Reallusion continues its legacy of advancing character design and animation workflows across premier 3D software platforms. With the introduction of Unreal Engine 5.4, Reallusion proudly presents CC UE Control Rig, empowering Unreal Engine users to seamlessly animate CC characters using the familiar Metahuman interface for full-body animations. To mark this milestone, Reallusion is releasing two complimentary sample characters, Nia and Kevin, which can now be downloaded for free.
The CC Control Rig, meticulously crafted using Unreal Blueprint, is compatible with both Unreal Engine versions 5.3 and 5.4. It can be effortlessly integrated with essential tools including CC Auto Setup and Unreal Live Link to streamline the workflow from Character Creator to Unreal. Direct character transfer, automatic digital human shader assignment, and simplified control rig setup are just a few of the benefits that CC UE Control Rig adds to the developer’s arsenal.
CC characters enable a versatile character and motion ecosystem powered by Reallusion offerings
Despite Unreal Engine 5.4’s recent introduction of UE Modular Control Rig and notable advancements in Metahuman animation, preparing fully customized or original IP characters for UE animation remains difficult. Addressing this challenge head-on, Character Creator offers unparalleled freedom in character customization, streamlined ZBrush pipeline integration, and access to the diverse Reallusion content ecosystem. By employing CC topology, full auto-rigged characters, whether they be realistic humans, cartoon personas, or humanoids, can be smoothly transferred into Unreal Engine.
Beyond characters, Reallusion provides an extensive array of ActorCore mocap animations. Once a suitable motion pack is chosen, dynamic animations within iClone can be effortlessly deployed or generated. These animations can then seamlessly import into Unreal via LiveLink or FBX, resulting in substantial time savings in production.
Complete support for the CC3+, AccuRIG, and ActorCore crowd characters
Aside from providing extensive support for CC characters, the CC UE Control Rig also accommodates custom-made models by having biped models undergo the automatic rigging process in AccuRIG. Moreover, when dealing with large 3D crowds, movements of low-poly characters sourced from ActorCore can be tweaked using the UE Control Rig, enabling adjustments to facial expressions and body movements. By integrating these capabilities with CC mesh decimation tools and iClone Crowd Simulator, massive crowd simulations can be readily incorporated into any project at minimal production cost and time.
Fulfilling the needs of final-stretch production in Unreal Engine
The CC UE Control Rig empowers directors and animators to effortlessly refine CC characters’ facial expressions and postures within Unreal Engine for the ultimate polish on a finished production. This tool facilitates smooth integration of characters into their environments, precise interaction with objects, and even reach constraints such as hand or foot placement on moving vehicles. Moreover, harnessing CC characters enhances the creation of expressive talking animations, realistic wrinkle dynamics, and refined body and gesture controls.
Charles Chen, Reallusion CEO, notes: “Our long-term aim has been for CC to stand as the premier solution for original, animatable characters in Unreal. With the introduction of CC UE Control Rig, we’ve taken the final step towards full CC character integration to achieve that vision.”
Free Reallusion plugin and sample projects are accessible to all enthusiasts
CC UE Control Rig is a complimentary plugin accessible for download on the UE Marketplace. To encourage widespread adoption to the robust and practical features of CC UE Control Rig, Reallusion is providing two sample projects, Kein & Nia, for free download.
