end up skipping flashy animations after just a week of playing.

Damon explains that Godforge's approach is different:

• Basic abilities take about 1 second
• Core abilities take 2 seconds
• Ultimates max out at 5 seconds, ensuring they remain exciting but not disruptive

By keeping a tight, responsive gameplay loop, players always feel in control while still experiencing epic, high-impact visuals.

As the team builds more heroes, their workflow speeds up. Instead of starting from scratch, they reuse and modify existing assets.

• A spear ability can be re-skinned with fire for another hero.
• Smoke and explosions can be tweaked instead of being rebuilt.
• The VFX team's library grows, letting them focus on innovation rather than reinventing the wheel.

This smart development process allows the team to create a massive roster without sacrificing quality or uniqueness.

At the end of the podcast, Brad asks Brian the fun question:

Which hero, legend, or mythical figure would you love to bring to life in Godforge?

Brian's first answer was Icarus, but he's already been leaked! So after thinking a bit more, he throws out an unexpected but awesome choice—the Predator from Alien vs. Predator.

Damon, Dirk, and Brad love the idea, and the team jokingly considers how to make it happen. While Predator isn't officially confirmed, it highlights the kind of iconic and mythical characters Godforge aims to bring into the game.

This week's podcast gave a deep dive into the world of VFX, showing how visual effects, animations, and gameplay all work together to create an immersive and exciting player experience.

• VFX artists like Brian and Damon craft abilities that feel powerful and satisfying.
• Game designers like Dirk ensure everything flows smoothly in gameplay.
• The team is focused on delivering high-quality, impactful heroes while keeping the gameplay fast and engaging.

With over 200 heroes planned, Godforge is shaping up to be a truly massive experience. If you want to see more behind-the-scenes insights, make sure to join the conversation in Discord and drop your thoughts in the comments!