Unreal Engine 5 - Electric Material

[@hristozafirov7110]

This is way too expensive to use in a game. 2 generative nodes in a single material for just that simple effect. To get the same line you can use a texcoord node masked in G, then subtract 0.5 from it, run it though ABS and Power, use the power to have it sharper or smoother then use smoothstep node if you wanna make wider or slimmer. And it's the same as the band generator but it does not generate anything at runtime. It is precalculated. Then to make it like a lightning just add a low res noise texture and instead of panner just add time to it to keep it as cheap as it can get. Your material can also be additive instead of translucent. Or even masked id you're going for a more stylised (sharper) look. And for the best result make a Niagara system spawning a couple sprites facing the camera so that you will get the best result no matter the angle you're looking at it. You can also use texcoord and add a random value in the niagara using a dynamic parameter to make it random for each lightning.

[@metalman123456]

On the noise texture though where do you add it?

[@noisegrindercn]

The band generator is just a material function, and if you open it up you can see it does pretty much what you described. But I agree with that the prodedural noise node is really expensive and it's better off using a low-res texture sample.

[@eldflaug3770]

great thank you! it is good that you explain everything so well, It is easy to understand what we are doing and why :D

[@CodeLikeMe]

You're very welcome!

[@youngjinjeong4733]

thank you!!!! very much!!!

[@megtwin]

Really nice and exactly what I was looking for, thanks!

[@CodeLikeMe]

Glad I could help!

[@dschannel5279]

thank you so much

[@WolfloW_Official]

how do you make it so the ends of the electricity start at one point?

[@nacho6247]

Solo funciona si se agrega a un plano que hago si quiero agregarlo a un cilindro? (cuerda)

[@fullyguilty]

Your tutorials are very helpful, although I have a small problem with the previews when using the Panner. Yours clearly seem emissive, while mine are just flat white without a glow around it. Is there anything I need to change within settings or whatever to get the preview as you're showing it? Many thanks in advance! Keep up the good work!

[@carlosvalencia2763]

Try turning on the "Bloom" option in your Unreal Engine project settings

[@monjamarek9057]

Hello, thank you very much for your tutorial. Do you know what I have to adjust so that the electric wave does not interrupt, but continues to wave without a break? Kind regards. :)

[@CycleverseGames]

That is really cool. I didn't know about the GeneratedBand node so I would have started experimenting with Niagara trails. Are there any rules for determining which effects to produce in materials rather than Niagara?

[@CodeLikeMe]

well, when it comes to changing size, colors, opacity with time, which is often the case with effects, we have to use the particle system. But for the base look, we can rely on the material.

[@badbrat]

helping content

[@anirudhsingh6553]

if those streaks emitted light on the landscape or the cilynders it would have benn much better

[@noah8162]

it does, with UE5 if you use lumen lighting then emissive materials (like his lightning) will cast light on nearby surfaces

[@flyingroads3498]

thanks again

[@CodeLikeMe]

Always welcome

[@PhatNguyen-cu2bx]

FIRST!