Everything you need to follow along with MadVFX courses. Recommended software, setup guides, and the tools we use in production every day.
The primary software used across our courses and in professional game VFX pipelines. You'll need at least one of these to get started.
The industry standard for simulation-based VFX. Used for fire, smoke, fluid, destruction, and procedural content generation. Houdini Apprentice (free) works for learning; Indie license recommended for production.
Our primary real-time engine. Niagara particle system, material editor, Lumen, Nanite — all the tools you need to build and iterate on VFX in-engine. Free to download and use.
Specialized tools and systems within the engine that we use daily. These are built into UE5 or available as plugins.
Unreal's next-gen particle system. Node-based, GPU-accelerated, and incredibly flexible. This is where most of your real-time VFX work will happen. No separate install required.
Node-based shader creation for VFX. Dissolves, distortion, flow maps, scrolling textures, and custom particle shaders. Essential for polished effects.
Complementary tools for texturing, compositing, reference capture, and pipeline work. Not always required but highly recommended.
Used for creating and editing VFX textures — smoke atlases, noise maps, gradient ramps, and flipbook sheets. Alternatives like GIMP or Affinity Photo also work.
Free, professional-grade video editing and color grading. Great for analyzing reference footage, building breakdown reels, and compositing VFX captures.
Industry-standard version control for game development. Essential for team-based workflows and how most studios manage Unreal projects. Free for small teams.
Lightweight image board for organizing visual references. Pin reference photos, breakdowns, and style targets on an infinite canvas. Critical for the reference-first workflow.
What you need to run these tools comfortably. Houdini simulations and UE5 are demanding — invest in GPU and RAM first.
Houdini Apprentice and Unreal Engine 5 are both free. You can follow most courses without spending anything on software.
For real-time VFX, your graphics card matters more than your processor. Prioritize GPU upgrades if you're on a budget.
Not sure about your setup? Drop your specs in our Discord and the community will help you figure out what works.
Start learning with the Realistic VFX Masterclass or explore our full course catalog.