Attaching an object to a bone in daz for export to unreal engine 4

kimmeey

i'm following this video to accomplish the most of my task.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkDakjwPd7o

the problem is that i have an object file that replaces the normal Genesis head. i parented the new head (which is an obj file) under the normal head and everywhere else, in dz, maya, whatever program, it acts as the new head and moves/rotates as if it were the Genesis head with poses.

everything works out perfectly when i follow that video, except one thing. once the character is inside of Unreal, the head is no longer parented? i guess? it just stays in the tpose position and doesn't move.

basically, i have to use the target manager in unreal to target the Genesis bones with the Unreal skeleton which gives it all the correct controls and animations. when i target the "Head" is where, i guess, the problem lies here, because it doesn't work. i can only assume, because it is targeting the normal genesis head without the new OBJ head (the normal genesis head is hidden/invisible at this point). that could only make sense because the head bone is attached to the normal Genesis head and not the new OBJ head, but i don't understand why the fact that it is technically a child of the parent head is not sufficient.

i'm looking for a solution for this, because the customized OBJ head is completely neccesary for the project. the only thing that i can personally think of is if there is some way to directly connect the object file in Daz to the head BONE instead of parenting it to the HEAD?

is this possible? or can anyone think of a different, more sensible solution to this problem. thank you for any help that you can give me with this problem. i would really appreciate it.

Catherine3678ab

If parenting didn't work, you could try making a clothing item out of the .obj. In D/S load the main figure, import the .obj head, it MUST be already landing exactly where you want it. From the scene's hamburger menu, find the Transfer Utility, the figure is the donor, the new head is the target. Once the clothing item is made, if you like it, select it and File > Save As > Support Asset > Figure/prop assets ...

 

David Vodhanel

I agree converting to clothing will be easiest if that works.  I've got pictures of that process here: http://davidvodhanel.com/daz-to-unreal-fixing-accessories-that-dont-animate-with-the-character/

You could probably also import the head as a seperate object and attach it to the body via a socket: https://docs.unrealengine.com/en-US/Engine/Content/Types/SkeletalMeshes/Sockets/index.html

kimmeey

David Vodhanel said:

I agree converting to clothing will be easiest if that works.  I've got pictures of that process here: http://davidvodhanel.com/daz-to-unreal-fixing-accessories-that-dont-animate-with-the-character/

You could probably also import the head as a seperate object and attach it to the body via a socket: https://docs.unrealengine.com/en-US/Engine/Content/Types/SkeletalMeshes/Sockets/index.html

i'm trying the socket stuff right now, because of a problem with the clothing item in daz. but i want to try and figure out the clothing item in daz because that will be optimal in the end bebcause, well, i need the clothes attached eventually, too. basically, when i follow exactly what you posted, the characters head (instead of staying where it is, where i want it) clips to inbetween the legs and stretches out it wierd ways. why is this happening? i'm pretty sure i'm doing everything correctly. if i try to attch the clothes, then everything throws itself onto the characters head in one place instead of staying around the body.

Catherine3678ab

kimmeey said:

... edit ...

. basically, when i follow exactly what you posted, the characters head (instead of staying where it is, where i want it) clips to inbetween the legs and stretches out it wierd ways. why is this happening? i'm pretty sure i'm doing everything correctly. if i try to attch the clothes, then everything throws itself onto the characters head in one place instead of staying around the body.

When you imported the .obj into D/S did it right away land where you want it? It has to. If you move it, when you make it into clothing, it will go back to its original position.

To make an .obj land where you want it, import it and rearrange it. Hide or empty the scene of all else and then export out that .obj let's say at Carrara settings. Clear the scene, import in that recent export also using the Carrara settings. Load the figure and make the clothing.

For head, possibly choose the rigging for Follower/Accessory/Head.

kimmeey

Catherine3678ab said:

kimmeey said:

... edit ...

. basically, when i follow exactly what you posted, the characters head (instead of staying where it is, where i want it) clips to inbetween the legs and stretches out it wierd ways. why is this happening? i'm pretty sure i'm doing everything correctly. if i try to attch the clothes, then everything throws itself onto the characters head in one place instead of staying around the body.

When you imported the .obj into D/S did it right away land where you want it? It has to. If you move it, when you make it into clothing, it will go back to its original position.

To make an .obj land where you want it, import it and rearrange it. Hide or empty the scene of all else and then export out that .obj let's say at Carrara settings. Clear the scene, import in that recent export also using the Carrara settings. Load the figure and make the clothing.

For head, possibly choose the rigging for Follower/Accessory/Head.

okay, you were right, i made sure it imports in the right place. now another problem. there are two meshes. the head, and the hair. doing everything as you said, the head works perfectly now. the only problem is that the hair crumples up toward the bottom. for some reason only the bottom of the mesh, i don't know why. there's nothing different about it from the head, they're both polygon meshes, so i don't understand why this is happening. it is spikeier than the head and points many more directions as hair would, but i don't quite understand why this is happening to the hair and not to the head. thank you for your help! with further inspection it seems that it has also split the hair mesh up into many pieces towards the bottom. when i highlight over the hair mesh the top all highlights in blue and toward the bottom there are many seperate pieces that highlight individually in blue for some reason.