From stunning visuals to technically challenging effects, John knows what it takes to bring worlds to life! With over 10 years at Ubisoft Toronto, he has worked on numerous AAA projects such as Splinter Cell Blacklist and three Far Cry titles. Read on to learn more about what went into the visuals for Far Cry 6: Lost Between Worlds, what the art community at UbiTO is like, and what real-life cheat code he wishes he could have.
Hey John, what do you do as a Special Effects Artist? And what’s your favourite thing about your role?
As a special effects artist, I create visual art in motion for the world in video games. It can be as small as sparks or smoke, or larger features such as clouds, waterfalls, and magical elements. My favourite part of my role is seeing the characters and the world looking more vibrant and full of life when my work is complete! Of course, I must emphasize that I don’t do this alone and that the end result is achieved as a team.
How long have you been at Ubisoft Toronto and what drew you to the studio?
I have been at Ubisoft Toronto for just over 10 years! It all started with Splinter Cell Blacklist, which had just kicked off production when I joined. Ubisoft has created a lot of exciting game products over a few decades, and I wanted to be a part of its productions, to know and to feel how it’s made!
FAR CRY 6: LOST BETWEEN WORLDS
What did you work on for the Lost Between Worlds expansion? Can you shed some light on you and your team’s process behind the work and what the result was?
This expansion was the result of strong, collaborative effort between many teams. The biggest challenge we faced was that we set out to create something new and unique within the world of Far Cry 6, which meant it had no set shape or form in the beginning. It was through discussion and collaboration with various teams (technical art and design, lighting, level design, VFX, and more!) that concepts began to take shape and we were able to crystalize different versions.
Here are some examples of visuals we achieved that were the most fun, challenging, and memorable to work on:
Fai
Fai is a non-corporeal intelligence that Dani finds themselves trapped with in a fractured variation of Yara. The goal was to imbue Fai — this glowing ball of light —with energy and emotion, to give it character, and create the impression of a living, breathing lifeform. One VFX challenge we encountered was creating its “orbiting effects.” In the beginning, we tried to use GPU particles but that didn’t work out and we had to find alternative solutions. Ultimately, we used what we learned with the portal textures to create the effect.”
Portals
In Lost Between Worlds, portals are the gateways to the Rifts. These portals were a fun challenge to translate something from 2D concept art into a 3D object. There were several things we had to consider when creating these. We wanted each portal to look slightly different in the spread of cracks of light suspended in midair. They had to look good in 360-degrees from a distance and up close. We also used strong distortion FX in the centre of the portals to create the effect of energy being sucked from outside the portal into its core to give players the feeling of being drawn in.
Surging Shard ‘Crystals’
In the Surging Shard Rift, Dani collects a shard that’s constantly increasing in energy. These obelisk “discharge zones” allow Dani to release power from the shard before it gets overloaded and explodes. While the concept was crystal-clear 😉, it was a technical challenge to create these beams of light, and the effect of the shard discharging, overloading and destructing. In addition to that, clear vision from the level design team and support from the object bank team (they supply the objects that populate the world) were integral parts of making these “discharge zones” possible.
Underwater visual effects
Another technical challenge was working on the Sunken Esperanza Rift. Everything in this map was vastly different from other maps as everything had to be rendered as if it was underwater. There was much to consider with how underwater post FX would be overlaid over every FX such as oxygen bubbles, light rays, underwater explosion and more. Not only was everything tinted in blue and distorted, the speed of FX had to make sense as if they are appearing under the water. One issue we encountered was the light rays that passed through the water. It took up a lot of screen space which meant more pixels to render that resulted in low frames per second. To solve this issue, the lighting team and I had to minimize light ray elements that overlaps each other and then placed them strategically where player has most chances to see them. It was a lot of fun working closely with the lighting team to tackle these challenges.
What about working on this expansion has you fired up?
Far Cry DLCs and expansions always think out of the box and have exciting gameplay but the Lost Between Worlds expansion has tripled my excitement as this is the first expansion after the main game, which gives players a continued linear journey.
As a player, I very much enjoyed the sci-fi theme and unorthodox ideas the expansion offers. As part of the Toronto VFX team, we were fully able to leverage our artistic creativity and skill, and it reinforced our ability as one team. I am proud to be a part of the team.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
What did you do before working at Ubisoft Toronto? How did you break into the video game industry?
Originally, I studied graphic design and was always interested in 3D elements inspired by the cubism art. After a post-graduate program for 3D animation and VFX at Sheridan, I got my start in the video game industry at Silicon Knights, a studio in St. Catherines, where I worked on X-Men Destiny and an unannounced project as a VFX Artist. If I were to describe my career journey visually, it was a series of connected actions that led to a dot becoming a line, then a facet, and eventually a 3-dimensional object.
Any favourite projects you’ve worked on or are proudest of?
Splinter Cell Blacklist is one that’s been imprinted in my mind. It’s not only my favourite project but it was also my first project in Ubisoft Toronto.
Production was a well-oiled machine! Project managers ensured that every team was well connected and that everyone had a clear picture of what we needed to do to reach every milestone. I still remember, the flow of artistic passion and the high level of collaboration amongst our team was incredible. Reaching each milestone and shipping the game was very satisfying. It’s something any Ubisoft Torontonian can be proud of!
What are some tips you’d give to someone hoping to land a similar role to yours?
In my opinion, there is no definitive answer, but if I must pick something, I’d say focus on the basics. Basics of art theory, artistic skills and 3D skills will build a good foundation for any roles. Then, practice the niche you’re interested in every day.
LIFE AT UBISOFT TORONTO
Can you describe the art community within Ubisoft Toronto?
Ubisoft Toronto has an ultra-strong art community! At the end of every project, I am always amazed at the level of artistic skill that everyone has and the work we achieve as a team. We motivate each other to become better but also inspire each other at the same time. Most importantly, we never stop sharing what we have learned at the end of the day.
BONUS
If life were a video game, what cheat code would you want?
“Uber” was a debug command that gave players every gadget they needed. Imagine how helpful that’d be! If I needed breakfast, I wouldn’t have to make it, I can just type it and get it.
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People of Ubisoft Toronto is a series featuring studio members from a variety of projects and backgrounds as they share their experiences at our studio, perspective of the video game industry and, perhaps, even a sneak peek of what they’re working on! 😉
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