Portal of Life
Demo
This VFX, based on Unreal Niagara, was inspired by the portal effects in Doctor Strange. I incorporated some elements reminiscent of life energy and water drop.
Circulating particles
This Niagara System has two emitters: one produces particles that move in a circular motion; the other creates a vortex-like material screen in the center of the portal.
To enable the particles to move in a circular motion, I primarily utilized nodes such as 'position -> vector' and 'direction length safe' in Scratch Pad to ensure the particles spawned maintain a certain distance from the center of the circle and generate a velocity vector perpendicular to the radius.
By adjusting the speed, gravity, and drag settings, I achieved an effect where the particles splash like droplets of water. Additionally, some droplets shoot out under the influence of centrifugal force, adding more dynamism to the portal. Color-wise, I opted for organically vibrant shades of blue and green.
Center Material
A hallmark of portals is a central region where space appears warped. To capture this essence, I positioned a singular, continuously present particle at the heart of the portal, scaling it to a significant size. It's designed to gauge the portal's radius, seamlessly occupying the full expanse.
In a bid to align with the 'water droplets' motif, I aimed to craft a whirlpool texture for the centerpiece particle. To this end, I tweaked a Sphere Mask texture, ensuring it underwent a perpetual rotation as time progressed