top of page
Blendshape Edit
Documentation
Usage:
If setting is set to "Manual", then import your custom expressions. To apply them select all of them and hit Blendshape Edit button.
If it is set to "Auto", please clear your selection and press Blendshape Edit. It will import your meshes from the {BLENDSHAPE_EXPORT_PATH}/modified folder and replace all shapes.
Also adjust your settings from the setting icon of the button to generate combination shapes from your imported expressions. If you don't know much about settings please keep it at default.
To generate meshes in Manual mode, while your expressions in the scene, please clear your selection and press Blendshape Edit.
Settings:
Default Settings:
EditMode: "M" (Manual)
ShapeGeneration: "Off"
EditMode :: This setting is to determine the process if it will be Auto or Manual.
If it is set to "Auto", it will automatically import all obj files inside {BLENDSHAPE_EXPORT_PATH}/modified folder and replace all shapes.
ShapeGeneration :: Sets the generation list of objects. "M" is for Mouth combination shapes and "M/J" is for Mouth Combination shapes while jaw open.
Important Notes:
Sculpting Expressions
You can sculpt exported shapes and save them back as obj files. Create a new folder inside c:/dna_calibration/output/blendshapes as "modified" and save your new meshes inside it. Try to keep the namings same.
In the exported files you will find neutral, eyes and teeth mesh. Use teeth and eyes meshes to see the full frame of your character.
Use neutral mesh as a morph target to create a test animation inside sculpting software.
You can use morph sliders to see the difference between the posed geometry and neutral geometry.
There are 3 types of shape namings:
* Normal
* Double
* Multi
Normals are single controller shapes. Double refers to symmetrical 2 control active shapes. Multi shapes contains 4 controller such as purse controllers.
Double
Multi
Replacing Expressions
Now its time to import sculpted expressions and edit our Metahuman with Blendshape Edit Function.
Blendshape Edit Function has 2 sub functions.
* Split
* Shape Generation
In previous step, you can see different shape namings such as Double, Multi etc. Those shapes are not in the Metahuman Blendshape list unfortunately. Because they are combination of 2 or 4 shapes.
To add them to the rig, we need to split it. Thanks to split function will do this automatically. To do this, you don't need to do extra thing, it will be run with the main Blendshape Edit function together.
Split function works with any shape that it's name ends with "_double" or "_multi".
Shape Generation is another process and works seperately from the main function.
Mouth expressions normally have 7 main controller. However they have also combination blendshapes. Those 7 controller combines with each other and create new shapes.
All those combinations generated by "Mouth" option selected in Blendshape Edit Function. In addition to those combinations there is another layer of combination which is "Mouth/Jaw" combinations. Basically they are same combinations with jaw open pose.
To edit those shapes we have Shape Generation function. What it basically does is, it takes your sculpted shapes and creates combinations from them automatically. Finally it exports them to the blendshapes folder back. You can fix those shapes if you would like to or you may not use them.
To use those shapes, you need to import them back, with or without editing them, and run Blendshape Edit function together with all of your custom expressions.
Currently Shape Generation is a experimental function that it gives avarage results. It is not for perfection purpose...
Double
Right
Left
Next Step:
bottom of page