Devlog 02-03
Oh boy, what a week. Almost done with this group project, and let me just say the more I work with the metahumans, the less impressed I am. Yet, I find more things to be impressed about.
Let me start from beginning.
It started last week, when I wanted to find out if I can make an amputee. My grandfather lost his thumb in an accident, and I thought it would be fun if I tried to recreate him. However, as discussed prior, there are six body types to choose from. None of which are missing any limbs.
Frustrated, I started to search. And what I found changed my opinion forever. I found the entire white paper for the metahuman rig.
The Abyss of Knowledge
in my research, I was frustrated when I saw changing the rig meant I would need to know Python (a coding language) and Maya (a modelling program I do not have access to). I was also struggling to figure out what DNA files were. The white paper explained everything. DNA files are a type of file that was custom made for the metahumans. These files allow the user to make any face work on the same break. Yeah these rigs are also made to correct weird face pulling that is typically only seen in cartoonish faces.
I also found a video (see below) that showed me I could, with proper skills and resources, put my own custom meshes into the metahuman rig. However, I don’t have those skills.
That doesn’t matter, because my questions were finally answered! It seems that metahumans are specifically referring to the face instead of the entire body.
Alright so, everything else should be easy…
Right?
A Web of Lies
Fun fact, I recently got to see a volume!
Don’t know what volume is? Well, if any of you have seen a show like The Mandalorian, you have seen a volume in action. It is basically a digital screen that cuts the editing out of the green screen process. The actor gets to see the world as they are delivering their lines. And with the proper motion tracking, the director can see the animated character acting in the scene at the exact same time. It truly is the next age of cinema.
Why am I talking about this? Well, during the conversation, our tour guide revealed that they used metahumans at one point in time, but quickly dropped it. I was curious and wanted to know more. I forget the question I asked, but I do remember their response.
I was told that metahumans are 100% not user-friendly. It requires a lot of knowledge and tools to use properly, and it was not worth the effort they were putting in.
That’s weird, didn’t I say on the first week that it was supposed to be a “tool for beginners”?
I did, and it turns out that was a lie.
I don’t know if unreal ever made that claim, but while it may look easy, in order to get the most out of it you need to be exceptionally well a 3D modeling and programming. For the people in the volume, they needed five or so different rigs just to implement what was essentially a head. It was the answer I was expecting, but not hoping for. I was really hoping that this tool would be a good start for beginners. That this would allow people to put a little human in their game and they feel really happy about it.
I remember when I put my first modeled object into a game. It was a terrible curved door. The lines we’re not even, and compared to the items I wanted to use with, it was not smooth at all.
But I felt happy. It was something I made, which is something I had only imagined. All my prior attempts at 3D modeling were a bust. and that small item, hey sitting in the room as part of a lampshade… it meant a lot to me. I could point to it and say “hey look, I modeled it myself.”
I thought that tool would be to characters what that lampshade piece was to me. Something really exciting. But I guess I was led astray.
Anyways, sorry for the lack of images. In terms of the project, all I really did was download a new version of unreal. That took an entire hour, and I am so nervous about doing the wrong thing with the metahumans that I’m waiting to do it tomorrow.
I hope the link to the White Paper suffices instead!
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