Real time Destruction in Houdini & Unreal Engine 5 - Episode 2 Unreal Engine

Project files: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TlFeroJd1JuPL6t5tFWqZyGQv88q-hVQ/view?usp=sharing

This tutorial was created in collaboration with SideFX as part of the Houdini Ignite Workshop Seoul 2025. https://www.sidefx.com/houdini-hive/ignite-workshop-seoul/

This tutorial explores efficient, scalable techniques for large-object destruction in game cutscenes and other scenarios where traditional methods—such as creating separate fractures for each material layer and managing complex constraint networks—are either too slow or result in caches that are too heavy for real-time use.
Fracture complex meshes while decoupling geometric detail from simulation detail

Simulate RBD (rigid body dynamics) at low resolution and transfer the results to a high-poly mesh

Simulate debris and export variable piece-count caches using VAT (Vertex Animation Textures)

Simulate smoke and get tips and tricks for using Heterogeneous Volumes in Unreal Engine

You will benefit from this tutorial if you are a Technical Artist or FX Artist with an interest in games and real time graphics. A basic familiarity with Houdini tools (SOPs, ROPs, Game Labs tools) and Unreal Engine 5 (Scene layout, Materials) is assumed.
References
Allar. (2022). Gamemakin UE4 style guide. GitHub. https://github.com/Allar/ue5-style-guide
Cavkic, I. (2021). houdini building destruction [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_-mPYxX7-Y
SideFX. (2023). Labs Vertex Animation Textures 3.0 guide. ArtStation. https://www.artstation.com/artwork/zOyke6

Copyright notes
1.Music by Anastasia Chubarova from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/music/traditional-jazz-jazz-cafe-164940/
2.Music by Nver Avetyan from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/ja/music/stylish-deep-electronic-262632/
3.Music by TaWiPoP from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/id/music/ketukan-jungle-flow-338786/
4.Music by Oleg Kirilkov Productions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-ktj9WNJWI

Видео Real time Destruction in Houdini & Unreal Engine 5 - Episode 2 Unreal Engine канала Meta Meow