This R&D combines Blueprint gameplay logic with pre-simulated Houdini animation, with the main focus on using a VAT (Vertex Animation Texture) workflow to play complex simulations efficiently in Unreal Engine.

The simulation is created and cached in Houdini, then exported to Unreal using VAT, allowing the effect to run in real time with significantly lower runtime simulation cost.

Using Blueprints, I control the VAT playback and timing based on gameplay events such as shooting, impacts, and damage. This makes it possible to trigger, pause, restart, or control the simulation in response to player interaction.

The main goal was to combine the visual complexity of an offline Houdini simulation with a fast and efficient real-time gameplay workflow inside Unreal Engine.