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Characters for Unreal: Character Creator 5 Meets MetaHuman

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Introduction: Where Cinematic Vision Meets Character Technology

In today’s real-time production landscape, the ability to create your own character with speed, precision, and cinematic intent has become essential for previs, virtual production, and modern filmmaking. At the forefront of this evolution is Final Form Studios, led by director and in-camera VFX specialist Stephen Wilcox, alongside producer and creative director Shiho Moriya.

Based in Tokyo, the husband-and-wife team blends cutting-edge 3D animation software with a filmmaker’s eye and a producer’s discipline. While Wilcox drives technical innovation through Character Creator 5, iClone 8, and Unreal Engine, Moriya oversees creative and production workflows end to end—ensuring that every character, scene, and previs sequence communicates emotional clarity and practical intent. Together, they have built a pipeline that transforms early ideas into director-ready visuals, helping creators reach their own “final form” long before cameras roll.

Stephen Wilcox

Stephen Wilcox is a director and in-camera VFX specialist with 7 years of experience using Unreal Engine for previsualization, LED virtual production, and real-time pipelines.

Based in Tokyo, he has led previs and LED virtual production for Japan’s largest TV/film studios, international DJ tours, and high-profile branded content.

With a background in cinematography, Stephen brings a filmmaker’s eye to cutting-edge CG workflows, blending creative direction with technical precision. His work bridges the gap between directors and technical teams, ensuring the entire production crew is aligned from previs to post.

Shiho Moriya

Shiho Moriya is a bilingual (Japanese/English) producer and creative director based in Tokyo. She oversees both creative and production workflows across live-action and CG projects.

With a background in visual design and a strong artistic eye, Shiho brings a refined aesthetic and emotional clarity to every project. She manages the full production pipeline from concept development to final delivery, blending creative vision with clear communication and technical precision.

Her ultimate goal is to help every client and creator reach their own “final form.” She listens deeply, identifies creative and logistical challenges, and acts as a bridge between vision and execution, ensuring every idea is both beautifully realized and practically delivered.

Stephen Wilcox and Final Form Studios

Stephen Wilcox is a director and in-camera VFX specialist with over seven years of experience using Unreal Engine for previs, LED virtual production, and real-time pipelines. Based in Tokyo, he has led previs and virtual production workflows for Japan’s largest film and television studios, international DJ tours, and global branded campaigns.

Unlike purely technical CG vendors, Final Form Studios was built from a cinematography-first mindset. Wilcox and his team understand how previs must serve directors, DPs, and on-set crews—not just technical departments.

“We don’t just make things look good. We make them work on set.”

Stephen Wilcox – CEO of FINAL FORM LIMITED / FOUNDER / DIRECTOR

Why Previs Demands Better Characters

Traditional previs often relies on low-detail proxy models or default characters that fail to communicate tone, emotion, or scale. This disconnect can lead to:

  • Misaligned creative expectations
  • Inefficient LED stage planning
  • Expensive revisions during production

Final Form Studios addresses this by upgrading previs characters into near-final digital doubles, ensuring everyone—from directors to lighting teams—shares the same visual language early in the process.

Below we show the original MetaHuman characters that were used in the first draft of the previs.

From MetaHuman Previs to Director-Ready Characters

MetaHuman Creator has become a popular starting point for Unreal Engine previs due to its speed and realism. However, Wilcox found limitations when MetaHumans were pushed beyond early blocking stages.

Common challenges included:

  • Limited body proportion control
  • Clothing layering issues
  • Reduced flexibility for stylized or cinematic character bases

This is where Reallusion Character Creator 5 (CC5) morphing technology becomes transformative.

Character Creator 5: A True Human Creator for Previs

Character Creator 5 functions as a powerful character designer and character base generator, allowing artists to rapidly iterate on both realistic and stylized humans while maintaining clean topology and animation-ready rigs.

CC5’s ActorMixer: Fast Foundations

Wilcox begins his workflow using the Character Creator 5 ActorMixer, blending multiple body and head presets to quickly establish believable proportions.

This approach allows teams to:

  • Match character silhouettes to casting intent
  • Adjust anatomy for camera angles
  • Create multiple variants without starting from scratch

For previs, this means characters instantly feel intentional rather than generic.

Facial Control Beyond MetaHuman

While MetaHuman Creator excels at realism, Character Creator 5 offers deeper facial slider control, enabling finer adjustments for:

  • Age progression
  • Facial asymmetry
  • Emotional readability at mid and wide shots

These subtleties are crucial for previs where performance and blocking must read clearly—even before final casting decisions are made.

https://www.reallusion.com/ContentStore/Character-Creator/Pack/Headshot-Morph-1000/

Character Creator’s HD Face control gives you fine-grained control at the same level you’d expect inside MetaHuman Creator—jaw, lips, cheeks, brows, eye micro-movement—but with the added benefit of being fully editable before you ever hit Unreal. For previs and director reviews, that’s huge. We can iterate on performance, test facial beats in iClone, and walk into Unreal Engine with characters that already feel locked creatively.

For Unreal Engine teams, it removes friction. You’re not rebuilding performances or rethinking rigs—you’re just pushing creative decisions forward faster, with more control and a lot more flexibility across different pipelines.

“What changed the game for us with Character Creator 5 is how closely the facial control system now aligns with MetaHuman. You’re working with a comparable facial skeleton and a dense, production-ready control set, which means facial animation, lip sync animation, and mocap data translate cleanly without fighting the rig.”

Stephen Wilcox – CEO of FINAL FORM LIMITED / FOUNDER / DIRECTOR

Hair and Facial Hair Layering

One of Character Creator’s standout advantages is its layered hair system. Instead of relying on single groom assets, Wilcox stacks multiple hair elements to create fuller, more cinematic silhouettes.

This is especially useful when:

  • Matching concept art
  • Supporting harsh or stylized lighting
  • Preparing characters for LED volume environments

Clothing That Actually Works: MetaTailor → CC5

Clothing often breaks previs pipelines. Poor layering, clipping, or rigid deformation can undermine otherwise strong character work.

Final Form Studios uses MetaTailor, then imports garments into Character Creator 5, where:

  • Clothing layers correctly
  • Weight painting behaves predictably
  • Garments remain animation-ready

This eliminates hours of manual cleanup and ensures characters remain usable throughout production.

Metatailor
Clothing inside Character Creator

iClone 8: Animation and Performance Refinement

Once characters are finalized in CC5, they move into iClone 8 for performance testing and motion polish.

Facial Tests and Lip Sync Animation

iClone enables rapid lip sync animation and facial testing—critical for previs dialogue scenes. Directors can evaluate:

  • Emotional timing
  • Eye direction
  • Performance clarity

Without waiting on final animation passes.

Motion Capture Cleanup and Blocking

Wilcox emphasizes controller-friendly blocking, allowing directors to iterate on performance beats before committing to high-fidelity motion capture.

This hybrid approach combines:

  • Mocap realism
  • Animator control
  • Fast iteration cycles

Sending Everything Cleanly into Unreal Engine 5.6

One of Reallusion’s biggest strengths is its clean Unreal Engine pipeline, which includes the free Unreal Auto Setup tool that automates the task of Digital Human shader assignment and characterization for Unreal Engine. Characters, animations, and facial data transfer reliably—preserving hierarchy, materials, and performance data.

Inside UE 5.6, Final Form Studios previews:

  • Arctic base environments
  • Interior ship scenes
  • Full previs sequences from Time Traveler’s Diary

This allows previs assets to transition smoothly into:

  • LED virtual production
  • In-camera VFX
  • Final pixel workflows

Why CC5 + Unreal Outperforms MetaHuman Alone

MetaHuman Creator is powerful—but it isn’t designed to be a full previs character system on its own.

Character Creator 5 advantages include:

  • Full body and proportion control
  • Superior clothing workflows
  • Faster iteration for directors
  • Easier stylization when realism isn’t the goal

By combining MetaHuman where useful and CC5 where flexibility matters, Wilcox builds a hybrid pipeline that delivers both realism and control.

A Production-Ready Pipeline, Not Just Assets

Final Form Studios’ pipeline supports:

  • 3D scanning
  • Motion capture
  • Unreal Engine environments
  • LED volume alignment

Because Character Creator and iClone integrate cleanly with Unreal, previs assets remain valuable throughout the entire production lifecycle. The iClone Motion Director system debuts game-play controls to drive characters, apply motion triggers and dynamic cameras to direct scenes in real-time.

Learn more about UEFN / GASP Game Control Integration:

Why “Final Form” Matters

The studio’s name reflects its philosophy: every project has a truest version waiting to emerge.

“From concept to camera – We help creators reach that final form.”

Stephen Wilcox – CEO of FINAL FORM LIMITED / FOUNDER / DIRECTOR

Reallusion tools make that transformation faster, clearer, and more collaborative.

Who This Workflow Is For?

This pipeline is ideal for:

  • Directors planning complex scenes
  • Studios preparing LED shoots
  • Production houses minimizing reshoots
  • Indie filmmakers scaling up quality

If you want to create your own character for Unreal with precision and speed, CC5 provides a future-proof solution.

Conclusion: The Future of Previs Is Character-Driven

Stephen Wilcox and Final Form Studios demonstrate how previs has evolved from rough blocking into a creative decision-making engine. By pairing Character Creator 5, iClone 8, and Unreal Engine, filmmakers gain unprecedented control over character, performance, and visual intent.

For anyone working in 3D character animation, Reallusion’s ecosystem offers not just tools—but a smarter way to tell stories before the camera ever rolls.

Follow Final Form Studios

FAQ

Is Character Creator 5 better than MetaHuman Creator?

CC5 offers greater flexibility in body, clothing, and stylization, while MetaHuman excels at quick realism. Many studios use both.

Can CC5 characters be used directly in Unreal Engine?

Yes. CC5 characters transfer cleanly with rigs, materials, and animation support.

Is iClone necessary for this workflow?

iClone significantly improves animation testing, lip sync animation, and mocap cleanup before Unreal import.

Who benefits most from this pipeline?

Directors, previs teams, LED volume productions, and indie filmmakers seeking cinematic-quality characters early.

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Character Creator 5 for Blender: Martin Klekner’s Review

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Building believable digital humans has traditionally been one of the most complex and time-consuming challenges in 3D animation software. From anatomy and topology to rigging and animation readiness, many artists struggle to move beyond a simple character base and into production-ready results. Today, however, creators like Martin Klekner are proving that it’s possible to create your own character efficiently while maintaining artistic control—thanks to modern character designer tools like Character Creator 5.

Through his ambitious animated universe Heroes of Bronze, Martin demonstrates how a streamlined human creator pipeline can empower solo artists and small teams to produce cinematic-quality 3D character animation at scale.

Martin Klekner

Martin Klekner is a freelance director and CG artist based in Prague, Czech Republic. Widely respected as a Blender specialist, Martin is also an instructor at CGBoost.com and a lifelong enthusiast of Ancient Greek history.

His passion culminated in Heroes of Bronze, an original animated universe set in Ancient Greece between the historic battles of Marathon (490 BC) and Plataea (479 BC). The project captures not only the grandeur and heroism of the era, but also its brutality, humanity, and mythic atmosphere.

What makes Heroes of Bronze especially compelling is Martin’s openness in documenting his workflow. Rather than guarding techniques, he actively shares the tools and methods that allow him to generate, animate, and manage hundreds of characters—a feat that would be nearly impossible without a modern character creation pipeline. Here he shares his review on Character Creator 5 for Blender.

The Challenge of Scaling Characters in 3D Animation

For most artists working in Blender or other 3D animation software, character creation presents several bottlenecks:

  • Time-intensive modeling from scratch
  • Inconsistent topology across characters
  • Manual rigging and skin weighting
  • Difficulty maintaining realism at scale

When building an entire animated universe populated by soldiers, civilians, heroes, and background characters, these problems multiply quickly.

Martin needed a solution that would let him:

  • Create unique characters rapidly
  • Maintain visual consistency
  • Animate characters instantly
  • Integrate seamlessly with Blender

This is where Character Creator and iClone became foundational to his animation process in Blender.

Character Creator 5 as the Foundation of the Pipeline

A Production-Ready Character Base

Character Creator 5 provides a professional-grade character base that eliminates the need to sculpt anatomy from scratch. Every character begins with clean topology, correct proportions, and animation-ready geometry.

For Martin, this meant:

  • Zero time spent rebuilding rigs
  • No topology cleanup
  • Immediate compatibility with animation systems

Instead of reinventing the wheel, he could focus on design, storytelling, and performance.

Morph-Based Character Design at Scale

Using Character Creator 5’s advanced morph system, Martin quickly transforms base meshes into unique individuals. Facial structure, body proportions, age, muscle definition, and ethnicity can all be adjusted non-destructively.

This approach allowed him to:

  • Populate armies with believable variation
  • Create heroes and background characters from the same base
  • Maintain anatomical realism across the project

For any character designer working on large-scale scenes, this morph-driven workflow is a game-changer.

Automatic Rigging and Instant Animation

One of the most powerful advantages highlighted in the video review is the automatic character rigging.

Every character created in Character Creator:

  • Is fully rigged out of the box
  • Supports body and facial animation
  • Works immediately with motion data

Martin emphasizes that he can simply drag and drop animations onto characters—no manual setup required. This alone saves countless hours and dramatically lowers the technical barrier for character animation.

But the new Character Creator 5 tool that is really impressively powerful is the ActorMIXER PRO feature that allows you to instantly generate an unlimited variation of characters, that really makes the mind boggle. Blender users can craft limitless characters by blending and evolving existing character assets in real-time.

CC5 ActorMIXER tool allows anyone to craft limitless characters by blending and evolving existing character assets

Facial Animation and Expressive Performance

Beyond body motion, Character Creator 5 characters support detailed facial animation, enabling realistic expressions essential for cinematic storytelling.

Whether for close-up hero shots or subtle background performances, Martin can:

  • Add believable facial expressions quickly
  • Maintain consistency across characters
  • Avoid complex facial rig setups

This is especially valuable for creators transitioning from Blender characters that lack standardized facial rigs.

iClone: Real-Time Animation Power

While Character Creator handles design and preparation, iClone becomes the animation engine.

In Martin’s workflow, iClone allows:

  • Real-time animation previews
  • Rapid iteration on motion
  • Efficient handling of large crowds

By combining Character Creator 5 and iClone, artists can move from static character base to animated performance in minutes—not weeks.

Blender Integration: Best of Both Worlds

Seamless Blender Character Workflow

Despite being deeply rooted in Blender, Martin does not abandon his preferred tools. Instead, Reallusion complements them.

Characters created in Character Creator are exported cleanly into Blender, where Martin:

  • Refines materials
  • Adjusts lighting
  • Renders final shots

This hybrid pipeline ensures that Blender characters benefit from Reallusion’s strengths without disrupting existing workflows.

Avoiding Common Blender Character Pitfalls

Traditional Blender character workflows often struggle with:

  • Inconsistent rigs
  • Non-standardized topology
  • Difficult retargeting

By starting with Character Creator, Martin bypasses these problems entirely, giving him reliable, animation-ready assets every time.

Creating Hundreds of Characters Without Burnout

Perhaps the most striking takeaway from Martin’s review on Character Creator is the scale.

Martin openly states that Heroes of Bronze would not be possible without Reallusion tools. Generating and animating hundreds of characters manually would be unrealistic for a solo creator.

With CC5 and iClone, he achieves:

  • Speed without sacrificing quality
  • Consistency across scenes
  • Sustainable production pacing

This makes the tools equally appealing to:

  • Independent creators
  • Small studios
  • Educational programs
  • Production houses
Martin openly states that Heroes of Bronze would not be possible without Reallusion tools. Generating and animating hundreds of characters manually would be unrealistic for a solo creator.

Why Reallusion Stands Out for 3D Character Animation

Key Advantages at a Glance

  • Instantly rigged characters
  • Professional topology
  • Scalable character variation
  • Facial animation support
  • Blender-friendly workflow
  • Real-time animation with iClone

For anyone serious about 3D character animation, these benefits translate directly into faster production and higher-quality results.

Conclusion: A Smarter Way to Create Your Own Character

Heroes of Bronze proves that powerful storytelling no longer requires massive teams or impossible budgets. By combining Character Creator 5, iClone, and Blender, Martin Klekner demonstrates a modern, efficient approach to 3D character animation.

For artists, studios, and educators looking to create your own character, streamline production, and unlock scalable animation workflows, Reallusion’s tools offer a proven path forward.

Ready to build your own animated universe? Explore Character Creator and see how far your ideas can go.

Follow Martin Klekner

Website: 
https://www.heroesofbronze.com/

Patreon: 
https://www.patreon.com/MartinKlekner

Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/mklekner/

YouTube: 
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgUXNKRLilvorphztVi2DvA

Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/mklekner

ArtStation: 
https://www.artstation.com/martinklekner

DeviantArt: 
https://www.deviantart.com/martinklekner

FAQ

Can Character Creator be used with Blender characters?

Yes. Character Creator exports cleanly to Blender, making it ideal for artists who want professional rigs with Blender rendering.

Is Character Creator suitable for solo artists?

Absolutely. As shown by Martin Klekner, it enables solo creators to build large-scale animated projects efficiently.

Do I need iClone to animate CC characters?

While optional, iClone significantly speeds up animation and is highly recommended for real-time workflows.

Can I create unique characters or do they all look the same?

CC5’s morph system allows extensive customization, ensuring every character feels distinct.

Is this pipeline suitable for production studios?

Yes. The scalability, consistency, and speed make it ideal for both indie and professional pipelines.

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CC5 x ZBrush: Create a HD Sci-Fi Vanguard (7/7)- Refining Materials and Look Development

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This article is the final chapter in our seven-part CC5 HD GoZ Pipeline Series, covering the complete workflow from CC5 base creation to ZBrush sculpting, Substance 3D Painter texturing, and final rendering.

In Part 6, we finalized materials, refined textures, and brought everything back into Character Creator 5 for validation. For Part 7, we move into the final stage: posing the character, matching facial expression, and rendering cinematic images using Marmoset Toolbag 5.

Pablo Munoz Gomez

Hello, my name is Pablo Munoz Gomez, and I’m an enthusiastic 3D concept and character artist who is deeply committed to the spread of knowledge. My expertise lies in 3D sculpting, visual development, and engaging in mixed-media projects. I take immense pride in being the creator of Pablander Academy, serving as an outlet for showcasing my work, sharing my workflows, and assisting fellow artists in honing their skills across a wide range of subjects.

Finishing with a dynamic pose

I begin by choosing a motion from the Parkour Content Pack tab in Character Creator 5. The Pack section includes a wide range of motion and animation packs you can download or purchase. For this project, I used a Parkour pack as a starting point.

After dragging the animation onto the character, I scrub through the timeline until I find a frame with strong potential. Once a promising frame is identified, I switch to the Modify tab and use Edit Pose under the Motion section.

In the pose editor, I rotate joints to refine balance, weight distribution, and silhouette. I usually toggle off the joint dots to reduce visual clutter while adjusting the center of gravity.

Working with intent is critical. I give each pose a simple backstory so the body language makes sense. In this case, I imagined the character running while charging an energy orb between their hands. That narrative explains the cupped hands and forward-leaning torso, keeping the pose coherent rather than arbitrary.

Matching the Facial Expression

A strong pose needs a matching facial expression. In CC5, I use Edit Facial from the Motion section. Under the Expression tab, CC5 provides a range of base expression presets that can be selected as a starting point.

After choosing a base emotion, I switch to the Muscles tab and fine-tune specific facial areas. The workflow mirrors body morphing: select a facial region, then use middle-click drag to sculpt the expression. Subtle adjustments here have a major impact on believability.

I always save finished poses to my personal pose library so they can be reused on other characters or future projects. Building a strong pose library quickly pays off in both speed and consistency.

Exporting the Posed Character to Marmoset Toolbag 5

To send the posed character into Marmoset Toolbag 5, I use the CC Auto Setup plugin for Marmoset. Installation is straightforward: place the plugin folder into Marmoset’s plugin directory and restart the application.

In CC5, I export via File → Export → FBX, selecting Clothed Character so armor, accessories, and external props export alongside the base mesh. In the FBX settings, I choose the Marmoset Toolbag preset, set Export Type to Mesh and Motion, and enable Current Pose to export a single posed frame rather than an animation.

The exporter generates an FBX, a JSON file for material mapping, and a texture folder. This allows the plugin to automatically detect and assign assets during import.

Auto Import and Material Setup in Marmoset

Inside Marmoset, I open the CC Auto Setup plugin window, select the exported FBX, and click Import. The plugin reconstructs the scene with materials and basic lighting already in place.

This is an excellent starting point, but I usually customize lighting and materials to better match the intended mood and story of the character.

Emissive and Displacement Tweaks

Some imported materials include emissive channels that are fairly subtle by default. By opening the material properties and increasing Emissive Intensity, UI elements or suit accents can be made to stand out more clearly.

If displacement maps are present, small scale adjustments can enhance details such as iris curvature or subtle surface relief. These minor tweaks add realism without overcomplicating the setup.

Building Custom Lighting

I typically disable the default world lighting generated by the plugin and load a low-contrast HDR as a neutral ambient base. From there, I sculpt the lighting manually using explicit light sources.

To position lights intuitively, I create a spotlight and temporarily switch the viewport camera to look through the light itself. This makes it easy to adjust key and rim lighting while observing the render view in real time.

For the glowing energy orb between the hands, I add an Omni light, tint it blue, and increase intensity. Omni lights work well for spherical sources because they emit light evenly in all directions and interact naturally with nearby surfaces.

Always tweak light color, angle, and intensity to bring out the materials and silhouette you want. Presets are fine as a base, but custom adjustments make the scene read correctly for each pose and character costume.

Camera, tone mapping, and depth of field

I create a dedicated Render Camera and set the resolution and aspect ratio. For full-body characters, I often use a portrait orientation.

Under Tone Mapping, I switch to ACES for a more cinematic color response, then adjust the field of view to control perspective. Depth of field is enabled using ray tracing, with Sticky Focus set by middle-clicking on the character’s eye. Keeping the eyes sharp helps anchor the viewer’s attention, even when hands or limbs fall slightly out of focus.

Scene view with shadow catcher plane visible alongside the rendered character.

Composition and Final Touches

Before rendering, I check for silhouette clarity and tangents, making sure limbs or props do not overlap in confusing ways. A shadow catcher plane helps ground the character so they don’t appear to float.

In the render settings, I confirm that the Render Camera is selected, then render all images with transparency enabled. Exporting with an alpha channel allows for flexible compositing later.

In Photoshop, I usually add a subtle background, atmospheric haze, and soft rim glow. Small painted details like dust or particles help transform the image from a raw 3D render into a narrative frame.

Final Thoughts

This pipeline turns Character Creator 5 into the connective tissue that binds sculpting, texturing, and rendering into a seamless creative loop. By leveraging tools like Actor Mixer, subdivision level support, and the Dynamic Wrinkle system, technical friction is reduced and iteration stays fast.

The tight integration with ZBrush, Substance Painter, and Marmoset Toolbag 5 allows you to move from a rough silhouette to a polished final render without breaking flow. The result is a workflow that is efficient, non-destructive, and artist-driven from start to finish.

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CC5 ActorMIXER: Quick Look

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The new ActorMIXER and ActorMIXER Pro plugins are a beginner’s dream for creating new characters while greatly speeding up the character development process for professionals and hardcore hobbyists. While anyone can use this new plugin, it really excels at empowering beginners to develop their own characters and character styles. What used to take years of development is now just hours or less.

What is ActorMIXER?

ActorMIXER is exactly what the name suggests. It mixes parts of characters to create unique characters or family characters like siblings or different generations of the same family. It is based on a simple wheel concept that allows us to mix between different head, body type and bone dimensions by sliding a mixer dot to different morphs on a clock-face type of control.

ActorMIXER versus ActorMIXER Pro

ActorMIXER comes with Character Creator 5 and includes some sample morphs to get you started on the journey to more unique characters. This basic tool will allow you to acquaint yourself with its features and benefit from the free sample resources included.

ActorMIXER Pro comes with all the features of ActorMIXER plus many more including the Core Library of morphs, Random Face Generator, and the ability to create and save our own Customer Mixer. The standard free version is available to everyone while the Pro version is a commercial plug-in that will appeal to professionals and beginners with its advanced features.

Will Any Character Mesh Work with ActorMIXER

From my testing, ActorMIXER works only with CC3+ characters and up. Non-Character Creator meshes will deactivate the ActorMIXER option. If you have been around morphing for any time, then you know it has built-in restrictions depending on what you want to do. It is not unusual to have to conform to a certain topography and other features, so this is to be expected.

While inconvenient, it’s understandable when you look at some character mesh topology available today, particularly on AI-generated characters. Even when generated in quads the UV Maps can be a chopped-up nightmare to deal with. As long as the character is from the iClone/Character Creator pipeline, CC3+ at minimum… the mixer is available for further modifications.

Mixer Wheel – Nondestructive Blending

The mixer wheel… the backbone of ActorMIXER is a perfect example of how Reallusion simplifies animation with its “dial-in” mixer interface. Intuitive and easy to use the mixer wheel allows us to move a “mixing dot” around the wheel between morphs which changes the character features on the fly for immediate feedback.

This includes the body or head, and the head is broken down into many different parts. There are a lot of options in the Head tab alone with the ability to dial-in the head, head shape, eyes, nose, mouth, chin, ears, and forehead.  Then there is the Body tab with three choices of Body, Body Ratio, and Body Shape.

The mixer wheel covers a lot of territory and while greatly simplifying the process for all users.

Random Face Generation (Pro)

This is a very quick solution for unique characters. We can generate faces based on collections of morphs we have available, and we can choose the location of the morphs to control what morphs are used. In fact, I had to choose the location for it to work. I have my assets on a separate drive so that created quite a shock when I clicked the Random Face button and it created an alien from a group of alien head morphs I was testing earlier.

It took me a minute to catch onto what was going on. No matter what I did, it generated an alien. Reluctantly, I looked at the documentation (this is how spoiled I’ve become using Reallusion products that I rarely look at a manual).  I needed to point my template folder to the location of the morphs, in this case the Core Library location, since I had a custom install path.  It had picked up the custom alien morph heads I had saved as the customer path was pointing to the right location, but the template assets were at another location so it couldn’t find them. I pointed the Template location to the proper folder, and everything fell into place.

After I got this little hiccup sorted it was on to exploring the new feature which took all of a minute or less because you literally push a button. It couldn’t be easier. The morphs in the target location control how the random face is generated. If you want an Asian female face you use the Random Face panel to choose a location that holds the applicable morphs.

After this, you can just click the button and see the face change with each click, as it will generate the face from whatever morphs are available in the selected location, including male and female, if in the same location. While there have been many face generators over the years, this one stands out for ease of use and speed. Practically no learning curve if you are already familiar with morphs, or a little learning curve otherwise.

Like the mixer wheel, just dive it and go for it, nothing there is brain surgery or rocket science. Just good old morphing with a modern slant that overcomes many of the old morphing limitations of the past.

Core Library/Custom Library (Pro)

Key Features include:

  • 40+ HD 3D Scanned Heads
    Includes diverse head presets categorized by ethnicity, age, and gender.
  • Structural Facial Blending
    Mix and reshape individual facial features (brow, chin, etc.) or entire heads with precision.
  • HD Skin Textures
    Real human face scans available in 2K and 4K, fully blendable with any head shape.
  • Ethnic Diversity Presets
    • Asian: 10 head presets, 10 skin textures
    • Caucasian: 14 head presets, 14 skin textures
    • African: 10 head presets, 9 skin textures
    • Middle Eastern: 10 head presets, 10 skin textures
  • Gender Balance
    Supports balanced male and female character generation.

Custom Mixer Wheels

The earlier tutorial shows how to get started with this great new feature of the Pro version that allows us to create and save custom mixer wheels we have put together for characters or families. If you load up a mixer wheel with stock or HD morphs you can save those wheels with the simple controls on the bottom of the Mixer panel. It can be a full or partial wheel and contain a mix of morphs as long as are CC3+ or above character class.

This includes all available morphs from character, body, head and so forth. After saving the custom wheels are available in the content tab with the other morphs.

It’s a great way to keep track of what you are using and to be consistent across the project by always having the same morphs at hand that were used in the project earlier.

My Morph Workflow: Character Creator 5/ZBRUSH

My personal workflow for creating custom morphs is to transfer, via GoZ, a CC3+ or CC5 character into ZBrush from Character Creator 5. I generally use the Create function and sometimes I even clear my GoZ cache in ZBrush. I rarely use the Relink function even though I should explore this option more. This is more born of first use habits than practical, but it works for me.

I prefer to work with the multi-level density mesh instead of the optimized single level mesh. This provides more “meat on the bone” to work with as it gives me a denser mesh to manipulate with brushes and other tools. I can also use the Level slider in ZBrush to move between density levels for sculpting. I can create or modify morphs in 3DS Max but ZBrush is just a more intuitive app for me for that sort of thing. Maya and Blender are great 3D morph tools as well.

After I bring in the mesh and switch to the highest density, I use brushes in ZBrush to mold and sculpt or rather re-sculpt the original Character Creator mesh into a new head, body or both. As of this writing I have mostly experimented with head morphs and had no frustration in learning the process to create custom morphs for the mixer wheel.

I send the finished morphs back into Character Creator 5 with CC GoZ from ZBrush to finish the round trip.

Creating Mixer Assets

This simple panel comes with a lot of options to save all or any part, or any combination of parts, of your character morphs for future use and this includes related items like sliders.

This one panel simplifies the process of what to keep. If you modify the head only, then you can save the head only if you wish to do so.

Once again Reallusion comes through making this a very easy task with its Create Mixer Assets panel.

How to Approach ActorMIXER as a Beginner

First and foremost, it is nothing to be worried or intimidated about. While the actual creation of morphs can be a bit past beginners’ level, we do not have to create morphs to use the mixer wheel. It would not surprise me to see Mixer Packages in the marketplace and store for those that don’t create their own. Not everyone is a modeler but if you have software capable of re-sculpting character meshes then give it a try as basic morphs can be easily achievable for a lot of users.

As to the mixer wheel itself… just dive in. It’s not that complicated and mostly self-explanatory depending on your level of experience. At its basic level we simply need to only move the mixer dot to see immediate changes in the character.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with mixing different morphs. Sometimes piling morphs on top of morphs will have unintended consequences but the mixer wheel eliminates that. As mentioned earlier and on the website, it is a non-destructive blending of morphs. If you need to go back to the original form before any morphs, then all we have to do is move the morph dot back to the center of the wheel and the character is restored or hit the restore button.

There is no reason to not embrace this new plugin to expand your current character library because, if you haven’t figured it out yet, we can never have enough characters as animators. Using a generic character can lead to confusion on the professional level as that character may be used by many different studios and users, so ActorMIXER gives us an easy tool to make unique characters.

If you aren’t sure how to start just click one of the ActorMIXER buttons and let it create a male or female base character, and you can use the wheel to dial in the look you want based on the morphs on the wheel. Don’t forget the Head and Body tabs too!

Summary

ActorMIXER is another great tool from Reallusion that holds true to the company’s tradition of creating easy to use software tools for complex animation tasks.

Since Character Creator came out way back at version one, I have steadily reduced my use of other 3D apps to make characters except for ZBrush. Even my old standby that I used all these years, 3DS Max is seeing less and time on the screen. Character Creator, for me, is easier than reinventing the wheel every time I need a new character or unique characters for crowd filler.

Reallusion’s latest release is another leap in user-friendly 3D character creation technology, and their mission brings animation to anyone who wants to be involved in it.

ActorMIXER

Manual

User Interface

Opening ActorMIXER Panel

Base Character Option

Modes for Editing and Mixing

Random Face Generation

MD McCallum - WarLord

MD McCallum – WarLord

Digital Artist MD “Mike” McCallum, aka WarLord, is a longtime iClone user. Having authored free tutorials for iClone in its early years and selected to write the iClone Beginners Guide from Packt Publishing in 2011, he was fortunate enough to meet and exchange tricks and tips with users from all over the world and loves to share this information with other users. He has authored hundreds of articles on iClone and digital art in general while reviewing some of the most popular software and hardware in the world. He has been published in many of the leading 3D online and print magazines while staying true to his biggest passion, 3D animation. For more information click here.

WarLord’s Workshop
Featured Story

How Ali Tomineek Turns Himself into an Animated 3D Character with Character Creator & Blender

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Ali Tomineek

My name is Ali Tomineek. I’m an artist and 3D creator born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. To be clear, I’m a Hip Hop Artist. Not just a rapper. Everything I do is rooted in Hip Hop culture.

The way I animate, direct, write, and tell stories all comes from that same foundation. Hip Hop isn’t just something I listen to, it’s how I see the world.

I’ve been creating music and videos for over 15 years, but my journey into 3D animation began around six or seven years ago. Like many self-taught artists, I learned Blender through YouTube tutorials, online articles, and community forums. In 2021, I started posting my viral celebrity animations featuring my signature animated character, Lil’ Ali. Those videos quickly took off, reaching over 100 million views, and opened doors to collaborations with brands like BET, ESPN, Hulu, and NBC.

Check out Ali’s Instagram

Using Character Creator to Move Fast Without Losing Style

Speed is everything in animation. The faster I can move from an idea in my head to a character on screen, the better.

Character Creator has been a massive part of that process for me. It removes a lot of the tedious and time-consuming steps that usually slow character creation down. With just a few clicks and morphs, I can turn a concept into a fully realized character.

Sometimes I use Character Creator purely as a brainstorming tool, building out the base of a character before sending it over to Blender for final detailing and scene work. Other times, I’ll create an entire character start to finish directly inside Character Creator. That flexibility is insane. It lets me adapt my workflow based on the project instead of forcing every idea into the same pipeline.

FACE-ing My Fears: Solving Facial Animation and Lip Sync

No character feels alive without facial expression. But for a long time, facial animation was honestly the most intimidating part of my workflow.

I used to animate facial expressions and lip sync completely by hand. Every syllable. Every mouth shape. It was painfully slow. I tried optimizing by creating libraries of saved mouth poses to reuse during lip-sync sessions, which helped a bit, maybe ten percent faster. But I knew there had to be a better way.

That’s when I discovered AccuFACE for iClone.

AccuFACE gave me something I’d been searching for for years: a reliable facial motion capture solution. I could track facial motion from pre-recorded video or even stream my performance in real time directly onto my character’s face.

Watching my digital character mirror my expressions for the first time was wild. It felt like seeing a digital version of myself come to life. Almost like watching your kid say their first words. I’m not a dad, but that’s the closest comparison I’ve got.

Feeling Crowded: Building Worlds with ActorCore

When I think about 3D animation, I don’t just think about individual characters. I think about entire worlds. Concerts. Sporting events. Parties. Full environments that feel alive.

But here’s the problem: you can’t build a believable world without people. And animating dozens or hundreds of characters one by one is a nightmare. Try filling a nightclub scene with 100 dancing characters and your computer will probably tap out before you do.

That’s where ActorCore comes in.

ActorCore handles the heavy lifting by letting me generate, simulate, and animate crowds quickly. With just a few clicks, I can populate a scene with characters that move naturally and independently. Background crowds are one of those subtle details that people don’t always notice when they’re done right, but they’re impossible to ignore when they’re missing.

Communication Is Key: Blender and Reallusion Working Together

Blender is home base for me. Everything eventually ends up there.

That’s why Reallusion’s Auto Setup for Blender is such a big deal in my workflow. I often need to work iteratively, bouncing back and forth between Character Creator and Blender while refining a character or animation. Knowing that the tools communicate cleanly gives me peace of mind.

I don’t have to worry about losing data, breaking shaders, or dealing with weird crashes when using Blender DataLink. I can focus on creating instead of troubleshooting. When software actually works together instead of fighting each other, it makes high-quality visuals feel way more achievable.

The Magic of 3D Animation

Over the past six or seven years, I’ve really come to understand the power of 3D animation. Being able to mimic life, express emotion, and tell stories visually feels like magic.

Animation makes the impossible possible. It lets us communicate beyond language. That’s something I’ve admired since I was a kid watching movies like A Goofy Movie or Shrek. Even back then, I knew I wanted to create my own 3D animated film one day.

That wasn’t a dream or a vague goal. It was a promise. A commitment to keep going, no matter how long it took.

Now, looking at the characters and worlds I’m able to create today, I’m proud of how far I’ve come. And I know this is only the beginning.

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Product Release

Motion Planning Powers Human-Centric Simulations

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Reallusion has been building simulation solutions for years with world-class brands and enterprise teams. We’re proud to deliver what many simulation pipelines still lack: realistic human behavior derived from capturing the timing, variability, and decision points that make results more trustworthy. Building on that foundation, the Motion Planning plugin is our next step toward larger-scale, real-world simulations with believable, repeatable outcomes.

With Motion Planning, teams can build simulations from modular blocks, link workflows across multiple areas, and quickly iterate on layout and process changes to compare results. Setups can then be reused and scaled for high-volume runs.

Key Highlights

1. Build Behavioral Logic with Visual Graph Editor 

Manage and edit simulation logic with a node-based Graph Editor. Design coherent animation flows, extend scripts, set conditions, and add random behaviors. This will help to make your simulations feel more realistic, intelligent, and flexible.

2. Planning Sets: modular building blocks for rapid simulation

Built on top of iClone Motion Director (MD), a Planning Set bundles Characters, MD Props, and Scripts into a reusable module for fast deployment. Choose an existing or custom Planning Set, drag and drop it into your scene, assign tagged characters, make quick scene/prop adjustments, then click Go MD (Run Simulation) to generate an animated simulation instantly.

To help teams get started quickly, Motion Planning includes free embedded starter content in iClone ( including simple Planning Sets and essential props ) so users can run examples right away and understand the workflow in minutes.

3. Scale from one area to an entire system

Motion Planning is not limited to a single department or zone. Using the Graph Editor, you can chain multiple Planning Sets together to build anything from a production line and crowd flow route to a large-scale factory or city-level simulation by combining Planning Sets of different sizes.

From Individual Actions to Large-Scale Scenarios

Reallusion’s human-centric simulation workflow (now completed with the newly added Motion Planning) scales from single-person actions to system-level operations, with modular logic to connect everything at scale:

Reallusion is backed by the industry’s largest asset ecosystem, led by ActorCore for premium characters, props, and motions. Plus, it’s also supported by the Content Store and Marketplace for additional resources. This gives teams scenario-ready assets for everything from factory planning to driving and public-space simulations, so they can build faster without creating assets from scratch.

Proven in Real-World Deployments

World-class brands such as NVIDIA, Google, Samsung, LG, BMW, Ford, Toyota, Hyundai, GM, Motorola, and Axis Communications have leveraged Reallusion’s simulation solution for machine learning training. Motion Planning has also been tested by industry leaders, includingDelta Electronics and Foxconn, global frontrunners in electronics and manufacturing. The solution has supported plant planning initiatives, and relative.berlin—a Berlin-based CG/AI studio specializing in immersive VR/AR experiences—evaluated the workflow through a VR project for the German government.

To bring simulations closer to real-world scenarios, the newly released Video Mocap plays a key role by converting ordinary recordings of real human operations into editable 3D motions, so teams can incorporate authentic timing, posture transitions, and task-specific movement into their simulation workflows.

Common Use Cases

Digital twins and production planning

  • Compare before/after results and quantify time savings and efficiency gains.
  • Simulate layout changes in real time and observe downstream impact.

AI and machine learning data generation

  • Rapidly generate large volumes of simulation footage for training datasets.
  • Support workflows such as anomaly behavior detection, motion prediction, and improving model accuracy through synthetic simulation data.

Presentation, training, and operational demonstrations

  • Create realistic operational workflow simulations for training videos.
  • Clearly communicate processes and results with higher realism and credibility.

Graph Editor Workflow: Expand Faster, Simulate Smarter

Quickly scale up scenes and assignments:

  • Add props and duplicate/edit nodes to expand production line scale.
  • Increase character count and copy/adjust relevant nodes for fast task assignment.
  • Add random behavior nodes to produce more natural actions.
  • Use Auto Assign to randomly distribute tasks for quick rotation workflows, and simultaneously generate simulation data for machine learning.

View full demo on the product page

Five conditional nodes for intelligent behavior

Within the Graph Editor, Motion Planning includes five major condition nodes that enable characters to evaluate the environment in real time and respond appropriately:

  • Position: Detect whether a position is occupied to prevent overlaps and ensure logical flow.
  • Placement: Evaluate object placement state to control process logic.
  • Distance: Trigger behaviors based on proximity like “approach”, “interact”, “stop”, etc.
  • Trigger Zone: Fire events when entering/leaving areas to manage zone-based logic and flow switching.
  • Boolean: Use custom boolean conditions to build complex logic chains and behaviors.

Validate with Logs and On-Screen Feedback

With the Print Node, teams can log key data, such as time, distance, occupancy state, boolean values, and position, to compare before/after changes and evaluate layouts and workflow plans. These values can be written to logs and displayed directly in the viewport for clear, real-time validation.

Clean, Reusable Script Management

The Graph Editor offers flexible tools to keep complex logic manageable and maintainable:

  • Sub-Graphs for modularizing larger workflows.
  • Expandable Joint for extending connections and data flow.
  • Group editing to organize and arrange complex node graphs.

You can also save your work for fast reuse:

  • Save scripts with node logic as Templates.
  • Save complete setups (scene + scripts) as Motion Planning Sets(MP Sets) for rapid reuse and scalable expansion.

Better Review and Smooth Collaboration

With the addition of Fly Camera, you can freely navigate the simulation space—view from above, follow production flow details, and record camera paths for replay and keyframe refinement.

Export characters, props, lights, and cameras to downstream tools such as NVIDIA Omniverse, Unreal Engine, Blender, even Maya (with Live Link support for smoother data transfer) or complete production directly in iClone with real-time rendering preview, enabling a streamlined collaboration and optimization pipeline.

Next-Gen Simulation Starts Here

Reallusion’s focus has been to bring realistic human behavior into simulation, so digital twins reflect how people actually work in the real world. With the launch of Motion Planning, human realism can now scale enormously. This modular, logic-driven workflow connects 3D people, actions, and environments, enabling larger, repeatable simulations and giving confidence to users.

Jumpstart with Motion Planning Content Packs

Beyond the free starter content included in iClone, Reallusion also offers content packs designed for Motion Planning to accelerate factory automation and industrial digital twins setup.

Factory MP Set (Motion Planning Set Pack)

Get started on industrial simulations with 12 factory Planning Sets (Assembly, Production, Transport, Maintenance, Inspection), 25 standalone MD props for common tasks (robotic arm operation, precision processing, machine repair), and 73 factory motions (assembly, supervision, wrench/drill use, packing, and more). Use it with Motion Planning to build modular, repeatable factory workflows faster.

Industrial MD Props Pack

Add realism with 15 heavy-duty interactive props for industrial scenarios. With tools ranging from levers and pressure valves to control panel operations, use a simple drag-and-drop setup for fast deployment.

Check out Motion Planning Product Page

Download Motion Planning – Trial for 30 days

Motion Planning Tutorials

Online Manual

FAQ

Release Note

Learning

CC5 x ZBrush: Create a HD Sci-Fi Vanguard (6/7)- Refining Materials and Look Development

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In Part 5, we focused on establishing the base materials in Substance 3D Painter using UDIM workflows, mesh map baking, and non-destructive layering techniques.

For Part 6, the goal is to push those materials further—adding surface detail, smart materials, emissive accents, and maintaining consistency across the entire armor set—before exporting textures back into Character Creator 5.

Pablo Munoz Gomez

Hello, my name is Pablo Munoz Gomez, and I’m an enthusiastic 3D concept and character artist who is deeply committed to the spread of knowledge. My expertise lies in 3D sculpting, visual development, and engaging in mixed-media projects. I take immense pride in being the creator of Pablander Academy, serving as an outlet for showcasing my work, sharing my workflows, and assisting fellow artists in honing their skills across a wide range of subjects.

Purposefully adding surface details

Small surface details go a long way toward selling functionality.

I like to add padded or ribbed materials around areas that naturally experience stress, such as shoulders, between the chest plate and shoulder pads, or around joints. These details help visually bridge hard armor with softer fabric elements and make the suit feel designed for movement.

I use these accents sparingly—gloves, biceps, strap edges, or the inside of a boot are usually enough. The goal is not to overwhelm the surface with noise, but to suggest how the suit behaves under motion.

Building and Reusing Smart Materials

Whenever a layered material setup works well, I save it as a custom smart material.

For example, once I’m happy with the green coating on the chest plate, I save it and immediately have a reusable base finish for other armor pieces. I often layer this with a simple metal smart material underneath and reveal edge wear using a mask.

Substance Painter’s built-in smart masks are excellent starting points. One of my go-to techniques is filtering for “gun” masks and applying Gun Edges to establish scratches and wear. To avoid a generic look, I refine the mask by subtracting grunge maps and dialing back intensity. Finally, I rely heavily on the HSL Perceptive filter to fine-tune hue, saturation, and brightness so materials stay within a cohesive palette.

Grouping, Instancing, and Single-Source Edits

Once a material setup is dialed in, I group related layers into a folder—for example, an Armor folder—and use Painter’s Instantiate Across Texture Sets feature.

This pushes the exact same material structure to every relevant texture set: chest plate, shoulder pads, boots, and belts. 

Because these are instances, any adjustment made to the original immediately updates everywhere else.

This approach is essential for maintaining visual consistency across complex armor sets without duplicating work.

Adding Patterns, Normal Details, and Emissive Accents

For straps and fabric elements, repeated patterns work best when UVs are straight. If the UVs were laid out cleanly earlier, directional patterns tile predictably across loops and wraps.

For high-frequency hard-surface detail, I avoid adding geometry. Instead, I paint normal details directly in Painter. I load hard-surface normal maps into a brush and paint them onto a dedicated layer. This keeps topology clean while still conveying panel seams, bolts, and subtle bevels.

Emissive elements are an easy way to inject sci-fi personality. I create a fill layer, enable the Emissive channel, mask it black, and paint in glowing accents. From there, I fine-tune color and intensity and add subtle grunge for variation.

Exporting Textures for Character Creator 5

Before exporting, I make sure I’m using the correct Character Creator export preset in Substance Painter. This ensures all channels map correctly when the textures are re-imported.

From File → Export Textures, I disable any unmodified texture sets to keep the output clean. In the Global Settings, I select the Character Creator template, choose PNG, and set the resolution to 4K for optimal quality. Once exported, the texture folders are ready for CC5.

Updating Textures in Character Creator 5

Back in Character Creator 5, I use the Substance Painter pipeline and select Update Textures from Substance Painter. Point CC5 to the exported folder and it automatically assigns every texture to the correct material slot.

If the textures appear darker than expected, it’s usually because a temporary dark diffuse color was applied earlier for deformation testing. Resetting the diffuse color to white immediately restores the correct look.

Why CC5 Excels at Look Development and Iteration

Character Creator 5 stands out for look development and iteration because it removes friction from the workflow by automating repetitive tasks:

  • The Substance Painter pipeline handles texture assignment automatically, eliminating manual slot mapping and keeping the workflow non-destructive.
  • The Update Textures command enables fast, one-click reimports during iterative tweaks.
  • In the Modify tab, facial details such as iris brightness, pupil scale, and sclera images can be adjusted directly inside CC5.
  • While the Dynamic Wrinkle system is excellent for animation, I recommend replacing its default expression-specific textures with Painter-generated maps to maintain visual consistency during deformation.

At this stage, the character is fully textured, validated, and ready for the next step, with CC5 serving as a clean launchpad for rendering, including a streamlined setup for Marmoset Toolbag 5.

Coming Up in Part 7

In the final chapter, we’ll pose the character, refine facial expressions, and render the final images using Marmoset Toolbag 5 with the CC Auto Setup plugin. We’ll focus on lighting, camera setup, and finishing touches that bring the character to life.

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CC5 x ZBrush: Create a HD Sci-Fi Vanguard (5/7)- Texturing the Character in Substance Painter

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In Part 4, we generated clean UVs, transferred all sculpted assets back into Character Creator 5, fixed deformations, finalized skin weights, and validated the character for texturing.

For this part 5 article, the focus shifts entirely to Substance 3D Painter—exporting from CC5, setting up UDIMs correctly, baking mesh maps, and building non-destructive materials for the suit and gear.

Pablo Munoz Gomez

Hello, my name is Pablo Munoz Gomez, and I’m an enthusiastic 3D concept and character artist who is deeply committed to the spread of knowledge. My expertise lies in 3D sculpting, visual development, and engaging in mixed-media projects. I take immense pride in being the creator of Pablander Academy, serving as an outlet for showcasing my work, sharing my workflows, and assisting fellow artists in honing their skills across a wide range of subjects.

Exporting from Character Creator 5 to Substance Painter

From Character Creator 5, I open the File menu and use the Substance Painter pipeline. After choosing an export location, CC5 generates the OBJ along with all required textures and metadata that Painter can read directly. This automated export saves a significant amount of setup time, as per-material assignments and texture references are already prepared correctly for Painter.

Import into Substance 3D Painter

When importing the OBJ into Substance 3D Painter, the New Project settings are critical. I always double-check the following settings:

  • Normal map format is set to OpenGL.
  • Use UV Tile workflow (UDIMs) is enabled.
  • Preserve UV Tile Layout per Material is checked.
  • Enable Painting Across Tiles is turned on.

With these settings, the character appears in an A-pose, and each material shows up as its own Texture Set, allowing for precise, per-material painting across UDIMs.

Selective Reuse of CC5 Textures

In some cases, I selectively reuse textures from CC5 while rebuilding the rest inside Painter. For this project, I keep the high-quality head textures and recreate the suit and gear from scratch. To do this, I select the head texture set and create a Fill Layer named “Head”. I then import the CC5 head textures into the shelf and manually assign:

  • Diffuse map → Color
  • Normal map → Normal
  • Roughness map → Roughness

Because the mesh uses UDIMs, the head texture may appear repeated across tiles at first. To fix this, I open the tile list and disable all tiles except the one corresponding to the head.

Baking Mesh Maps for Generators and Masks

Baking mesh maps is essential, as generators such as curvature and ambient occlusion depend entirely on these maps. From Texture Set Settings, I open Bake Mesh Maps and follow a few key rules:

  • Disable texture sets that don’t need baking.
  • Set output resolution to 4096 for clean detail.
  • Click Bake Selected Textures.

For thin or single-sided geometry, such as eyebrow planes, ambient occlusion can become too aggressive. When that happens, I rebake AO only and switch the self-occlusion mode from Always to Only Same Mesh Name. This prevents unwanted cross-mesh shading and produces cleaner, animation-friendly results.

Establish a palette and experiment with materials

I start material work by exploring material families and surface patterns, rather than locking colors too early. Built-in Painter materials and assets from the Substance 3D Asset Library are ideal for rapid experimentation. 

I drag candidate materials into the layer stack, preview combinations, and group selected materials into a single folder. To isolate the suit, I add a folder mask and paint black over the head area. Anything inside the folder then affects only the suit, keeping the workflow clean and organized.

Non-Destructive Patterning with Path Tool and Fill Area Mask

For padded panels and fabric joins, I rely heavily on a non-destructive setup. I start with a technical fabric material, add a mask, and use the Path Tool to draw panel shapes. The key advantage is flexibility: points can be moved at any time to refine shapes.

The Fill Area Mask automatically fills any closed path and updates dynamically as the path changes. This allows for rapid iteration without committing to destructive edits.

Using Anchor Points for Consistent Details

To add borders, seams, or tubing around panels, I use Anchor Points. I place anchors on the path-based shapes and reference them inside the masks of secondary materials, such as colored edges or piping. Anchors are placed below the fill area mask so they reference only the intended shapes. If I later adjust the panel shape, all dependent details update automatically. This keeps the entire material system flexible and easy to iterate on.

Why the CC5 ↔ Painter Pipeline Matters

The Character Creator 5 Substance Painter pipeline significantly reduces manual errors. OBJs, materials, and UDIM layouts transfer cleanly, even for assets created entirely in ZBrush.

This setup allows me to reuse CC5 textures selectively, while still giving full creative control over the suit and accessories inside Painter. The result is a non-destructive workflow that supports rapid iteration without breaking consistency.

Coming Up in Part 6

In the next chapter, we’ll refine materials further—adding smart materials, emissive accents, painted normal details, and using instanced layers to maintain consistency across the entire armor set. We’ll also export textures back into Character Creator 5 and fine-tune the look before rendering.

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Learning

CC5 x ZBrush: Create a HD Sci-Fi Vanguard (4/7)- UVs Unwrapping, Asset Transfer, and Skinning

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In Part 3, we focused on building sci-fi armor and hard-surface assets in ZBrush, using masking, extraction, Dynamesh, and clean topology workflows to create modular, production-ready pieces.

For part 4, the focus shifts to preparation and validation inside Character Creator 5. We’ll generate clean UVs using Rizom UV, transfer all assets back to CC5 with GoZ Plus, fix deformations, finalize skin weights, and ensure everything is properly organized and animation-ready before moving into Substance 3D Painter.

Pablo Munoz Gomez

Hello, my name is Pablo Munoz Gomez, and I’m an enthusiastic 3D concept and character artist who is deeply committed to the spread of knowledge. My expertise lies in 3D sculpting, visual development, and engaging in mixed-media projects. I take immense pride in being the creator of Pablander Academy, serving as an outlet for showcasing my work, sharing my workflows, and assisting fellow artists in honing their skills across a wide range of subjects.

Generating Clean UVs with Rizom UV

For UV unwrapping, I use Rizom UV because it’s fast, reliable, and integrates smoothly into this pipeline via a free plugin. From ZBrush, select the mesh you want to unwrap (for example, a shoulder pad) and use the plugin button to send it directly into Rizom UV. This avoids unnecessary export steps and keeps iteration fast.

My Rizom UV workflow follows three consistent steps:

  1. Mark seams: Thanks to the clean topology created earlier, edge loops can be selected quickly. Double-click an edge loop and press C to create precise cuts.
  2. Straighten UV islands: Single-click straightening is especially important for straps, belts, and elongated armor pieces. Straight UVs ensure patterns and materials read correctly in Painter.
  3. Pack and optimize: Pack the UVs efficiently while preserving island orientation so fabric patterns and directional details remain consistent across the character.

Once the UVs look correct, send them back to ZBrush through the plugin.

Preparing Assets for Sending Back to CC5

Before sending anything into Character Creator 5, naming consistency is critical. If a mesh originally came from CC5, its name must match exactly. Some tools append suffixes or alter names during export, which can break the automated update process. Take a moment to verify names before transfer. It will save a lot of troubleshooting later.

To transfer assets, use GoZ Plus from ZBrush. Instead of sending meshes individually, use the All option to send everything in one pass. This transfers geometry, subdivision levels, and sculpted detail baked into normal maps. Depending on scene complexity, this step may take a few minutes.

Understanding the GoZ Plus Import Options in CC5

When CC5 receives the data, the GoZ Options window clearly shows what will happen to each mesh.

  • Objects with the CC prefix are recognized as original CC5 meshes and set to Update.
  • Newly created armor or accessories appear with the action set to Create Cloth.

I keep the default settings, ensure the A-pose is selected (unless sculpted in a different pose), and click Update. CC5 automatically skins all new pieces to the base character. This automation alone removes hours of manual rigging work.

Auto Skinning, Weight Templates, and Validation

Character Creator 5 provides several tools that drastically simplify the setup phase:

  • Automatic skinning: New armor and clothing conform to the character immediately upon import.
  • Skin weight templates: Ready-made templates allow fast remapping for common items like gloves or boots.
  • Skin Weights editor: Lock rigid props to specific bones using simple vertex selection.
  • Real-time animation previews: Built-in motion playback lets you validate deformations instantly.

To check deformation quality, I load a simple animation (for example, a walk cycle) from the Motion → Action menu and play it back. For clarity, I temporarily assign mid-gray diffuse colors to new assets so stretching and twisting are easier to spot. These placeholder colors will be replaced during texturing.

Fixing Deformations and Rigid Armor Pieces

Auto skinning is powerful, but CC5 doesn’t always know how a new piece is meant to behave. For example, glove extensions or sleeve elements may appear misaligned. In those cases, select the mesh, open the Settings panel, and use Transfer Skin Weights. Choose the template that best matches the intended region, and CC5 will remap the weights cleanly. For rigid armor pieces like chest plates or neck collars that should not deform at all, I edit skin weights directly:

  1. Select the mesh.
  2. Open the Skin Weights tool.
  3. Select all vertices.
  4. Assign 100% influence to the appropriate single bone (for example, CC_base_pelvis).

After assigning weights, always replay an animation to confirm the piece remains perfectly locked without warping.

Fixing Deformations and Rigid Armor Pieces

Auto skinning is powerful, but CC5 doesn’t always know how a new piece is meant to behave. For example, glove extensions or sleeve elements may appear misaligned.

In those cases, select the mesh, open the Settings panel, and use Transfer Skin Weights. Choose the template that best matches the intended region, and CC5 will remap the weights cleanly.

Rig Testing and Visual Validation

To validate skin weights across the character, I run a simple rig test inside Character Creator 5. Set the Motion dropdown to Action, choose a basic animation such as a walk cycle, and play it back to observe how the armor and accessories deform in motion.

For visual clarity during testing, I temporarily change the diffuse color of newly imported pieces to a mid-gray or dark gray. This makes stretching, twisting, and weighting issues much easier to spot compared to using bright or detailed textures. These colors are purely placeholders and will be replaced later when the character is sent to Substance 3D Painter.

For rigid armor pieces like chest plates or neck collars that should not deform at all, I edit skin weights directly:

  1. Select the mesh.
  2. Open the Skin Weights tool.
  3. Select all vertices.
  4. Assign 100% influence to the appropriate single bone (for example, CC_base_pelvis).

After assigning weights, always replay an animation to confirm the piece remains perfectly locked without warping.

Final Skin Weight Validation Before Texturing

I repeat this process for belts, armor plates, and any other rigid items, assigning them to the appropriate base bone like “CC_base_pelvis”. After these adjustments, the walk cycle shows clean deformation and no unwanted stretching. 

Once skinning and weight edits are complete, I save the CC5 project and run a final confirmation pass before exporting to Painter. I ensure every mesh has UVs without exception and verify that normal maps were successfully baked during the transfer. It is also vital to check naming consistency, ensuring CC-prefixed objects update correctly while new items are properly categorized as cloth or props. 

After confirming that UV orientation allows for predictable texturing, I perform a motion test to guarantee that deformations won’t cause problematic stretching. With everything organized and verified, the project is ready for Substance 3D Painter; this combination of Rizom UV layouts and CC5’s rigorous validation tools creates a smooth pipeline that minimizes surprises. Simply save the scene, back up your assets, and proceed to the texturing stage with confidence.

Coming Up in Part 5

In the next chapter, we’ll export the character from Character Creator 5 into Substance 3D Painter, focusing on UDIM workflows, baking mesh maps, selective texture reuse, and building clean, non-destructive material layers.

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