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Last updated on
16 May 2021
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To create a custom body for Fuse CC, you begin by sculpting over the base character mesh (.obj) provided in the Content Creator Pack. Once your sculpt is ready, you extract the texture maps along with a low-resolution mesh of the custom body from your sculpting software. These files are then imported into Fuse CC.
Before you begin, see Create custom content for Fuse to know about the prerequisites and the general recommendations for creating custom body.
The steps below explain the creation of a custom body using a male toon character as an example.
1. Start from a base character
The first step is to pick a base character available in the Content Creator Package as MaleFitA.obj and FemaleFitA.obj.
Note:
There is strict UV requirement for custom fuse body. The UVs for the custom characters must remain the same, or match UVs of the templates. For your reference, use the UV snapshot and UV region key available in the Content Creator Pack.
Once you have picked your base character, the next step is to simply sculpt directly on the base mesh.
2. Focus on the sculpt
Use the base character mesh in your digital sculpting software to begin sculpting your model. The detail that is put into the sculpt is important, so it is recommended achieve the highest quality that you can in your sculpt.
While sculpting, you can push the base mesh as far as it goes, but here are some points to consider.
- For very large characters the texture has less fidelity because the same texture space is being stretched across a larger surface.
- Adding protrusions can be problematic because it can break the UV borders. Custom body has a strict UV requirement.
3. Extract the maps
Once you have finished sculpting the body, you have to extract certain key maps from your digital sculpting software. These maps are used for generating textures for the custom body when you import them in Fuse CC.
The following settings are recommended for the extracted maps:
Map dimension: 2048 x 2048 pixels
Color depth: 8-bit RGB
Image format: PNG
Naming convention for extracted maps
The generic file naming structure for the maps is CharacterName_NameofMap. For example, MaleToonA_StdNM.
Use the following suffixes for naming the maps:
- Normal Map CharacterName_StdNM
- Aged Normal Map CharacterName_AgedNM
- Ambient Occlusion CharacterName_AO
- Detail Map CharacterName_DetailExtra1
The normal map holds the high-resolution details of your sculpt and projects that detail onto the low polygon geometry. You can extract the normal map from your sculpting program. It is important to include the details for the entire body including the teeth and the eyes. If you create a custom body but want to use the default eyes and teeth the Content Creator Pack includes the default normal map for these areas. Combining these maps uses your custom body and the default eye and teeth details into a single normal map.
The aged normal map is optional. To create this map:
- Duplicate your original sculpt and age the character with wrinkles in the sculpting software.
- Extract the normal map.
The extracted normal map can be used to blend between young and old in your custom body.
The ambient occlusion (AO) map holds the shadow information for your high-resolution sculpt and is used to add that shading information into your character within Fuse CC (Beta). You can extract the ambient occlusion map from your sculpting program.
The detail map allows you to overlay your own custom painted detail on top of your character. This is useful adding those details that Fuse CC does not provide. Leave those areas as transparent, where you want the base diffuse to show up.
4. Export 3D geometry file
Export the low-resolution geometry of your custom body as an .OBJ (3D geometry definition file). It is named as MaleToonA.obj in this example.
Note:
Keep the eyes and the eyelashes as separate meshes. The body and the teeth are one mesh.
5. Gather final files for importing in Fuse CC
Use the recommended naming convention for filenames for importing them into Fuse CC in an organized manner.
Your full custom body geometry: MaleToonA.obj
Standard Normal Map: MaleToonA_StdNM.png
Aged Normal Map: MaleToonA_AgedNM.png
Ambient Occlusion Map: MaleToonA_AO.png
Detail Overlay Map: MaleToonA_DetailExtra1.png
6. Import your custom body into Fuse CC
To import custom body files, choose the File > Import > Import Characters option from the main menu in Fuse CC. See Import a custom character for details.