So the only way for me to add visual effects to my game is through making the effect in a third-party software, exporting it as a PNG sequence and then pasting it into the engine I am working in right now. The effects I want to learn how to create are similar to these: one, two, three and four. I know that you can (somehow) make them in After Effects but it is too expensive for me. So I want a similar software but a little cheaper. The problem is that I don't even know where to find it. If I google for "After Effects alternatives" I will only get software that is focused to create film effects. If I google "best vfx software for games" I will get Blender and 3d Max which is not appropriate (probably) for cartoon-ish style vfxs that I want. So:
- How can I find software for making visual effects like splashes, explosions, flashes for games?
- Are Blender / 3d Max really appropriate here?
- How these effects are called properly? Visual effects or particle effects or animation?