Riot Games Reveals the Magic Behind VFX in Pantheon, Senna, and Aphelios
Riot Games, the creators of League of Legends, are known for their stunning visual effects (VFX) in the game. From the tornadoes created by Yasuo’s abilities to the explosive indicators of Ziggs’ ultimate, Riot Games’ FX team has mastered the art of incorporating VFX into champions to enhance gameplay and create a visual spectacle.
Today, Riot’s FX team discussed the process behind adding these finishing touches to three champions: Pantheon, Senna, and Aphelios.
VFX: The Fourth Step in Riot’s Character Creation Process
When it comes to creating champions, VFX plays a crucial role. According to Riot, VFX is the fourth step in their character creation process. After the champions are animated and brought to life, it is time to add flair to their abilities through visually stunning effects. This year alone, League of Legends players have been introduced to five new champions and enjoyed four champion reworks.
“The [FX] team completed 24 unique skins that needed some kind of VFX treatment, for a total of 33 exciting new FX skins in League,” Riot stated.
Bringing Pantheon to Life: A Fusion of Astral and Physical Elements
The FX team faced the challenge of blending Pantheon’s astral background with his physical prowess. In Pantheon’s base skin, his VFX includes scattered specs of light that allude to the constellation and star shapes associated with Targon-based champions.
Senna: Shadows and Clarity
Senna was another champion that required careful VFX design. The FX team used stencil techniques to give her shadowy, Black Mist effects while ensuring that players can clearly see her skills. The goal was to immerse players in the shroud without compromising their ability to see their surroundings.
Aphelios: Juggling Five Unique Weapons
Aphelios presented a unique challenge for the FX team. With five distinct weapons, each weapon needed its own attack effects. Additionally, individual effects had to be created for each possible combination of weapons. As a result, Aphelios boasts a staggering 147 different VFX in his base skin.
Riot also released isolated videos showcasing the base VFX of each champion along with a closer look at their release skins. Pantheon’s Dragonslayer skin update highlights the massive wings and fire trail in his ultimate ability. Senna’s True Damage skin showcases popping shapes, halftone treatment, and chromatic aberration. In Aphelios’ Nightbringer skin, Riot draws attention to the tiny hands that appear when he uses his gravity gun to grab targets.
Riot’s discussion on VFX is part of their Art Blast series on Artstation, where they explore various art disciplines. Tomorrow, they will conclude this project with a pre-season reveal.
Riot Games, VFX, champions, League of Legends, Pantheon, Senna, Aphelios, visual effects, gameplay, character creation, skins, base skin, Dragonslayer, True Damage, Nightbringer