Hey Unreal community!
I’ve been working on a UE5 project and recently dove deep into using Niagara for visual effects. It’s incredibly powerful and fun to use—but I’ve hit a wall when it comes to performance optimization. Some of my effects look amazing, but they’re tanking the frame rate on lower-end machines.
I’m hoping some of you with more Niagara experience can help answer a few questions or share best practices:
1. Particle Count and GPU Budget:
- How do you usually calculate or estimate a “safe” particle count per scene? Is there a general rule for balancing looks vs performance?
2. Niagara System LODs:
- I’ve seen that Niagara supports LODs, but I’m not sure how to properly set them up for different hardware specs or camera distances. Are there any real-world examples or templates you’d recommend?
3. Update Frequency and Culling:
- Is reducing update frequency a good idea for background VFX? Also, how do you handle culling or deactivating effects that are off-screen or far away?
4. Common Pitfalls:
- Are there any rookie mistakes I should watch out for when working with complex Niagara systems?
I’m mainly targeting PC, but I’d eventually like to port this to consoles. So I want to build smart and optimize early.
Any advice, resources, or project examples would be super appreciated.
Thanks in advance to anyone who shares their wisdom—this community is the best.