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Character Creation with Maya, V-Ray, ZBrush & Reallusion Tools

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Zoltan Barati / Digitone Pictures

Zoltan Barati / Digitone Pictures

I am a 3D Artist and Animator with experience in various Digital Content Creation tools.

My work includes environment and character production using software such as Blender, ZBrush, Maya, Substance Painter, Marvelous Designer, Cinema 4D, Character Creator, iClone, Cascadeur, and others.

I build levels/scenes in Unreal Engine or in Maya and render characters and animations within detailed environments.

Production with Director’s Vision

In the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), while AI excels at creating concepts, consistent character production across multiple shots with a directed vision remains crucial. Creating animatable characters in DCC applications (Maya, 3ds Max, Cinema 4D, Blender, Houdini) is a lengthy process. Reallusion’s Character Creator and iClone apps significantly speed up this process, working in tandem with ZBrush, Blender, and Marvelous Designer to shape characters, create accessories and clothing.

The Main Reallusion Tools

Character Creator

Character Creator offers a CC3+ template to start with, optimized for real-time production but can be subdivided as required for cinematics. Character Creator features traditional polygon editing and brush tools, but it can seamlessly integrate with ZBrush and Blender as well. Typically, exchanging characters between applications involves lengthy processes like setting up textures, shading, and facial blend shapes. A single character can have over 60 textures (diffuse, bump or normal, transparency, roughness) for body parts, accessories, and clothing.

Character Creator or iClone can automatically transfer models, textures, blend shapes, and setup shading with Auto Setup tools for ZBrush, Blender, Substance Painter, 3ds Max, Maya, Unreal Engine, Unity, and Omniverse. This allows fine-tuning the look in the target applications with details, skin pores (micro details), and wrinkles. The approach allows round trips to update characters and animations. These Reallusion tools are among the most user-friendly tools in the 3D production pipeline.

iClone

iClone combines some of the best animation capabilities developed over decades by many applications. Though some traditional animation tools have disappeared, critical features have been reborn and evolved in iClone:

  • Softimage, Face Robot features were reborn and enhanced in Character Creator Facial Profile Editor and in iClone’s AccuLips to create facial and speech animation with dynamic facial wrinkles.
  • Maya and ZBrush blend shape system live in Character Creator Facial Profile Editor. Characters can be seamlessly transferred to iClone for body and face animation or back to Character Creator for update.
  • Motion Builder and Maya’s non-linear animation system for motion clips and motion capture have been reimagined in iClone’s Motion Clip System.
  • Motion Builder and Maya characterization system lives in Character Creator and iClone Motion Layer Editor, this allows creating control rigs on most of the major character bone structures, (Maya, Motion Builder, Mixamo Bone System, etc.)
  • Motion Builder and Maya Human IK system lives in iClone’s Motion Layer Editor
  • Maya Animation Layer system lives in iClone Animation Layer Editor.
  • Maya Animation Curve editing lives in iClone’s Curve Editor and in Motion Trail system to edit function curves, and to edit bone motion trail in the viewport.
  • Motion Bulder’s Constraint system lives in iClone’s Reach Target system with similar non-linear editing capabilities.
  • Unreal Engine’s interactive character control lives in iClone’s Motion Director Control system for interactively triggering and recording movement direction, jumps, etc.
  • 3ds Max CAT Footprint is mirrored in iClone’s Motion Corrector’s Editor.
  • Mixamo style auto rigging and skinning are available in Character Creator’s AccuRIG, or in the standalone AccuRIG application, with roundtrip transfers to iClone for animation

iClone is also highly compatible with other animation production pipelines. With a few clicks, it can send animations to Cascadeur for fine-tuning with Auto Physics, and returning the animation as a motion clip for non-linear editing. iClone also offers “characterization” to create character controls for AI based motion capture rigs, such as Cascadeur, Motion LIVE, Meshcapade, etc.

iClone can hand over animation for cinematic rendering to many applications via Auto Setups, Live Links, or by exporting FBX, USD, and Alembic file formats. It creates camera sequences and shot clips for rendering in Unreal Engine.

Reallusion Ecosystem

The Reallusion ecosystem offers a character template (CC3+) as a starting point, which can be sculpted into unique humanoid characters. The template is ready for facial animation even after sculpting the character. Blend shapes are automatically adjusted to the new shape if the base polygon topology kept intact.

Such characters can be used in cinematics but are not permitted for AI training or as characters in games. Reallusion tools support custom topology characters with manual blend shape creation, without the use limitations. Character Creator provides roundtrip connection with ZBrush or Blender to create the facial blend shapes. In the following image, the female character was sculpted from the Reallusion CC3+ template, while the sturdy male character has custom polygon topology and his facial blend shapes were created in ZBrush for facial and speech animation. Both of the characters’ facial animation were created with AccuLips:

The animation: Lost Bay Zoe and Conall 4k: Lost Bay Zoe and Conall 4K

The following is an example of iClone’s Motion Director Control system for interactively triggering walk and jump, recoded into a motion clip for further mixing:

There are many outstanding tutorials on these tools on the Reallusion’s YouTube channel. I would like to highlight the features that are particularly valuable for cinematic production.

Character Face Creation

Artists can efficiently create characters using the Reallusion CC3+ template by reshaping it or importing custom models, benefiting from auto blend shape adjustments and an automated Substance Painter workflow. They can use Headshot 2 Image or Mesh modes for quick head shape creation, and the legacy Image Pro mode allows for initial shape generation from an image, which can then be adjusted for a 3D illustration style.

In general, the face projects well for the front view but need shaping the face for the desired facial profile, as seen from the side. Character Creator has face shaping mode to improve the shape. Artists can also use Modify panel’s Headshot morph sliders. When you select a region, the related morph sliders get in focus on the right. This allows you to adjust the shape by dragging in the viewport or adjusting the morph sliders:

The face can be reshaped and fine-tuned in ZBrush. The recent update to GoZ Plus, makes the ZBrush workflow very versatile. As with other tools’ GoZ workflow, you can adjust the base shape. With the Reallusion GoZ Plus solution, you can regenerate higher ZBrush subdivision levels from the character’s normal map from Character Creator. On the way back, the sculpted higher subdivision levels can be automatically baked back to normal maps. Before sending the characters to ZBrush, you can define the desired subdivision level:

In the GoZ Setting panel, I prefer setting “Match ZBrush Model Scale” to ON to ensure ZBrush uses common brush sizing:

After sculpting the face, you may want to sculpt the body then send it back to Character Creator as described in the next section.

To improve texture projection problems from the image, you can edit the projected texture in Photoshop or edit the head diffuse texture with ZBrush Polypaint tool. However, I used Reallusion’s SkinGen to recreate skin details, pores, and makeups.

This method eliminates lighting effects baked into the facial image, allowing for high-quality camera close-ups in different lighting conditions. For this model, the best starting skin template was the Skin tab \ Full Skin tab \ Realistic Human Skin \ Female Thin preset:

After that, I added makeup:

If you already have a 3D head model or a bust created In ZBrush, you can wrap the default template around it to create extreme humanoid shapes in HeadShot 2 Mesh mode:

Character Body Creation

You can shape the body in Character Creator’s Modify Editor:

You can fine-tune the body shape with GoZ Plus, similar to how you would with the face:

When you send the character back, you can set whether you want to return the model with Polypaint as a Diffuse texture or if you want to project higher subdivision details back to the normal map. You can also define the texture resolution.  Use the “All” button to send it back:

On the Character Creator side, you need to verify the receiving data and set whether you want to update the body parts. If you matched the scale for ZBrush on the way out, make sure to activate “Match CC Model Scale (x 100)” option on the receiving side to keep the correct character size:

Hair Creation

Reallusion offers various hairstyles in hair card formats, which you can quickly apply to the character from the Content Browser. An artist can create custom hair cards in Blender. The card’s transparent texture makes the cards look like hair:

Optionally, you can create strand-based hair in Maya XGen, render it in V-Ray, or export it to Unreal Engine as Alembic curves for rendering:

Clothing Creation

Reallusion has clothing library, which is automatically fitted to the shaped character. Artist can create clothing in other applications and import them as Accessories, then convert them to skin weighted clothing.

For example, the male clothing was applied from the Reallusion library, while the female clothing was created in ZBrush and Substance painter and transferred to Character Creator with the GoZ and Substance workflow:

The Reallusion’s Character Creator also works well with Marvelous Designer to create clothing. Marvelous Designer has a patterned-based clothing design. The clothing may have multiple layers for packets, buttons, and decoration. Stitches can be maintained as another geometry layer or normal texture, which helps the cloth simulation process:

Characters with Marvelous Designer’s clothing can be posed, animated and rendered with this Reallusion-focused pipeline along with detailed environments:

When using Marvelous Designer and exporting from Character Creator, export the character in Maya FBX format. When importing into Marvelous Designer, select the “cm DAZ Studio” scale setting. Ensure that Marvelous Designer is opened with the default ‘mm’ unit.:

In Marvelous Designer, you can use its fairly new Auto Fitting feature to fit existing clothing to the imported custom character and quickly fit multi-layered clothing patterns. This involves creating a tight fitted suit from which Marvelous Designer can recalculate pattern placement automatically for various sized custom characters:

You can set the cloth polygon resolution at any stage within the Marvelous Designer session and use polygon quads. Character Creator or iClone can further subdivide this and hand over for rendering to get smooth folds:

Clothing can contain of multiple items such as tops, pants, etc. To maximize the texture space for each clothing item within the first UV quadrant, it is advisable to export each item individually. This approach allows a single item (shirt, pants, etc.) to utilize the full UV space, which is ideal for cinematic applications.

For cloth simulation, using a thin version of the garment is more practical. A thick version can be created in Blender from the thin version. Then the thin version simulation can drive the thick version. Alternatively, you can simulate a thick like version by retaining the edge but removing the back side:

The most common Marvelous Designer export setting is activating Zipper if you have one, setting “Unified UV Coordinates” to ON to create the pattern’s UV in the first quadrant.

Even if Weld option set to on, some patterns remain detached, which could cause visual separation problem when subdividing later in the pipeline. This can be easily corrected in Blender by merging close vertices. Select all the faces in Edit Mode and press M and select By Distance. Set the last digit of the distance value to 5 (0.0005). After this, you can use Subdivision in the pipeline.

The first image shows the separation after subdivision, while the second image shows the corrected subdivided object ready for cinematic presentation:

Examples of clothing and character rendering in detailed environment:

Shading and Rendering Setup for Multiple Applications

Artists have several options to rendering character in any environments. Reallusion offers Auto Setup (Blender, Unreal Engine, Unity, 3ds Max, Maya in progress, Omniverse via USD) to set up shader network and Live Links tools (Unreal Engine) to send out to render or receive models for location reference. Common exchange formats (FBX, Alembic) are also provided.

At the time of this article Auto Setup for Maya was not available, the shading setup was done manually.  A Reallusion CC3+ character has separated body parts with their own UV space for high quality presentations. These parts include the head, body, arms, legs and nails. The head, body, arms, and legs skin textures need to seamlessly blend, requiring synchronized color and texture settings. V-Ray offers a VRayMultSubTex node to collect all textures and output them as if they were a single object texture. When processing this output for further tuning, all body parts are treated the same way:

The diffuse textures are collected via VRayMultSubTex node:

Body parts can be identified by an assigned ID in the VRayMultSubTex node (Head = 1., Body = 2, Arm = 3 Legs 4 and Nails = 5):

Similarly, you can collect the Roughness and Normal maps with the same ID in separate VRayMultSubTex nodes so that, for example, the head’s normal map will be tied to head diffuse map with the same ID = 1. Then connect the VRayMultSubTex’s Out Color to the appropriate material slot (Diffuse, Roughness Amount, Normal Map inputs):

To set skin’s subsurface scatter, adjust the material’s Refraction and Translucency channels. When connecting the collection of Diffuse to the SSS Color, you may use VRayColorCorrection node first to adjust subsurface color then output that to the material node’s SSS Color input:

As a result, V-Ray allows reference quality rendering with detailed environment
Reallusion pipeline allows transferring character with auto shading setup into 3ds Max

While traditional DCC application rendering can take some time (many minutes), FlexRap (Flexible Rapid) rendering workflow takes advantage of Unreal Engine and V-Ray capabilities to render character with complex environment, typically under 10 second. It took 5 second to render the following image:

Posing and Animating Characters

iClone offers non-linear animation of motion capture files, similar to Motion Builder. In addition, it provides keyframe animation. The recently introduced AccuPose feature offers AI assisted posing and animation, trained on Reallusion’s vast library of motion capture files, the ActorCore library.

iClone also offers AI assisted, text or voice to lip-sync speech animation. What differentiate iClone from some other tools is that it allows editing viseme timing and strength, or allows changing speaking style for narrative to drama, or singing:

iClone allows smoothing out mouth and jaw movement to make it look more natural:

AccuLips animates the jaw, mouth, teeth and tongue. Additional facial emotional expressions need to be superposed for the rest of the face. Head movement and expressions can be keyframed or added from Digital Soul library. These expression clips can be cut and blended the same way as motion capture clips.

iClone also offers facial control from video or live camera via iPhone facial motion tracking.

With the Unreal Engine workflow, iClone offers two-way data transfer. For example, an artist can export a chair or a room at certain location from an Unreal Engine scene into iClone. (R-click select Transfer to iClone / Transfer to iClone):

Then the artist can position, pose and animate the character on that chair, at the exact location, in iClone. The reference objects come in without textured shading to preserve iClone’s real-time animation ability, while the character to be animated remains textured:

Then the artist can send the animated character into Unreal Engine’s sequencer at the correct location to sit on the desired chair at the reference location.

In the Unreal Live Link panel, you can select the character to send over by activating the appropriate checkmarks. You can also choose to send the character with animation within the defined time range:

iClone’s pipeline friendliness allows setting up quickly, and rendering the scene with exceptional speed (5 second) and quality via the FlexRap Rendering workflow. In the image below, the larger displays screens act as light sources projecting and illuminating the scene with their screen images’ luminance. It renders hair, skin subsurface scatter, detailed clothing, many light sources and a complex environment, while keeping the dark regions relatively noise-free:

The followings are more examples with FlexRap rendering workflow. The characters were transferred into a complex environment using iClone’s Live Link:

With such a flexible workflow, the sunlight source can be unlinked and more intricate lighting can be linked with the character, refining micro details, such as pores:

The following is a cinematic Sci-Fi environment with many light sources and with characters created using the Reallusion focused pipeline:

Advantages of Such Workflow

The Reallusion focused pipeline presents significant time-saving advantages over the traditional   DCC application pipeline:

  • Character Creator offers a CC3+ template to start with, optimized for real-time production but can be subdivided as required for cinematics. Unlike other DCC applications, it does not lock down polygon vertices upon skin weighting and blend shape creation. This flexibility allows setting subdivisions during the rendering phase while maintaining optimal resolution for real-time animation.
  • It is inevitable to use multiple applications for modeling, texturing, rigging, clothing and hair design and rendering in a cinematic production pipeline. A single character can have 60 or more textures. Moving those within applications can take some time to setup. The Reallusion Auto Setup tools, GoZ Plus, and Substance Painter Auto Texture Pickup features significantly speed up this process.
  • When using the Reallusion CC3+ character template for cinematic applications and shaping characters, the blend shapes are automatically adjusted for the new character design. This is significant time saver during production. At the same time, Character Creator can work with custom polygon topology and helps creating custom blend shapes for facial animation.
  • During character production with clothing, it is common to experience clothing penetration into the body toward the end of the production pipeline. This may be due to applications calculating skin weighting and deformation differently, or it can be caused by different polygon resolution of the body and clothing above it. The traditional DCC applications lock vertices after skin weighting, requiring substantial rework to fix clothing penetration problems. With Character Creator, you can paint over the cloth to pull it out in the Modify panel, with the Edit Mesh brush tool, even after skin weighting or at any time during the animation. This preserves the polygon face offset throughout the animation. (Character Creator also allows hiding the mesh below clothing, but this may cause problems if you simulate and calculate cloth collision in an external application.):

Changing the shoe height after skin binding and cloth fitting with the traditional DCC applications can cause problems. With Character Creator, you can freely change shoe sizes if you set your character into the bind pose:

  • Pipeline friendly with the ability to collaborate with most other tools.
  • Fast speech animation, which would normally take a long time to keyframe. The AI assistant solution speeds up this process, while giving option to edit visemes and speaking style.
  • The Unreal Live link round trip feature allows matching animation position to a specific location in the scene when using multiple apps.

Related Posts

Learning

GI & Mesh-Based Lighting for Beginners

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Global illumination (GI) and mesh-based lighting is an underrated and easy to use lighting source for beginners. Most quickly grasp the main lighting tools like the Directional light, Spotlight and Point light. Mesh lighting has similar qualities but requires Global Illumination (GI) to be enabled before they cast any light.

Global Illumination is not a replacement for standard lighting but rather a companion to it in most cases. While we can light a scene with only GI, its main usage would fall into the hybrid category of complimenting or otherwise working with standard lighting. This is not always the case as it just depends on your needs.

Let’s take a look at some of the stock projects that come with iClone and how they work. We’ll also look at some custom projects to see how mesh-based lighting works in general.

Videos as Light Source

Project 3. Self-illumination TV
If you do not see this project in the Content Manager, you need to go to the Pack tab and search for the Project Part 3 pack and install the pack. 

Videos can generally be dragged and dropped onto almost any surface. I say generally, because some surfaces aren’t mapped properly, and wont display the video in the right manner even though you can drop it onto it. In a lot of cases, flat surfaces are mapped right and provide a great place to put videos to add more motion or lighting to your scene.

With Global Illumination turned on and some glow or self-illumination added, any video can project light just like your television or monitor does. The light will dance on the walls and other objects, flicker, go on and off, fade in and out depending on the video source and project the effects of the video on the surrounding environment.

This is a very simple but important method for beginners to level up on their production quality leveraging iClone’s ability to do most of the work while making the us and our production look good at the same time.

As in most tasks involving Global Illumination, there are very few things to do and only a slider to adjust the intensity. Placement is critical for good lighting and so is common sense to check out as many placement positions as possible but in some cases like the scenario below… it’s easy to home in on the TV as a single light source.

There is only one intensity slider since it is associated with the video simplifying the process.

Particle Effect as Light Source

Project 4. Particle_02
If you do not see this project in the Content Manager, you need to go to the Pack tab and search for the Project Part 3 pack and install the pack. 

This project demonstrates lighting the entire scene with a particle effect (Torch Fire in the Scene Manager) and the Illumination intensity strength slider located in the GI Settings section of the Modify tab. These two items combine to create the effect of the torch fire particle giving off light.

With Global Illumination off the scene goes black but when turned on the particle lights the room to varying degrees depending on the setting of the Illumination intensity slider. There are no other lights in the scene except the flickering torch particle.

Props as Lights

Custom Project. Props as Lights

Any prop in iClone can become a light source with Global Illumination. Just like videos the prop needs to be UV mapped properly or the entire light mesh like a lamp will glow instead of just the area of illumination where a bulb or candle would be. A lot of modern props are broken down into different texture maps that include a Glow map. This map only shows the section of the texture that would be used to generate light versus the entire prop.

In the example below I used several different methods of Global Illumination using mesh-based props. The table lamps were Meshy AI generated and had horrible UV maps making it impossible to use them for glow maps so I added a sphere primitive under the lamp shade using Global Illumination to turn the spheres into “lightbulbs” which I could then control via the texture illumination slider under GI Settings.

The entertainment center at the back uses a glow map for the lamp glows on both sides and Self Illumination for the lighting. The flat screen television is actually a wall prop fit into the screen area of the entertainment center and mapped with a video to project light.  The light intensity is controlled by the wall prop’s texture Self Illumination slider in this case. As is the case with GI props you can use the GI Intensity slider too.

The standing lamp uses only the Self Illumination with GI to project the light under and around the lamp. These props combine to light the scene without any physical lights or IBL lighting. The Tone Map is in use, but the white slider is toned down to where the effect darkens instead of lightens the entire scene.

Take a look at the video below for more information on this process. Keep in mind that we can use the Self Illumination slider or the GI Illumination sliders to mimic light or actually cast light. The tutorial uses both methods.

Passive Lighting

Project 3. Self-illumination
If you do not see this project in the Content Manager, you need to go to the Pack tab and search for the Project Part 3 pack and install the pack. 

Passive lighting is another form for using props, but they are usually hidden from the main view and provide basic lighting for the scene. It does not involve using things like lamp props for lamps but rather focuses on using props like floors or walls to passively light a scene.

This can be a main source of lighting or complement other lighting. Sometimes it can take a little time to drill down to the proper light source in scenes merged into one prop but it is possible as shown below using the texture channels and associated light settings.

Ready to Use Stock Mesh-Based Lights

Not only can any prop be used as a light source, iClone also provides three basic GI mesh props already set up as lights. GI Emissive Plane Oval, GI Emissive Plane Round and GI Emissive Plane Square are located in the Create -> Light submenu. See the video below for more details.

Be sure to set them as dummies or keep them out of sight of the camera as you don’t want these lighting props to show up in the render. Think of these props as just what they are… an alternative lighting system to the standard lights and a system that compliment standard lighting in the same scene. It is not unusual, and in fact is common, to use both of these lighting methods in the same scene.

NOTE: Setting these props to dummies only works for these particular stock props.

These mesh light props make it simple to add more lighting without wasting a lot of time as they can be deployed directly from the menu to the scene via clicking the item in the Create->Lights submenu. All we need to do after that is set the color and intensity.

Just make sure to have Global Illumination turned on to see the lighting effect. It’s easy for beginners to forget this when first using the props. If you see nothing happening, then check to make sure GI is on.

Attaching Mesh Lights

There comes a time when we need a light to follow along with a character or prop. Just like the standard lights we can attach mesh-based light props to these objects but even better we can attach the light to the camera, so it moves with the camera.

By attaching the mesh light to the camera, we don’t have to set up as many lights and we get the effect of the light moving in and out of the darkness as in the case of a flashlight or torch. Attaching can also be used to keep a certain highlighted or shadowed look to a character as it moves along.

Keeping the range of the light to a minimum will help facilitate this effect so the extra “hidden” light won’t show up on other objects. I also encourage you to experiment with attaching lights to the camera. This particularly works well when mapping out a project or quick proof of concept.

Try This – Turn Off ALL Lighting

This is a simple enough thing to do when starting but often overlooked. Once your scene is laid out and you know where things are…TURN OFF ALL THE LIGHTS in the scene. Especially if you are still in iClone default lighting as it is set up more for seeing the workspace then cinematic lighting.

Now start lighting by loading one light, global illumination mesh-based or standard and see how it affects the area it’s in and the immediate vicinity around it. This is not something you have to do but how can you really know how lights will affect a scene if you don’t start from scratch or at least do some tests first? This eliminates any confusion or accidentally leaving behind any of the default iClone lighting.

No… don’t delete the existing lights to do this! Just turn them off and try a few tests or start lighting from darkness then delete the pre-existing lights after you are satisfied with the results. You can keep these lights, if you wish, to help you light the scene more CLEARLY for working on or replacing something, but do not forget to turn them OFF when finished.

Summary

There can never be enough said about lighting… of any kind. Lighting will make or break a scene or project if not given careful consideration and given enough time to experiment and try out different ways of lighting that scene. Don’t be timid here. Experiment!

This is particularly true of mesh-based lighting that, like standard lighting, can stand on its own or be a hybrid use of both lighting types which is more common. There are about as many ways to light a scene as there are animators so you can only pick one that works for you or your client.

There is one thing to keep in mind about mesh-based lighting before we close this out and that is the fact that you have to be creative to use it because the light’s itself will render out. Unlike the stock GI props discussed earlier, if you set them as dummies the light will turn off. It’s not nearly as bad as it sounds though.

After a short time working with them you become adept at hiding them out of camera site or integrating them into the environment in ways that mask their presence while still emitting the light you. You have seen some of that in action in the short tutorials embedded into this article.

So, let’s not get in a hurry when it comes to lighting. Patience is key and experience builds with every new scene we light.

Manual

Tutorials

Global Illumination

GI Basics Part 1

GI Basics Part 2

GI Voxel Introduction

GI Anchor Follow

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
Learning

AccuRIG 2 vs Mixamo: Smarter Auto-Rigging for 3D Animators

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School of Motion: Elevating the Art of Motion Design

School of Motion has long been a trusted authority in digital creativity, known for transforming how artists learn motion design and animation tools. Founded by Joey Korenman, the platform was created to cut through the noise of YouTube tutorials and bring foundational, career-level training to aspiring and professional creatives alike. From After Effects and Cinema 4D to Photoshop and 3D workflows, School of Motion’s mission is simple: break down the barriers to learning, mastering, and working in motion design.

In a recent Motion Mondays episode, the team gave a first-look reaction to AccuRIG 2, the latest upgrade to Reallusion’s free auto-rigging tool. What caught the attention of School of Motion? A powerful, user-friendly rigging tool that not only rivals Mixamo—but actually surpasses it in key ways.

Let’s unpack what makes AccuRIG 2 a standout option for 3D animators and motion designers.

What Is AccuRIG 2?

AccuRIG 2 is Reallusion’s upgraded character auto-rigging solution designed to provide fast, intuitive rigging for static 3D models. Think of it as a smarter Mixamo alternative—with modern features tailored to today’s animation pipelines.

According to the review, AccuRIG 2 builds upon the core auto-rigging tech of its predecessor, but now integrates deeply with Reallusion’s ActorCore motion library—enabling creators to quickly rig characters and preview animation packs before exporting.

Key Features of AccuRIG 2

1. ActorCore Motion Integration

One of the headline features is direct integration with Reallusion’s ActorCore, a massive library of professionally captured animations.

“It adds the ability to apply animations from their ActorCore motion library to your rigged characters.”

EJ Hassenfratz | Creative Director @ School of Motion

This allows you to preview, test, and apply motion clips to your characters—no export/import hoops required.

2. Group Motion Support

AccuRIG 2 supports group animations, allowing users to assign synchronized motion clips to multiple characters in the same scene. This is a big win for game developers and filmmakers working with ensemble scenes.

“One thing that AccuRIG 2 adds is group motion support for animations involving multiple characters.”

EJ Hassenfratz | Creative Director @ School of Motion

3. Natural Language Search

Finding the right animation is often a time sink. AccuRIG 2 solves this with natural language search, letting you type “run forward,” “jump and land,” or “angry walk” and immediately find matching clips.

This feature isn’t just convenient—it’s workflow-transforming for teams with tight deadlines.

4. DCC Export Presets

AccuRIG 2 supports custom export presets for nearly every major DCC platform:

  • Blender
  • Cinema 4D
  • Unreal Engine
  • Maya
  • 3ds Max
  • Unity

No more fidgeting with export settings or retargeting rigs post-import. AccuRIG does the work for you.

“Export presets for pretty much every major DCC software like Blender, Cinema 4D, Unreal… you name it.”

EJ Hassenfratz | Creative Director @ School of Motion

Why It Beats Mixamo

While Mixamo has long been a staple for beginner rigging and mocap, its development has stalled, and the toolset hasn’t seen meaningful updates in years.

Here’s how AccuRIG 2 compares:

FeatureAccuRIG 2Mixamo
ActorCore motion integration✅ Yes❌ No
Group animation support✅ Yes❌ No
Natural language search✅ Yes❌ No
Active development✅ Frequent updates❌ Rare updates
DCC-specific export✅ Presets for Blender, UE, etc.⚠️ Basic FBX export
Price✅ Free✅ Free

“It’s definitely worth checking out—especially if you need more power and more recent updates than Mixamo provides.”

EJ Hassenfratz | Creative Director @ School of Motion

Ideal for Indie Filmmakers, Game Devs & Studios

Whether you’re an indie developer working solo or a team of animators building cinematic sequences, AccuRIG 2 offers a significant productivity boost:

  • 🚀 Previz Pipelines – Quickly rig characters and test animation packs
  • 🎮 Game Development – Use ActorCore motions and group syncing in Unity or Unreal
  • 🎥 Virtual Production – Export to DCCs like C4D or Blender for final animation
  • 💼 Studios – Integrate seamlessly with production tools via FBX, USD, or native formats

Free to Use, Easy to Learn

One of the most impressive aspects is the pricing: AccuRIG 2 is completely free. You can download it now without any licensing fees. While ActorCore animations come in both free and premium options, the rigging software itself doesn’t cost a thing.

This makes it an ideal choice for:

  • Indie studios
  • Students
  • Freelancers
  • Educators

Conclusion: A Smarter Rigging Alternative Is Here

Reallusion’s AccuRIG 2 is more than a Mixamo competitor—it’s a next-gen auto-rigging tool built for today’s fast-paced creative pipelines. With ActorCore integration, natural language search, multi-character animation, and DCC-ready exports, it solves the common pain points 3D artists face when rigging and animating characters.

For 3D animators, game devs, and content creators, this tool isn’t just worth checking out—it’s worth integrating into your daily workflow.

👉 Try AccuRIG 2 for Free

FAQs

Is AccuRIG 2 better than Mixamo?

Yes, AccuRIG 2 offers features Mixamo doesn’t, including ActorCore animation integration, group motion, and native exports for DCC software.

Is AccuRIG 2 free?

Yes, the software is 100% free. You only pay for premium ActorCore animation packs if needed.

Can I use AccuRIG 2 with Blender or Unreal?

Absolutely. AccuRIG 2 includes export presets for Blender, Unreal Engine, Cinema 4D, and more.

Does AccuRIG support mocap animations?

Yes, you can apply mocap-style animations from ActorCore’s motion library directly to your characters.

Who should use AccuRIG 2?

Anyone working in 3D—animators, indie game devs, motion designers, and students—will benefit from AccuRIG 2’s efficiency and features.

Related Posts

Product Release

AI Render for iClone & Character Creator Enters Open Beta with ComfyUI Workflow

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Discover how AI is used to reimagine 3D visuals, and how you can win a FREE CC5!

We’re excited to launch the Open Beta of AI Render plugin, a powerful and completely free tool that bridges real-time 3D animation with AI-powered rendering, seamlessly integrated into the ComfyUI workflow.

Whether you want to explore creative, stylized AI generations or need consistent, frame-accurate results for production, AI Render is built to deliver both. It’s a flexible, scalable solution designed to meet the full range of creator needs — from fast, artistic exploration to precise, professional fine-grain control.

▼ Download & Get Started ▼

Join Open Beta Now

ComfyUI + Reallusion = Speed, Accessibility, and Ease

The ComfyUI workflow is a powerhouse in the AI art community, known for its flexible, node-based system that supports ControlNet, LoRA, and fully customizable pipelines. Combined with Reallusion’s fast, beginner-friendly tools like Character Creator and iClone — which offer intuitive slider-based design, drag-and-drop assets, and real-time scene editing. To make this integration possible, AI Render uses custom nodes that connect Reallusion’s 3D environments directly into the ComfyUI ecosystem.

For Reallusion users, AI Render works seamlessly within familiar tools — no ComfyUI experience needed. For ComfyUI users, it enables precise 3D-guided generation and full freedom to build custom workflows with added control and consistency.

22 Style Presets, Endless Possibilities

AI Render includes 22 professionally tuned style presets across three types: Realistic, 3D, and 2D.

It offers 11 AI Image Generation models for still renders and 11 AI Video Generation models optimized for consistent frame-by-frame results, giving you a quick, creative head start for both image and video projects.

By default, AI Render runs locally using Stable Diffusion 1.5, Wan2.1 Fun 1.3B Control, and Wan2.1 VACE 1.3B models, which are optimized for quality and performance on accessible hardware.

For users seeking more advanced or cinematic results, AI Render also supports third-party high-end models such as Flux, HiDream, and FusionX. These require significantly more GPU power or access to a cloud GPU platform like RunPod or RunComfy. More details are available on the [official forum].

Prompt to Precision: Fine-Tune AI Gen with Text 

You can further customize your results using text prompts, which offer more detailed control. Use positive prompts to guide the AI toward desired styles and features, and negative prompts to filter out unwanted elements or distortions.

Style It with a Reference: Customization Using IP Adapter

If you struggle to find the exact style you want or find prompting difficult, AI Render supports reference-based generation with the use of IP Adapters. This feature lets you upload an image, and the AI will follow its style, lighting, and tone — delivering consistent visual results without the need for perfect prompt wording. 

Beyond Pixel Control: Precision with 3D-Generated ControlNet

ControlNet guides AI generation using structural inputs in addition to prompts. With AI Render, these inputs are generated directly from your 3D environment in iClone and Character Creator, including characters, scene layout, camera framing, and lighting. This delivers accurate, frame-by-frame guidance the AI can follow, without relying on error-prone 2D estimations.

With a massive asset library in the Reallusion ecosystem — featuring drag-and-drop characters, motions, props, and environments — all easily searchable with Deep Search directly in the software, it’s quick and effortless to build a strong foundation for generating high-quality ControlNet inputs.

ControlNet Modes Supported in AI Render

Depth — Spatial layering and facial accuracy

Depth maps from 3D data ensure stable shot distance and accurate layering across frames. Unlike 2D-estimated maps, 3D depth can be manually adjusted for close-ups or wide shots, maintaining correct focus and detail — essential for consistent facial expression control at any distance.

Pose — Reliable skeletal tracking, even with occlusion

2D OpenPose often fails when faces or limbs are obscured or off-frame. 3D OpenPose maintains accurate skeletal tracking throughout, even in complex scenes with multiple interacting characters, ensuring precise timing and body alignment from frame to frame.

Normal — Surface lighting and shading

3D normals offer smooth surface angles for stable lighting and consistent shading. Combined with iClone and Character Creator’s lighting tools, you get clean forms, cinematic highlights, and professional visual quality every frame.

Edge (Canny) — Clean outlines for stylized renders

3D-generated canny edges produce clean, geometry-based outlines — perfect for stylized renders like anime, ink, or line art. When paired with 3D depth, they provide strong compositional control for layered characters and environments.

Prompt: Oil Painting,Bearly,masterpiece, best quality, cyberpunk alley, glowing neon signs, wet floor, vending machines, old pipes, rusty walls, robot citizens, futuristic graffiti, orange and teal lighting, cinematic atmosphere, high detail

Multi-Inputs + Camera Control

You can combine multiple ControlNet inputs for stronger character and scene control. Each input is adjustable via threshold sliders, giving you precision over structure, influence, and visual style.

Pair this with iClone’s powerful camera tools — including lens control, framing, and automated paths — to shape your AI compositions with cinematic perspective and storytelling precision.

Create, Own, and Scale: Build Your Own IP and LoRAs

With Character Creator and iClone, you can create fully rigged, original characters ready for games, animation, virtual production, merchandise, and more. These are professional assets you own and can use across all industries.

Now, with AI Render, your original characters can easily step into AI-powered storytelling to star in AI-generated movies, commercials, and creative projects. By bringing your 3D characters into the ComfyUI workflow, AI Render enables fast, stylized video generation that maintains consistency and gives you full creative control.

Your characters don’t just look good — they behave with the consistency, emotion, and presence of a real person, making them ready for any story you want to tell.

To achieve this high-quality, consistent result in AI generation, LoRA (Low-Rank Adaptation) training is essential. LoRAs are lightweight AI models that preserve your character’s unique look and style across frames, scenes, and creative variations. 

With batch rendering, pose libraries, and automated camera paths in iClone, you can quickly build LoRA training datasets from multiple angles and motions.

Whether you’re creating one character or an entire IP universe, Character Creator, iClone, and AI Render provide a creator-owned pipeline.

🎉 AI Makeover Challenge: Chance for Free CC5!

To celebrate the arrival of the AI Render Plugin, we’re launching a special community challenge from July 28th to August 29th!

This is your chance to recreate your favorite CC4 characters using AI Render — give them a fresh look, a new style, or a completely reimagined story through AI-powered generation.

How to Participate

Let your creativity fly as you reimagine your CC4 character with AI Render in the form of an image or video.

  • We’ll randomly select one winner each week to receive a free copy of CC5.
  • Winners will be announced on August 11th, 18th, 25th, and September 1st via the official forum thread and Reallusion’s Instagram account.

1st Entry Window: Jul 28 – Aug 8, the winner will be announced on Aug 11

2nd Entry Window: Aug 8 – Aug 15, the winner will be announced on Aug 18

3rd Entry Window: Aug 15 – Aug. 22, the winner will be announced on Aug 25

4th Entry Window: Aug 22 – Aug 29, winner will be announced on Sep 1

The first entry window lasts two weeks to give everyone time to get familiar with the plugin.

How to Submit Your Entry

  1. Post your work in the official forum thread (required to be eligible).
  2. Share it to your Instagram Story (optional bonus)
    • Tag @Reallusion
    • Use hashtags: #CC4ever and #ReallusionAIRender
    • Make sure your account is public

Submitting to both channels earns you two entries total — one from the forum, and one bonus from Instagram. Each person can only win once and will be excluded from future draws.

Get Started

Visit the Reallusion Official Forum to:

  • Download the AI Render Plugin Installer
  • Access the installation guide and product demos
  • Stay up to date with official announcements
  • Report bugs and get technical support
  • Connect with fellow creators in the growing AI Render community

Looking to explore the Open Beta or join the community challenge? The Reallusion forum is your gateway to it all. Join us and help shape the future of AI-powered 3D creation with the full force of the ComfyUI integration.

Learning

A Smarter Way to Search & New 3D Content Pricing Plan

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Over six months ago Reallusion released AI Smart Search for its users. AI Smart Search is a tool that changed the way we searched the Content Store, ActorCore and the Marketplace inventory for project assets. This included what we had already purchased. It is a quick and easy way to find the assets we need without wasting time with long and sometimes fruitless old school search methods.

A lot has happened behind the scenes since then with Smart Search, Trial content and the introduction of iContent with a HUGE discount. Let that sink in… HUGE DISCOUNT so read on as it is covered later in this article along with One Click purchasing and a recap of Keyword and Deep Search features.  

Try Before You Buy

Reallusion is well aware of Buyer’s Remorse as mentioned on their website and they want users to be happy with what they purchase. They know what it’s like to buy something only to find out, for whatever reason, it doesn’t exactly fit all aspects of a project.  They are working actively to reduce this extremely frustrating experience with Trial content.

It’s not just the Trial content but the simple methods devised to test the Trial content and if needed, to purchase it quickly and directly to keep moving on without having to stop and jump through some hoops then get back to work.

This includes over 130,000 premium 3D assets to cover just about any situation or genre. By being able to download and test (with a watermark) the assets you can make a better decision as to how and if it fits your project needs.

You can test content from the Reallusion Content Store, ActorCore and Marketplace for worry free purchases. We can use AI Smart Search to look for individual items or packs tailored to our specific needs.

Once you have decided on what trial assets you wish to purchase you can do so in app without the hassle of jumping through several hoops to get back to those items, cart them and checkout.  

As an added bonus if you are subscribed to PRIME you can try out ten times more items simultaneously.

When searching we can also use the filters provided to show trial content only to speed testing up and eliminate clutter that wastes our creative time.

Trial content is easy to download and evaluate by clicking the item or pack thumbnail which downloads and installs the trial content. It is as simple as that. We can build our entire project and animate it with trial content then purchase what we need to keep as we cannot render trial content in image or video form and the purchase will remove the watermark.

There is little reason now to be hesitant about 3D asset purchases from Reallusion when so much content is available for free download and testing with the trial program.

For more information, this video will start with this topic.

3D iContent License – 70% Savings

This new license is a boon for users that work and render it within iClone or Character Creator. It does not support third-party tools like game engines or 3D Software like Blender, Maya and 3DS Max.

The big feature is the significant price reduction costing only 30 percent of the standard license. You read that right. It’s a whopping 70 percent discount! Below is a summary of the information available regarding iContent.

NOTE: It is important to note that that iContent is for mesh content only, like models, hair, shoes, etc. Motions are excluded from iContent.

Assets purchased with an iContent license are limited to rendering-only use, meaning they can only be used to create still images or videos within the Reallusion software ecosystem. Users cannot export these assets to third-party applications such as Unreal Engine, incorporate them into games or real-time content, or utilize them for 3D printing purposes.

For users who later need expanded functionality, an upgrade option is available that allows conversion to a standard license by paying only the price difference between the two license types. These iContent assets are conveniently accessible through the AI Smart Search feature integrated into both iClone and Character Creator, enabling users to browse and trial assets directly within the applications.

Learn more information about this topic in the video.

One-Click Purchase

One-Click/Instant Purchase allows users to right-click on a desired asset in iClone or Character Creator and choose an instant purchase option. We do not have to leave the application to hunt down the asset and add it to our cart.

It’s easy, convenient and less intrusive, allowing you or your team to focus on the work at hand and not get sidetracked hunting down assets again just to purchase.

Select the items to purchase. right click and choose Instant Purchase. We are now almost finished completing the transaction and removing the watermark.

On the right is the menu that pops up next for completing the purchase. You can see the iContent option if available for that particular item.

For more information, the video will start with this topic.

License

For clarity here is a breakdown of Reallusion’s new iContent license compared to the Standard License:

 iContent License

  • Format: Proprietary, used exclusively within iClone and Character Creator.
  • Availability: Only accessible via Smart Search inside Reallusion apps—not through the Marketplace or Content Store.
  • Usage Rights:
    • Can be used for image and video creation within Reallusion software.
    • Cannot be exported to third-party 3D tools.
  • Pricing: Costs only 30% off the Standard License, making it a budget-friendly option.
  • Upgrade Path: You can upgrade to a Standard License by paying the price difference if export is needed later.

Standard License

  • Format: Exportable content usable in Reallusion tools and third-party software like Blender, Unreal Engine, Maya and 3D Max.
  • Permits rendering for images and videos.
  • Allows export for use in games, apps, and AR/VR projects (with some restrictions on CC components).
  • For commercial use of one specific character, the Standard License is sufficient. For mass character deployment, an Extended License is required.

Deep Search and Keyword Search

It has been several months since AI Search was initially released, and many users are becoming accustomed to its AI-powered search abilities which continue to improve.

Deep Search relies on AI training to create an intuitive method of searching that saves time searching only for the items you are looking for based on your input. No need for remembering names or other info as AI helps power the results without the need to remember such details.

Deep Search analyzes the meaning of your text query or the visual features of an image to find similar assets even if the keywords or tags are not present. It not only supports many languages it also takes the frustration and anxiety out of not knowing exactly what to search for or what phrase will help you stumble across the item you are looking for.

The video on the right provides a comprehensive demo.

Deep Search also has Find Similar which can open up even more opportunities to easily search similar assets. This tool alone can save a lot of time and cut non-animating to a minimum. A detailed walkthrough is also presented in the video, starting at 3:14.

Deep Search excels at finding content you may have never thought of to search for. Even then we may not have phrased the keyword search right. So many places to go wrong that are completely eliminated by Deep Search.

Keyword Search is familiar to most of us as we have all used keywords or phrases in various ways to achieve things ranging from internet search to finding items on our own computer.

Like any search engine input, we can search with words or simple phrases but since this is a dedicated search feature we can also search by Name, Tag or Author.

Deep Search Features:

  • Natural Language with over 100 languages
  • Intuitive AI-powered search function
  • AI-powered semantic and visual matching
  • Multilingual support (100+ Languages)
  • Image-Based Search supported
  • Find Similar Content support
  • Advanced Category filtering
  • Best for Discovery, visual similarity, flexible queries

Keyword Search Features:

  • Fast for known exact terms
  • Standard familiar search methods
  • Basic category filtering
  • Text, English only
  • No Multilingual support
  • No Image-Based search
  • No Find Similar Content
  • Best for known asset names and or tags

Let’s Not Forget Cartoon Animator!

I’ve almost done it again by forgetting to include iClone’s close cousin in the 2D world, Cartoon Animator! While I’m a huge fan of Cartoon Animator and 2D work in general, I’m not an expert on it but rest assured these AI-powered search features are available there too. Just like iClone, the stores are full of Cartoon Animator-related content just waiting to make your next 2D masterpiece and Smart Search along with Trial content is there to help you find and evaluate those 2D assets.

Summary

With over 130,000 trial assets in the Content Store, ActorCore and Marketplace it is simply impossible to search the entirety of the combined stores effectively without Smart Search and in particular, Deep Search. I’ve often wondered how many times I have missed great assets in the past due to the explosion of iClone and Character Creator content in the last ten years or so.

The Content Store, ActorCore and the Marketplace contain thousands of items that would be difficult to search for unless you know the tags or keywords associated with them which are next to impossible for most of us to remember without extensive notes.  

With all this content and in particular Trial content which any iClone or Character Creator user can try out for free on their own system or in their custom project… legacy search simply isn’t enough at times and those times are becoming more frequent.

If you have never tried out iClone, Character Creator and Cartoon Animator… now might be the time to give the free trials a try and take a dip into the Reallusion animation ecosphere where simplicity and continued development are guiding factors bringing you the most intuitive and simple to use animation tools in 2D and 3D.

Manual

Trial before Purchase

Purchasing Content

Launching Smart Search

Deep Search vs. Keyword Search

Courses

Getting Started with In-App Smart Search

Introduction to Search Methods

Smart Search: Seek, Try and Purchase

How to Search for Animations Using Deep Search

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
Product Release

Character Creator 5 Release Rescheduled to August 27

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Making Way for a More Powerful and Polished Edition

To ensure the highest level of quality and performance, Reallusion has decided to move the official launch of Character Creator 5 to August 27, 2025. This buffer time will allow us to deliver a more refined user experience, introduce even more powerful features, and update key plugins to enhance third-party integration and workflow compatibility.

Exciting new additions include the all-new ActorMIXER system, which enables both custom and random character generation directly within the application. CC5 will also offer seamless MetaHuman compatibility, unlocking a unified workflow for Unreal Engine developers and artists.

To reward your extended patience, all CC5 Prelaunch Offer qualifiers will now receive the ActorMIXER PRO plugin (a $199 value) completely free—on top of the previously promised complementary Character Creator 5 license ($299 value). This deal upgrade is our way of saying thank you for sticking with us through thick and thin.

>> Check the Reallusion Software Store for more details

A free powerful new plugin and an enhanced CC5—now that’s real value for your patience!

Introducing ActorMIXER, the Future of Character Generation

The brand-new ActorMIXER will bring major innovation to CC5, dramatically expanding the creative possibilities of character design with greater ease and flexibility.

  • Non-Destruction mixing between characters to generate entirely new looks
  • Mix by full heads, individual facial parts, or full bodies
  • Seamlessly blend between stylized or realistic characters

Unlock Advanced Capabilities with ActorMIXER PRO

Upgrade to ActorMIXER PRO to access powerful features and the complete ActorMIXER CORE Library, designed for serious creators who want full control and flexibility in character creation.

ActorMIXER PRO Plugin

  • Make Any Character Mixable: Make any character mix-ready by converting it into mixer sliders and mixer skins.
  • One-Click Randomization: Instantly generate unique and diverse characters with a single click.
  • ActorMIXER Packages: Use the ActorMIXER Packager to create and package your own mixer-ready assets for sharing or for profit.
Create custom mixer- Convert any character into mix-ready sliders and skins.

ActorMIXER CORE Library

  • 40+ Hyper-Realistic Scanned Heads: Ready-made for full head or facial-feature mixing.
  • Diverse Ethnic and Facial Variants: A wide range of facial structures, and ethnicities for endless combinations.
  • Optimized Texture Workflow: Includes both low-resolution textures for fast previewing and high-resolution assets for final rendering and HD export.

Secure FREE CC5 & ActorMIXER PRO by August 27!

All CC5 Prelaunch Offer qualifiers will receive a FREE copy of Character Creator 5 (a $299 value) and ActorMIXER PRO (a $199 value)!

This exclusive plugin giveaway is available only until August 27, 2025, so don’t miss your chance to claim it. It’s the ultimate reminder that we’re excited to have you with us as we unlock the full potential of Character Creator 5 together!

Additional Enhancements in CC5 and iClone 8

Beyond the introduction of ActorMIXER, Character Creator 5 and iClone 8 bring a host of powerful new upgrades designed to elevate animation quality, improve Unreal Engine integration, and streamline character workflows.

Enhanced iPhone and AccuFACE Support

  • Improve non-linear facial performance, add precision to lip movements for natural speech animation
  • Add corrective morphs to existing CC characters for enhanced mocap quality, especially for intense emotional expressions.

Extended Eyelash & HD Eye System

  • Upgraded 3D eyelashes feature adjustable lash density, refined mesh structures, and greater shaping possibilities.
  • Smart hair-compatible color controls enable natural lash color transitions from root to tip, with realistic reflectivity adjustment.
  • Automatically repositions eyelashes after intense eye shape editing.
  • Enhanced HD Eye library delivers outstanding detail in the pupil, blood vessels, moisture, and realistic concave rendering when viewed from the side

Easy Motion Retargeting for UE5

  • Now supports skeleton export geared for UE4 and UE5, with bind pose presets optimized for MetaHuman and UEFN.
  • Enables accurate motion retargeting and real-time game control.
  • Character and animation can be exported together, significantly simplifying the Unreal Engine pipeline.

Expanded MetaHuman Compatibility

  • The upgraded CC/IC AutoSetup ensures full compatibility between CC5 characters and MetaHumans in Unreal Engine, providing identical facial controls and skeleton structures.
  • MetaHumans can be easily swapped with CC5 characters in Unreal Sequencer while preserving all facial and body animation data.
  • LiveLink integration supports real-time streaming of motion capture to CC5 characters, including MHA facial mocap, Audio-to-Face syncing, and full-body tracking.
  • The MetaHuman-compatible CC Control Rig plugin enables 1:1 animation matching and layered animation refinement inside Unreal workflows.

MHA Animation Import & HD Face Board Editing

  • A new MetaHuman-style face control panel in iClone enables fine-tuned editing of HD facial expressions for CC5 characters.
  • CC5 and iClone 8 now support MHA animation imports from Unreal, bringing high-quality facial capture into the ecosystem.
  • Existing CC3+ characters can be upgraded with the CC5 HD facial profile for full compatibility with MHA animation data.

FAQ

When exactly will CC5 be released?

CC5 will officially launch on August 27. We’ve extended the release to ensure a more polished experience and to include powerful new features such as ActorMIXER and enhanced Unreal Engine compatibility.

What is ActorMIXER, and can it mix my custom characters too?

ActorMIXER is a new system in CC5 that allows you to blend up to six characters — either full heads, facial parts, or entire bodies. To mix your custom characters, you’ll need the ActorMIXER PRO Plugin, which enables you to convert any character into mixable sliders and skins.

Do all prelaunch buyers get the ActorMIXER PRO Plugin and scanned heads for free?

Yes. As a token of appreciation for your support, all prelaunch participants — whether you’ve already purchased or will purchase before August 27 — will receive the ActorMIXER PRO Plugin and the ActorMIXER Core Library (over 40 high-quality scan heads) at no extra cost.

Can I use ActorMIXER PRO with my custom characters?

Absolutely. That’s the core value of PRO — it allows you to convert any of your custom characters into mixable sliders and skins, giving you complete creative control.

Can CC4 users use ActorMIXER PRO?

No. ActorMIXER and ActorMIXER PRO are designed specifically for CC5. You’ll need to upgrade to CC5 in order to use these new features. But you can mix your legacy CC3+ character with CC5!

Any plans for existing CC4 users to join the prelaunch offer and get ActorMIXER PRO for free?

We understand your concern, and our team is actively discussing options for existing CC4 users. Please stay tuned and keep an eye on your inbox — we’ll be sharing updates very soon.

Will there be any further delays to CC5?

We understand your concern and appreciate your patience. As of now, August 27 is our confirmed release date, and our development is in its final stage. We’re committed to delivering a stable and feature-complete version on time.

What improvements have been made for Unreal Engine users?

CC5 brings several major upgrades for Unreal workflows:

  • Use of MetaHuman-compatible Control Rig for precise animation in Unreal
  • Direct support for UE4 and UE5 skeleton export, including bind pose for UEFN
  • One-click export of character and animation together
  • Full MetaHuman compatibility, with identical facial rig and animation support
  • Support for LiveLink, Audio-to-Face, and MHA facial mocap streaming

Product Release

AccuRIG 2 Debuts Direct In-App Access to 4,500+ ActorCore Motions

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Reallusion announces a major upgrade to AccuRIG, the industry’s most popular free automatic rigging software, used by over 200,000 creators. The latest version 2 boosts productivity by integrating advanced AI search technology directly into the workflow. With the powerful in-app AI Deep Search, artists instantly browse and explore more than 4,500 ActorCore motions, dramatically accelerating the creative process. This deep integration saves valuable production time and enriches the animation pipeline with smart, intuitive tools that help creators find the best motions without ever leaving AccuRIG 2.

AccuRIG 2 Continues the Legacy of Innovation

AccuRIG 2 introduces a suite of innovative features aimed at enhancing both user experience and productivity. Over 4,500 premium 3D motions from ActorCore are now directly accessible within AccuRIG. Fully integrated motion preview and retargeting tools also enable the testing and adaptation of animations in AccuRIG’s intuitive interface, eliminating the need to switch between applications to check content fit.

Blitzing Through AI Motion Search and Preview

One of the highlights of AccuRIG 2 is its powerful AI-driven search capability, which makes discovering the perfect motion quicker than ever. With Reallusion AI Deep Search, content can be searched by category, filters, or even natural language using detailed descriptions in over 100 supported languages. This flexibility ensures that creators worldwide can easily find exactly what they need for any project. The enhanced preview window supports free navigation around the character, enabling thorough examination of rigging and motions before committing to export for 3rd-party integration.

The Pinnacle of Character Rigging: Trusted by Users Worldwide

AccuRIG remains at the forefront of 3D character rigging, revolutionizing how artists and studios approach character creation. Trusted by over 200,000 users worldwide, this free application simplifies the rigging process by transforming static 3D models into fully animatable characters—down to the finger joints—in just a few easy steps. Whether for games, films, virtual production, or interactive media, AccuRIG’s intuitive design and advanced automation dramatically lower technical barriers. Its compatibility with industry-standard platforms such as Unreal Engine, Unity, Blender, iClone, Omniverse, Maya, 3ds Max, MotionBuilder, and Cinema 4D makes it a flexible and powerful addition to any pipeline.

Multi-Purpose ActorCore Motion Integration

ActorCore offers thousands of high-quality motions tailored to meet the needs of diverse industries—from video games and filmmaking to training simulations, digital twins, and architectural visualization. Each motion is professionally produced, featuring precise foot contact, detailed finger and toe articulation, smooth transitions, adaptable stance shifts, and natural movement. By combining AccuRIG’s auto-rigging with ActorCore’s curated motion system, it’s possible to rig, animate, preview, and refine characters with unmatched speed and precision—all in one streamlined platform.

AI Search Ushers in Next-Level Augmented Productivity

By consolidating advanced AI technology with ActorCore’s extensive motion library into a single free tool, AccuRIG 2 redefines the character animation process. With instant access to thousands of retargetable motions, intelligent search features, and an intuitive rigging system, there’s no need to juggle multiple applications or get bogged down by complex workflows. Instead, users gain a seamless, end-to-end pipeline that takes them from rigging and preview to export with minimal effort. For studios and creators looking to boost productivity and achieve professional-grade results, AccuRIG 2 sets a new standard for accessible, high-quality animation.

Related Posts

Learning

From 2D to 3D: My First Steps with iClone and Character Creator

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Animation Journey: From Drawing Cartoons to 3D Worlds

This article is the second installment of my Garry’s ongoing journal series, From 2D to 3D. If you haven’t read the first post yet, we recommend starting there: From 2D to 3D: Why After 10 Years I Moved to 3D Animation.

In that opening chapter, I share the pivotal moment that led me to transition from a decade of 2D work into the world of 3D animation. Now, in this second entry, I dive deeper into the tools, challenges, and creative breakthroughs shaping my journey.

Entry 2 – My First Steps In A 3D World

If you’d asked me four months ago whether I could create a fully custom 3D character, I’d have laughed nervously, changed the subject, and pretended to know where my glasses were. But here I am, knee deep in polygons, sliders, and UV maps, slowly but surely learning how to bring my cartoon world into the third dimension.

This is the second blog in my series documenting my jump from 2D to 3D animation, and let me tell you, the learning curve has been more of a learning vertical wall. But we’ll get to that. First, let’s rewind to the beginning.

When I first dipped my toe into 3D, I knew I wanted to build my own characters from scratch, not just use existing assets. That meant learning how iClone and Character Creator 4 (CC4) worked, and more importantly, figuring out which tools would actually help me create characters that still felt like “mine.”

My early impressions of iClone and CC4 were honestly impressive. These tools felt powerful and professional, but at the same time, there was something familiar about them. Because I’d spent years with Cartoon Animator, I instantly recognised the DNA. The UI structure, the logic behind the sliders, even the naming conventions. That familiarity gave me a bit of a head start.

I also started exploring Headshot, which is Reallusion’s face generator plugin. At first glance, I assumed it was just for making realistic humans. I was wrong. Gloriously wrong. With some creative thinking (and a lot of morph slider nudging), I realised I could push HeadShot well into the cartoon space.

I initially thought I’d use the box modelling technique in Blender to sculpt my characters. It seemed like the “real” way to do it, the purist approach. So I experimented with that. But quickly I realised I was in way over my head. The idea of building a character from a cube with extrusion tools and loop cuts was exciting….. until it wasn’t.

Instead, I made the decision to use the tools that make sense for where I am now, not where I think I should be. That meant going all in on Character Creator and Headshot, and only jumping into Blender when I needed to tweak something I couldn’t do in CC4, like specific mesh edits or object manipulations.

Because CC4 and iClone come from the same company that makes Cartoon Animator, a tool I know backwards, the transition felt smoother. The UI language made sense. I didn’t have to relearn how to navigate the workspace or figure out where the “make head bigger” button had run off to.

So far, I’ve been using HeadShot 2.0 to create custom cartoon faces and Character Creator for the bulk of the shaping work, especially facial detail. CC4 has some wonderful tools like Edit Mesh for when I need to push shapes further than the sliders allow and for me, the all important Morph Slider Editor to build custom expressions that would let my characters unique personalities shine through.

Each day I learn something new. Just this week, I figured out how to create morph sliders for rescaling teeth during an expression. I’m not saying I’m a wizard, but if the pointy hat fits.

Coming from 2D character design, where I could sketch something and have it ready to animate in a day, 3D felt like moving through molasses. The technical side is heavier, and yes, I struggled. Hard.

There were nights where I closed the software and walked away frustrated, convinced I’d never finish even one fully custom character. But I kept going, out of sheer stubbornness. I made a promise to myself, just finish one, no matter how long it takes.

I need to point out that I am not doing this alone. Rampa Tinling and Peter Alexander, two pros in the Reallusion community, have been incredibly generous with their time. Their encouragement gave me the push I needed when I hit a wall.

I also started a Facebook group to share my progress, ask for help, and support others doing the same thing. That group has turned into an unexpectedly warm little community. We cheer each other on, laugh at our mistakes, and swap solutions freely.

The official Reallusion YouTube channel has been invaluable. And it’s come full circle for me because years ago, I learned Cartoon Animator by watching Kai DeNeve’s tutorials. And now, here he is again, guiding me into 3D. Same teacher, new dimension.

Each day, things feel a little more intuitive. I don’t have to look up how to move a vertex anymore. The fog is lifting.

When I wrote my first blog post, I wasn’t confident I could do this. I genuinely worried that I wasn’t smart enough to make sense of the 3D world. That I’d hit a wall and walk away defeated, which I had done twice already in the past.

But now, writing this second post, something’s shifted. I still have a lot to learn, and sure, it’s not going to happen overnight. But now I believe I can get to the end of this journey. I believe I can finish what I started.

And most importantly, I’m having fun.

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Garry Pye – 2D/3D Animator, Cartoonist, Content Developer

Garry Pye – 2D/3D Animator | Content Developer

Garry Pye is an Australian illustrator, animator, and Cartoon Animator instructor with over a decade of experience in the animation industry. Known for his unique blend of creativity and humor, Garry’s work spans from teaching animation techniques to creating innovative content that helps both novice and experienced animators improve their skills.

Garry’s enthusiasm for storytelling and animation shines through in all his projects, whether it’s creating animated shorts, preparing educational tutorials, or sharing his expertise by teaching. With a passion for making animation accessible and fun, Garry has built a community of learners who not only appreciate his knowledge but also his infectious sense of humor and dedication to his craft.

Follow Garry Pye’s iClone Page｜2D Animation Page｜2D Marketplace

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CTA5 vs. Adobe CA: The Ultimate Showdown of Top 2D Animation Software

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Scott Evans, Digital Puppets

As a professional animator with years of experience using Adobe Character Animator (CA) on projects for clients like Disney, Cartoon Network, and the BBC, I was excited to dive deep into Reallusion’s Cartoon Animator 5 (CTA5).

After being asked countless times which 2D animation software is better, I’ve created this comparison to share my honest perspective, highlighting where each tool shines and how they fit different animation needs.

Check out Digital Puppets’ YouTube Channel

Pipeline: Similar Files, Different Approaches

Both CTA5 and CA support PSD and Illustrator imports, offering flexibility for asset creation, but their workflows differ significantly.

Adobe Character Animator allows for highly customized builds, which is great for experienced riggers who need precise control over every joint and puppet behavior. However, this level of detail can be overwhelming for beginners just starting their 2D animation journey.

Cartoon Animator 5 simplifies this process with templates and a SMART Rigging system, making it much more approachable for new users. While it offers less flexibility for highly custom, unconventional builds, the streamlined approach is a huge time-saver for most animators.

Speed: Setup Time Matters

When it comes to getting animations off the ground quickly, setup time is crucial.

CA offers deep control, but setup can be time consuming, especially when tagging layers manually for head turns, IK, and lip sync. This meticulous approach can add significant hours to a project.

CTA5 is faster out of the box, with prebuilt motions and streamlined rigging. While CTA5’s auto rigging sometimes needs refinement, the learning curve is much lower, allowing animators to jump into creating compelling 2D animation faster.

Visual Advantages: FFD and Spring Dynamics

Expressive character movement is key in quality 2D animation, and the tools available for deformation and physics play a significant role.

CTA5 includes advanced Free Form Deformation (FFD) and easy-to-apply spring dynamics, allowing for expressive, cartoon-style motion with natural bounce and fluidity. CA, on the other hand, offers only basic physics and deformation capabilities. For animators wanting dynamic movement in their 2D animation projects, CTA5 clearly has the edge.

Trigger Animation: Expression & Tempo Control

Efficiently triggering animations and expressions can dramatically speed up production and enhance character performance.

CTA5’s trigger system is intuitive and powerful. The new puppet panel library lets users apply complex facial expressions and animations with remarkable ease, enabling quick iteration and nuanced performances. CA’s trigger setup is more manual and time intensive, though highly customizable. However, it lacks advanced puppeteering options like motion flocking found in CTA5.

Animation Control: 3D Motion for 2D Characters

CTA5 uniquely enables 3D-style motion in 2D characters and supports detailed motion capture, even finger tracking. Reallusion has a huge library of motion assets which provide multiple angles of 2D motion capability—invaluable for diverse scenes.

While CA focuses on webcam-based performance capture and includes a reliable walk behavior, it lacks external mocap integration and downloadable motion assets. CTA5 offers deeper, more scalable control for complex animations, particularly for studios looking to incorporate motion capture data.

Character Reusability: Streamlining Production

Efficiency in a 2D animation pipeline often hinges on how easily characters can be adapted and reused across projects.

CTA5 allows for standardized, reusable rigs, helping speed up character production, especially for series or projects requiring multiple characters. This allows for applying the same motion to several characters, drastically cutting down on repetitive tasks.

CA, meanwhile, is excellent for updating character graphics—just change the linked PSD or AI file, and the model updates instantly. CTA5’s PSD linking is effective but sometimes less intuitive compared to CA’s seamless approach.

Scene Production: Full Control vs. Focused Simplicity

The scope of your animation projects will often dictate which software is more suitable.

CTA5 is built for full scene animation with multiple characters, props, and cinematic camera movements. It offers robust tools for orchestrating complex interactions within a scene. CA is more limited here, though it does have a simple and effective camera system for zooms and pans. For anything beyond character-centric animation, CTA5 provides much more flexibility for expansive 2D animation scenes.

Timeline Animation: Flexibility vs. Clarity

The timeline is the heart of any animation software, and both tools offer distinct approaches.

CTA5’s timeline is powerful and allows for advanced edits like reordering body part layers mid-scene. This flexibility can be incredibly useful for complex layering and visual effects. However, its lack of named keyframes can make it harder to navigate, especially in intricate sequences.

CA’s timeline is clear and beginner-friendly, with an excellent swap-set system for managing triggers and timing. This makes it intuitive for quick performance-based animation.

Head Turns: CTA5 Dominates

This is where one software truly stands out for expressive character animation.

CTA5 is unmatched when it comes to creating fluid, 3D-style head turns from 2D assets. Users from LIVE2D will find CTA5’s parallax system more advanced and flexible, allowing for incredibly convincing head rotations. CA does allow head turns, but only through multiple rigged heads, which increases file size and complexity—making the process less efficient for subtle shifts.

Updates: CTA5’s Steady Evolution

The continuous development and support directly impact long-term viability.

Reallusion continues to roll out regular updates and feature improvements to CTA5, often driven by user feedback. This commitment ensures the software remains cutting-edge and responsive to animators’ needs. In contrast, CA has seen few major updates in recent years, which can be a concern for animators seeking new capabilities.

Conclusion: Choosing Your Ideal 2D Animation Software

Both tools are excellent 2D animation software solutions, but for different purposes.

Adobe Character Animator is ideal for real-time performance animation, thanks to its intuitive timeline and trigger system. It’s perfect for live streaming, creating quick reaction videos, or producing content rapidly with a single performer. However, its rigging complexity and lack of recent updates may be limiting for more advanced users seeking long-term production scalability.

Cartoon Animator 5 is designed for animators who want more control, richer visuals, and scalable production tools. With its powerful rigging, deformation, scene control, and continuous development, CTA5 is a robust solution for creating polished, professional animations, especially when working with multiple characters and cinematic sequences.

Consider your primary goals: Are you focused on live performance and rapid content generation, or are you aiming for highly controlled, cinematic 2D animation with deep feature sets? Your answer will guide you to the ideal animation software for your next project.

FAQ

Which 2D animation software is better for beginners?

Cartoon Animator 5 offers a more approachable learning curve with its SMART rigging system and pre-built templates. Adobe Character Animator is user-friendly for real-time puppeteering but requires more complex setup when creating characters from scratch.

Can I use motion capture with both animation software tools?

Yes, but differently. Adobe Character Animator excels in webcam-based facial capture for real-time puppeteering. Cartoon Animator 5 supports facial capture plus external motion capture devices for detailed full-body and finger tracking.

Which software is better for creating full 2D animated scenes with multiple characters?

Cartoon Animator 5 is designed for comprehensive scene production with multiple characters, props, and cinematic camera movements. Adobe Character Animator focuses on individual character performance and works best for single-character projects.

Do these 2D animation tools integrate with other creative software?

Both support PSD and Illustrator imports. Adobe Character Animator integrates seamlessly within Adobe Creative Cloud, while Cartoon Animator 5 offers robust PSD support and access to Reallusion’s growing content marketplace.

Which animation software offers more creative control over character deformation?

Cartoon Animator 5 provides advanced Free Form Deformation (FFD) and spring dynamics for expressive, cartoon-style motion. Adobe Character Animator offers more basic deformation tools, making CTA5 better for dynamic character movement.

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