Problem 1 Figure out how to bring custom mesh inside MetaHuman creator, groom and style the character. 

Problem 2 Figure out how to export MetaHuman from UE5 to Maya

Problem 3 Figure out how to get 2 Metahumans to work inside Maya with both FK and IK systems and have CTRLs
Problem 4 I only have 2 weeks to get those 3 problems figured out or our capstone will be cut

 

Context: I have no prior knowledge using MetaHuman. My director and I wanted to use MetaHuman because we thought it would be a great learning experience for us to know and use this tool (plus my professor said I should go give it a go and I can figure it out :) (Props to him for having so much faith in me)

Step 1: Google. Lots of googling/youtube-ing around, lots of asking questions / finding information in forums and discord groups. 

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Problem 1 was able to be solved pretty easily after I stumbled a couple of video tutorial where the artist was able to import custom character mesh inside MetaHumans. 

Actual Step 1: Inside Epic Games Launcher,

                     Install MetaHumans and MetaHumans Plugin.

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Step 2: Inside Unreal Engine

           Plugins -> Enable Metahumans
           Log in to Quixel Bridge -> Make sure to have a metahuman account. 

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Now the fun part: 

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Step 3: Import mesh as FBX/OBJ (if model is made of multiple meshes -> combine meshes)
* if it is a dense mesh (200,000 verts and above) use OBJ for faster import time *

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Step 4: Create MetaHuman identity

           Add -> MetaHuman -> MetaHuman Identity

           Double Click Node

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Step 5: Components from Mesh -> Char Asset 
(Click the 3 horizontal lines) -> Field of view -> 20 (less distortion, frame char's face)

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Step 6: Select neutral pose -> promote frame -> Auto Tracking On

           -> Lock camera (allows you to zoom in)

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Step 7: Open outliner -> Move tracker on face.

           CTRL + LMB to add points

           selecting lines -> move tracker

           LMB -> deselect

           RMB -> move screen

           wireframe + colored topology -> click metahuman identity solve

                                                          -> Toggle B

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Step 8: Select body -> body geo -> mesh to Metahuman

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Bring up Metahuman website, your metahuman should appear right away 

custom mesh -> fix influence

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Problem 2 was able to be solved pretty easily too because there was a video tutorial from a technical artist from Epic Games. 

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Step 1: Download Quixel Bridge. In the settings, change to DirectX rendering engine and make sure to restart Maya.

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Step 2: In the Quixel Bridge plugins, download the lastest plugins for UE5 and Maya

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Step 3: MetaHumans -> My MetaHumans -> select Metahumanidentity

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Step 4: Click the 3 horizontal lines

           Go to download settings -> models

           Megascans -> FBX 
           MetaHumans -> UAsset + Source Asset
           Export Target -> Maya

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Step 5: *Do the same exact setting in export settings*

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Step 6: When Maya is open 

            Quixel -> Export (It will export to the new maya scene)

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*It wont work if you have 2 Maya scenes running, it only works with a single maya scene*

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Problem 3 took longer for me to figure out as I has to do a bunch of research on how to get a MetaHuman rig to work inside Maya, and to make it animator friendly because when the metahuman rig gets imported into Maya, it only has FK joints and has no controllers. I tried to add NURBs circles and constraint it to the joints in hopes that it can work as a controller but unfortunately, I broke the file multiple times, until I spent hours down a rabbit hole and found out that an Advanced Skeleton Rig is able to drive a MetaHuman rig. 

Step 1: Make sure you have downloaded and exported a metahuman rig into Maya and download the Advanced Skeleton Rigging Tool

 

Step 2: Open Advanced Skeleton Rig

 

Step 3: Tools -> Name Matcher

 

Step 4: Templates -> Metahuman

 

Step 5: Function -> Create + Place Fit Skeleton

 

Step 6: Build Advanced Skeleton

 

Step 7: Constraint to joints.

 

Problem 4 solved! 

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With this problem solved, I was able to add additional rigs for my diver character on top of the MetaHuman rigs and the targeted Advanced Skeleton rigs.

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Here is a wiggle test control for the rig.