How to Create Metahuman Child Characters and Convert MakeHuman Models to Metahuman in Unreal Engine 5

Creating convincing child characters in Unreal Engine 5 can be challenging, especially using Epic Games’ MetaHuman system which is primarily geared towards adult characters. Game developers and 3D artists often also have existing models from tools like MakeHuman that they’d love to bring into the MetaHuman ecosystem for high-fidelity animation. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how to approximate child MetaHumans, tweak their proportions, and overcome current limitations.

We’ll also detail how to convert a MakeHuman model into a MetaHuman using Unreal Engine 5’s tools, covering retopology considerations, skeleton rigging, and asset transfer (hair, clothing, etc.). Throughout, we’ll mention useful plugins and workflows – including how the PixelHair tool can add age-appropriate hairstyles – so that whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned technical artist, you can achieve believable younger characters in UE5. Let’s dive in.

Can you create child characters using Metahuman in Unreal Engine 5?

MetaHuman Creator currently lacks child presets, focusing on adult or late-teen characters, as Epic Games has noted that children are planned for future inclusion. By blending youthful presets, adjusting facial features, and using smooth skin textures, developers can approximate a pre-teen or teenage appearance. However, body proportions remain adult-like, requiring scaling in Unreal Engine to achieve a child’s stature, such as reducing the character’s scale to 0.8. This workaround creates a passable young character but struggles with very young children due to morphological constraints.

Creative adjustments in MetaHuman Creator and Unreal Engine allow for teenage or older child characters. Scaling and careful preset selection are key, but the system’s adult-centric design limits true child proportions, necessitating further customization for convincing results.

How do I customize Metahuman proportions to resemble a child?

To make a MetaHuman resemble a child, you need to modify its proportions both in MetaHuman Creator and in Unreal Engine:

• In MetaHuman Creator: Select a small body type and youthful face with larger eyes and softer features. Adjust sliders to minimize adult traits like wrinkles. Achieves a pre-teen look. Limited by adult morphology.
• In Unreal Engine (after importing the MetaHuman): Scale bones via Control Rig to enlarge the head or shorten limbs. Mimics child proportions like a larger cranium. Requires rigging expertise. Prevents unnatural distortions.
• Uniform Scaling: Scale the entire character to 0.8 for a smaller stature. Simplest method, keeps proportions intact. Clothing scales correctly. May still resemble a petite adult.
• Do note that MetaHuman characters come with fitted clothing and hair: Uniform scaling ensures clothing fits, but non-uniform scaling may cause clipping. Test animations post-scaling. Modest changes maintain motion integrity. Custom clothing may be needed.

Customizing proportions involves tweaking in Creator and scaling in UE5. Uniform scaling is simpler, while bone adjustments offer precision, though animations need testing to ensure natural movement.

What are the limitations of creating child Metahumans in UE5?

When attempting to create a younger-looking MetaHuman, you’ll encounter several limitations due to the current design of MetaHuman assets:

• No True Child Morphology: MetaHuman’s dataset lacks child scans, limiting sliders to adult ranges. Cannot replicate child-specific proportions like larger heads. Epic plans to add child models. Results resemble miniature adults.
• Proportion Constraints: Scaling reduces size but retains adult proportions. Manual bone scaling is labor-intensive and risks animation issues. Achieving toddler proportions is challenging. Uniform scaling is more practical.
• Facial Structure Limits: Facial adjustments are confined to adult variations. Cannot replicate child-specific features like smaller noses. Adult dentition remains visible. Extreme tweaks may look unnatural.
• Animations and Motion: Adult animations may not suit scaled characters, causing issues like foot sliding. Child-specific motion requires custom data. Retargeting helps adjust scale. Energetic child movements need manual tweaks.
• MetaHuman Clothing and Wardrobe: Clothing is adult-styled, potentially mismatched for kids. Custom child-appropriate outfits require external design. Uniform scaling preserves fit. Stylistic adjustments enhance believability.
• Uncanny Valley for Kids: Imperfect child MetaHumans risk unsettling appearances due to adult-like features. Extra effort in textures and animations is needed. Realism is critical for acceptance. Subtle tweaks mitigate this effect.

The adult-oriented system restricts true child creation, requiring workarounds. Future Epic updates may address these gaps, simplifying the process.

Is there an official way to make Metahuman child models?

As of now, there is no official, dedicated method or preset to create child models in MetaHuman Creator. Epic Games has indicated that expanding MetaHuman to cover children is on their radar – “adding children at various stages of development is part of the plan” – but as of UE5 (2025), the MetaHuman database only includes adult archetypes.

What this means is that you can’t simply select a “child” option in the MetaHuman interface. The official workflow for creating MetaHumans involves choosing from adult base templates and blending between them. There’s no hidden slider for age that goes below the late teens. All the methods for achieving a child-like MetaHuman (as described above: using youthful presets, scaling in engine, etc.) are essentially unofficial workarounds or creative techniques.

Epic’s focus with MetaHumans has been on high-fidelity digital doubles of adults for games, cinematics, etc. They likely have to gather new data and develop new rig variations to properly support children (since children’s facial rigs might need adjustments for differences in skull shape, proportions, and possibly different ranges of facial motion). Until that arrives, the community is left to improvise.

In practice, many developers have asked the same question – “How can I make a kid with MetaHuman?” – and the answer from experienced users and Epic staff is usually: you can’t directly, but you can approximate one. If an official solution comes, it would probably be an update to MetaHuman with new presets or an “age” parameter that morphs the character younger (that would be ideal). For now, though, we have to use the techniques outlined in this article.

One semi-official avenue is the MetaHuman Mesh to MetaHuman feature (discussed later), which lets you import a custom head mesh. If one were to scan or model a child’s head and use that feature, you could generate a MetaHuman that adopts that childlike face shape. This is supported in the sense that Epic provides the tool, but they haven’t explicitly marketed it for creating child characters – it’s more for scanning real people or stylized characters. Still, that is probably the closest thing to an “official” path to a child MetaHuman: use an external model of a child’s face and convert it to a MetaHuman. We will go into detail on that workflow soon.

Summary: At present, Epic hasn’t released child MetaHuman assets or a straightforward child-creation option. Any child character workflow is a custom solution devised by users. Keep an eye on MetaHuman updates in future Unreal Engine releases, because if and when Epic adds official child models, it will significantly simplify this process.

Can I scale Metahuman head and body to match child proportions?

You can scale a MetaHuman’s head and body to adjust proportions, but it requires manual intervention and comes with caveats. There are a couple of approaches:

• Uniform Scaling vs. Non-Uniform Scaling: Uniform scaling shrinks the entire character, maintaining adult proportions. Non-uniform scaling adjusts specific bones, like enlarging the head. Achievable via animation blueprints. Mimics child-like proportions.
• Using Control Rig in UE5: Control Rig allows runtime bone scaling, like larger heads or shorter limbs. Sliders adjust proportions dynamically. Requires rigging knowledge. Ensures child-like anatomy.
• External Adjustments: Scale the skeleton in Maya or Blender before re-importing. Adjust weights to maintain skinning. Advanced but effective. Complements in-engine tweaks.

Scaling head and body bones approximates child proportions, but clothing and animations need testing. Moderate changes via Control Rig ensure compatibility with MetaHuman’s rig.

How do I create believable child animations with Metahuman rigs?

Once you have a MetaHuman rig scaled down or adjusted to represent a child, the next challenge is making sure its movements and animations are believable for a child. A MetaHuman uses the same underlying skeleton and control rig for all characters, which means a child MetaHuman rig can technically perform any animation an adult can. The key is how you animate or drive that rig. Here are some strategies:

• Retarget motions with scale adjustment: Use UE5’s IK Retargeter to adjust adult animations for smaller skeletons. Scale root motion to match shorter limbs. Ensures proper foot planting. Maintains natural movement.
• Use child-specific motion capture or animation data: Source animations mimicking child movements, like bouncy runs. Reallusion or Mixamo offer youthful motions. Enhances believability. Captures energetic child behavior.
• Manual animation using Control Rig: Animate via Sequencer for childlike poses, like loose posture. Exaggerate facial expressions for youth. Offers full control. Tailors animations to child aesthetics.
• Adjust animation timing: Speed up adult animations slightly for energetic cadence. Shorten strides for smaller legs. Adds brisk, childlike feel. Balances motion realism.
• Blendspace for variety: Create child-specific blendspaces with bouncy idles. Add sway via additive layers. Differentiates child from adult motion. Enhances dynamic behavior.
• Use iClone or other tools for body animation: Live-link iClone to Unreal for motion capture. Fine-tune child movements easily. Streamlines animation process. Integrates with MetaHuman rig.

The MetaHuman rig supports child animations with proper motion sources. Retargeting, custom data, and timing adjustments create convincing, youthful movements for scaled characters.

Can Metahuman Animator be used for child character performances?

MetaHuman Animator is a feature (introduced in Unreal Engine 5.2) that captures facial performances often using an iPhone or stereo camera and applies them to a MetaHuman’s face, producing high-fidelity facial animation. The good news is that MetaHuman Animator works on any MetaHuman, since it drives the standardized MetaHuman facial rig. There is nothing inherently that would prevent it from being used on a child character MetaHuman. In fact, Epic advertises that with MetaHuman Animator, you can reproduce an actor’s facial performance on “any MetaHuman”.

What you might want to consider are a few practical points:

• Capturing a Child’s Performance: Use a child actor or emulate child expressions for authenticity. MetaHuman Animator maps facial landmarks accurately. Captures youthful nuances. Transfers expressions seamlessly.
• Scale and Facial Proportions: Scaled heads or youthful face shapes work with Animator. The rig adapts to proportions. Ensures correct expression mapping. Maintains animation fidelity.
• Voice and Lip Sync: Child voices enhance believability with matching lip sync. Adult actors may need tweaking for child enunciation. Rig supports varied motions. Subtle adjustments improve realism.
• Emotion intensity: Encourage exaggerated expressions for childlike emotion. Big smiles or wide eyes suit kids. Animator handles nuanced performance. Directing ensures age-appropriate acting.

MetaHuman Animator supports child MetaHuman performances effectively. Capturing authentic child expressions ensures high-fidelity facial animations, enhancing character realism.

How can PixelHair be used to add age-appropriate hairstyles to child Metahuman characters or imported MakeHuman models?

When creating a child character, the hairstyle is a big part of making the character look age-appropriate. Many of the default MetaHuman hairstyles are geared towards adults (slick professional styles, beards, etc.). PixelHair comes in as a very handy solution for getting custom hairstyles that can suit a younger character. But what is PixelHair? PixelHair is essentially a collection of pre-made 3D hair assets and a workflow, developed for Blender and Unreal Engine, that allows you to create and transfer realistic strand-based hair grooms onto characters (including MetaHumans).

PixelHair hairstyles are created using Blender’s particle hair system and are designed to be exported to Unreal as groom assets. They offer realistic hair strands with proper volume and appearance, leveraging Blender’s hair dynamics. Each PixelHair asset typically comes with a hair cap (a mesh that sits on the scalp) and particle hair attached to it. The hair cap can be shrink-wrapped to the character’s head, ensuring a perfect fit. For example, if you have a MetaHuman head or a MakeHuman head model, you import it into Blender, position the PixelHair cap on the scalp, use the Shrinkwrap modifier to snug it, and the hair strands (which grow from that cap) will follow the shape of the head.

Now, how to use this for a child character:

• Choose a Child-Friendly Hairstyle: PixelHair offers styles like pigtail braids or short bobs. Select youthful cuts like messy hair or bangs. Signals child age visually. Enhances character authenticity.
• Fit the Hair in Blender: Import MetaHuman or MakeHuman head to Blender. Align PixelHair cap and shrinkwrap it. Ensures perfect fit. Positions strands accurately.
• Export the Hair Groom: Export PixelHair as Alembic groom from Blender. Reduce strand complexity if needed. Creates Unreal-compatible asset. Streamlines integration process.
• Import into Unreal and Attach: Import groom to Unreal, attach to MetaHuman blueprint. Replace default hair with child style. Links to head bone. Ensures seamless rendering.
• Tweak Materials: Adjust PixelHair material for youthful colors like brown. Set finer strand thickness. Enhances childlike appearance. Maintains realistic rendering.

PixelHair provides age-appropriate hairstyles for child characters. Its Blender-to-Unreal workflow ensures realistic, fitting grooms, enhancing MetaHuman or MakeHuman visuals.

What is MakeHuman and how does it compare to Metahuman?

MakeHuman is a free, open-source tool for creating humanoid characters with adjustable age, gender, and proportions, producing mid-poly meshes with basic rigs. MetaHuman, Epic’s cloud-based system, creates high-fidelity adult humans for Unreal Engine, featuring advanced rigs and realistic textures but limited to adult morphologies.

MakeHuman offers flexibility for diverse characters, while MetaHuman excels in realism for UE projects. Combining both leverages MakeHuman’s child support with MetaHuman’s fidelity.

How do I export a MakeHuman character for use in Unreal Engine 5?

Exporting a MakeHuman character to UE5 involves designing the character, applying a rig, and exporting as FBX. In MakeHuman, adjust sliders for age and features, add optional clothing, and select a game rig. Export as binary FBX with a scale factor of 100 for Unreal’s centimeter units.

In UE5, import the FBX, ensuring skeletal mesh and morph target options are enabled. Verify the mesh, materials, and textures, adjusting subsurface scattering for better skin. Retarget animations using UE5’s IK Retargeter to map to Unreal’s mannequin or MetaHuman skeletons. Set up physics assets for cloth or hair if needed. Clean up extra objects like separate eyes or teeth. This process delivers a functional character for UE5, ready for further enhancement or MetaHuman conversion.

The workflow is straightforward with FBX export and import. It prepares the MakeHuman model for Unreal’s animation and rendering pipelines, supporting custom character integration.

Can I convert a MakeHuman model into a Metahuman asset?

Yes, you can convert a MakeHuman model into a MetaHuman, thanks to a feature in Unreal Engine known as Mesh to MetaHuman. This feature allows you to take any custom 3D human mesh (with a head and face) and generate a new MetaHuman character from it. In essence, Unreal will fit the MetaHuman topology and rig to your mesh and send it to the MetaHuman Creator for final tweaking. This is exactly the path to bring your MakeHuman design (especially if it’s a child or unique face) into the MetaHuman ecosystem.

Here’s how you would do it:

• Import the MakeHuman model to UE5: Import MakeHuman FBX as a skeletal or static mesh. Ensure head geometry is included. Prepares for conversion. Sets up initial asset.
• Enable MetaHuman Plugin: Activate MetaHuman plugin in UE5. Grants access to Mesh to MetaHuman. Requires Epic account login. Enables conversion functionality.
• Create a MetaHuman Identity Asset: Create Identity asset in Content Browser. Assign MakeHuman mesh as target. Initiates conversion process. Aligns with MetaHuman system.
• Align Face Landmarks: Place facial markers on MakeHuman model’s eyes, nose, and mouth. Guides algorithm for accurate mapping. Ensures proper face shape. Critical for conversion success.
• Component Selection: Mask out non-head components like hair. Focus conversion on face. Uses MetaHuman body presets. Streamlines processing.
• MetaHuman Identity Solve: Process mesh in Epic’s cloud for MetaHuman topology. Generates new DNA. Creates MetaHuman asset. Automates rigging and retopology.
• Open in MetaHuman Creator: Edit converted MetaHuman in Creator. Adjust skin and proportions. Refines child-like features. Finalizes character appearance.
• Add Hair and Eyes in Creator: Assign MetaHuman hairstyles and eye colors. Completes youthful look. Enhances age-appropriate visuals. Integrates with MetaHuman assets.
• Download the MetaHuman to UE: Download via Quixel Bridge. Imports as standard MetaHuman. Ready for use. Leverages full MetaHuman features.

Mesh to MetaHuman converts MakeHuman models efficiently, retaining facial shapes. The process delivers high-fidelity MetaHumans, ideal for child characters in UE5.

How do I retopologize a MakeHuman mesh for compatibility with Metahuman?

Retopologizing a MakeHuman mesh for MetaHuman compatibility is typically unnecessary due to the Mesh to MetaHuman feature, which automatically fits MetaHuman topology to the input mesh. Manual retopology involves matching MetaHuman’s edge loops using tools like Blender’s Shrinkwrap or R3DS Wrap, focusing on eyes and mouth for deformation. Alternatively, manually draw polygons over the MakeHuman mesh in Blender, ensuring proper loops. Cleaning the mesh removing hair, eyelashes, or problematic geometry enhances conversion. The automated process is topology-agnostic, making manual retopology redundant unless preserving specific UVs or textures is required. For general animation, Blender’s Quad Remesh can improve deformation without MetaHuman conversion.

Mesh to MetaHuman handles retopology, streamlining MakeHuman integration. Manual efforts are only needed for specific cases, ensuring compatibility with minimal work.

What’s the best way to match MakeHuman facial features in Metahuman Creator?

The Mesh to MetaHuman feature is the most effective way to match MakeHuman facial features, as it directly transfers the model’s geometry to create a closely aligned MetaHuman face. After conversion, minor tweaks in MetaHuman Creator can refine any discrepancies. Alternatively, manual recreation involves adjusting MetaHuman Creator’s sliders with MakeHuman reference images, but this is less precise and more time-consuming. Using Mesh to MetaHuman ensures high fidelity and saves effort compared to sculpting.

Manually recreating a face requires artistic skill and reference images, treating MetaHuman Creator like a character customization tool. The process can approximate most features but may struggle with unique details not in MetaHuman’s database.

Here are a couple of ways to achieve this:

• Use Mesh to MetaHuman (Best Way): Exports MakeHuman head to Unreal for conversion. Matches eye shape, nose, lips accurately. Minimal tweaking needed post-conversion. Ensures high-fidelity facial features.
• Manual recreation in MetaHuman Creator: Uses reference images to adjust sliders. Blends presets, sculpts jawline, eyes, nose. Relies on visual comparison. Approximates features with effort.
  • In MetaHuman Creator, load one of the starting characters: Choose a preset matching ethnicity, gender. Blend up to three faces. Sculpt specific features like lips. Systematically refine head shape, eyes, nose.
  • Matching textures/skin tone: Select MetaHuman skin preset for tone, freckles. Adjust complexion slider for likeness. MakeHuman skins are generic. MetaHuman library offers better detail.
  • Use of Proportions from MakeHuman: Note relative feature sizes like narrow nose. Adjust visually in Creator. No numeric input available. Mesh conversion bypasses guesswork.

Using Mesh to MetaHuman is the recommended method for accurate feature transfer. Manual tweaking is viable but less efficient, suitable for those preferring a creative approach.

How do I rig a MakeHuman character with the Metahuman skeleton?

Rigging a MakeHuman character to the MetaHuman skeleton is complex and often unnecessary due to Mesh to MetaHuman’s automated rigging. The MetaHuman skeleton includes unique facial bones and ARKit blendshapes, differing from MakeHuman’s simpler rig. Manual rigging involves transferring skin weights in tools like Blender or retargeting animations in Unreal, but facial animation complexity makes full replication challenging. Converting via Mesh to MetaHuman is the preferred method for a rigged MetaHuman.

Manual rigging requires advanced knowledge of weight painting and skeletal differences. It’s labor-intensive and less effective than conversion, suitable only for niche cases.

Here’s what would be involved:

• Understanding Skeleton Differences: MetaHuman skeleton has unique facial bones, blendshapes. MakeHuman rig is simpler, with fewer spine bones. Mapping requires careful alignment. Conversion avoids these issues.
• Method 1: Weight Transfer in DCC: Import MetaHuman skeleton, MakeHuman mesh into Blender. Bind mesh to skeleton, transfer weights. Manual weight painting refines hands, face. Labor-intensive process.
  • In Blender, you could join the MakeHuman mesh: Use data transfer modifier for weights. Requires topological similarity. Clean weights manually. Approximates MetaHuman rigging.
  • Or you can use Blender’s Transfer Weights feature: Transfers weights by nearest face. Parents MakeHuman to MetaHuman skeleton. Adjusts for proportion differences. Provides starting point.
• Method 2: Bone Mapping and Retargeting in Unreal: Retarget MetaHuman animations to MakeHuman skeleton. Body mapping works; facial animation is difficult. Keeps original rig. Limits facial fidelity.
• Facial Rigging Complexity: Adding MetaHuman facial bones, blendshapes to MakeHuman is nearly impossible. Weighting brows, lips approximates motion. Morph targets drive MetaHuman animation. Conversion is more practical.

Converting via Mesh to MetaHuman is far superior, automating rigging and ensuring compatibility. Manual rigging is only justified for retaining the exact MakeHuman mesh without MetaHuman conversion.

Can I use Mesh to Metahuman to convert a MakeHuman character?

Absolutely – the Mesh to MetaHuman feature is designed for exactly this kind of scenario. It’s worth reiterating because it’s such a powerful solution: Mesh to MetaHuman allows you to take any custom character mesh (like one made in MakeHuman) and turn it into a fully rigged MetaHuman. Here are the key points and why it’s so useful:

• Mesh to MetaHuman is intended for user-created meshes: Supports MakeHuman’s generated meshes. Converts scanned or modeled heads. Fully integrates with MetaHuman system. Streamlines rigging process.
• Why use Mesh to MetaHuman for a MakeHuman character?: Gains MetaHuman shaders, LODs, facial rig. Preserves unique MakeHuman face design. Enhances animation compatibility. Upgrades character quality.
• The process (brief recap): Import FBX, create MetaHuman Identity, align landmarks. Submit for cloud processing, tweak in Creator. Produces rigged MetaHuman. Takes minutes to complete.
• Quality of result: Matches generic or distinctive features closely. Minor nuances may average out. Improves mesh quality. Face shape, proportions transfer well.
• What doesn’t carry over: MakeHuman textures, fine mesh details. MetaHuman skin textures are superior. Decals can add details. Trade-off enhances realism.
• Child characters via Mesh to MetaHuman: Converts MakeHuman child face to youthful MetaHuman. Uses adult body, scalable in Unreal. Only semi-official child method. Achieves young appearance.
• Multiple conversions / iterations: Adjust MakeHuman mesh if needed. Re-run conversion for better results. Refine landmarks, remove hair geometry. Optimizes final MetaHuman.

Mesh to MetaHuman is the recommended workflow for converting MakeHuman characters. It delivers high-quality, rigged MetaHumans with minimal effort, validated by Epic and community use.

How do I preserve clothing and hair when converting MakeHuman to Metahuman?

The Mesh to MetaHuman process does not automatically transfer clothing or hair from your original model – it only takes the mesh (usually the body/head) and generates a MetaHuman head and body. So, preserving clothing and hair requires some manual steps:

• Clothing: Export MakeHuman clothing separately as FBX. Refit in Blender to MetaHuman body, re-rig to skeleton. Import to Unreal, attach to Blueprint. Disable overlapping body parts.
  • Export Clothing Separately: Save clothing meshes from MakeHuman FBX. Mask out during conversion. Retains original geometry. Prepares for reattachment.
  • Fit to MetaHuman Body: Adjust clothing in Blender to match MetaHuman proportions. Use shrinkwrap for fit. Tailors outfit accurately. Prevents poke-through.
  • Skin Weighting Clothing: Transfer weights from MetaHuman body in Blender. Ensures clothing moves with skeleton. Requires weight painting. Enhances animation compatibility.
  • Import Clothing to UE5: Import clothing FBX, select MetaHuman skeleton. Attaches as skeletal mesh. Ensures proper rigging. Ready for Blueprint integration.
  • Attach to MetaHuman: Add clothing to MetaHuman Blueprint. Hide underlying body sections. Avoids visual glitches. Completes character look.
• Hair: Export MakeHuman hair mesh, align to MetaHuman head. Import as static/skeletal mesh, attach to head bone. Use MetaHuman/PixelHair for better quality. Apply appropriate material.
  • Export the Hair Mesh: Save MakeHuman hair as polygonal mesh. Lacks advanced rigging. Prepares for reattachment. Retains original style.
  • Adjust and Attach: Align hair in Blender to MetaHuman head. Import to Unreal, parent to head. Ensures correct placement. Simplifies integration.
  • Material: Reuse MakeHuman texture or create new material. MetaHuman grooms are superior. Enhances visual quality. Suits realistic rendering.
  • Alternatively (advanced): Convert strand-based hair to Unreal Groom. Requires curve-based source. Rarely applicable to MakeHuman. MetaHuman hair preferred.
• Accessories: Export glasses, hats as static meshes. Attach to MetaHuman head bone. Maintains placement with adjustments. Completes character design.

Manual reattachment of clothing and hair ensures the MetaHuman resembles the original MakeHuman. Using MetaHuman or PixelHair assets often yields better results than preserving low-detail originals.

What tools help streamline MakeHuman-to-Metahuman workflows?

Several tools and software can make the process of converting or integrating MakeHuman models with MetaHumans much smoother. We can break this down into stages of the workflow and list tools for each:

• MakeHuman Community Tools: MPFB plugin for Blender edits MakeHuman assets. Enhances character design iteration. Streamlines pre-conversion tweaks. Complements MakeHuman’s interface.
• Blender: Cleans MakeHuman meshes, adjusts clothing, transfers weights. Creates PixelHair grooms for Unreal. Supports retopology, sculpting. Central to preparation pipeline.
  • Mesh cleanup and preparation: Removes artifacts, closes mouth in FBX. Applies transformations for Unreal. Ensures clean mesh. Optimizes conversion process.
  • Retopology or fitting tasks: Shrinkwraps clothing to MetaHuman body. Adjusts mesh topology if needed. Enhances fit accuracy. Supports post-conversion tweaks.
  • Weight Painting: Re-rigs clothing to MetaHuman skeleton. Refines hand, face weights. Ensures animation compatibility. Simplifies rigging tasks.
  • Hair with PixelHair: Uses Blender’s particle system for hair grooms. Exports Unreal-compatible assets. Saves grooming time. Enhances child character realism.
• Unreal Engine 5 (MetaHuman Plugin): Converts via Mesh to MetaHuman plugin. Retargets animations with IK Retargeter. Adjusts proportions via Control Rig. Streamlines integration, animation.
  • The MetaHuman Plugin: Automates rigging, converts MakeHuman meshes. Eliminates manual rigging complexity. Core conversion tool. Ensures MetaHuman compatibility.
  • IK Retargeter: Maps MakeHuman animations to MetaHuman skeleton. Simplifies animation reuse. User-friendly interface. Enhances workflow efficiency.
  • Control Rig: Edits bone proportions, creates animations in-engine. Visual rigging tool. Supports child proportion tweaks. Enhances animation flexibility.
• Wrap3 (R3DS Wrap): Wraps MetaHuman topology to MakeHuman shape. Creates corrective blendshapes. Optional for manual retopology. Enhances facial fidelity.
• Marvelous Designer or CLO3D: Designs, simulates clothing for MetaHuman body. Exports Unreal-compatible garments. Improves clothing quality. Simplifies outfit creation.
• Reallusion Character Creator & iClone: Provides child meshes, animations via Live Link. Complements MetaHuman pipeline. Supports body mocap. Enhances animation options.
• Plugins for Unreal: Allright Rig, MetaHuman Animator streamline animation. Capture facial mocap with iPhone. Community rigs assist rigging. Enhance in-engine workflows.
  • Allright Rig or Control Rig scripts: Animates MetaHumans in-engine. Provides rigging examples. Community-driven tool. Simplifies custom animation.
  • MetaHuman Animator (UE 5.2+): Captures facial animations via iPhone. Produces detailed animation assets. Streamlines performance capture. Enhances realism.
• Artella or DeepMotion: Converts video to animations for MetaHuman. Retargets to child characters. External mocap solution. Simplifies animation sourcing.
• Material tools: Quixel Mixer, Substance 3D Painter tweak skin, clothing textures. Enhances visual detail. Improves character appearance. Supports custom designs.
• Fab / Sketchfab / Quixel Bridge Libraries: Provides hair grooms, clothing assets. Replaces low-detail MakeHuman assets. Simplifies styling. Enhances realism.

Blender, MetaHuman Plugin, and PixelHair are core tools for efficient conversion. Specialized tools like Wrap3D and Marvelous Designer further optimize clothing and retopology tasks.

Are there any plugins for importing MakeHuman characters into Unreal Engine?

There isn’t an official Epic-provided plugin specifically for importing MakeHuman characters into UE5, because it’s generally not necessary – the standard FBX import pipeline covers this. However, historically and in the community, there have been a few resources and plugins related to MakeHuman and Unreal:

• MakeHuman to UE4 tool (community script): Blender scripts retarget MakeHuman rig to UE4 Mannequin. Exports Unreal-compatible skeleton. Simplifies animation retargeting. Enhances import process.
• Unreal Engine Python scripts / GitHub projects: Research scripts generate MakeHuman characters in Unreal. Specialized for synthetic data. Not mainstream import tools. Limited practical use.
• No dedicated Import Button plugin: MakeHuman uses standard FBX import. No specific one-click importer needed. Relies on Unreal’s built-in tools. Simplifies pipeline.
• Use of General Plugins: Live Link, Auto Setup support animation, not import. MetaHuman plugin converts to MetaHuman. Standard FBX covers import. Enhances flexibility.

No dedicated plugin is required; FBX import and MetaHuman plugin suffice. MakeHuman’s export options and Unreal’s tools streamline the process effectively.

Can I use child character models from MakeHuman and convert them into Metahumans?

Yes, using child models from MakeHuman as a basis is actually a smart way to overcome MetaHuman’s lack of child presets. Here’s the workflow for a MakeHuman child:

• In MakeHuman, adjust the age slider: Set to desired child age, like 8. Scales body, adjusts facial features. Creates childlike proportions. Prepares for conversion.
• Export the character: Save as FBX, including head, body. Retains youthful geometry. Prepares for Unreal import. Ensures clean mesh.
• Import into Unreal and run Mesh to MetaHuman: Use MetaHuman Identity to convert. Align landmarks carefully for child proportions. Produces youthful MetaHuman face. Completes rigging.
• When placing landmarks in MetaHuman Identity: Adjust for child’s larger forehead, smaller jaw. Ensures accurate feature mapping. Enhances facial fidelity. Critical for conversion.
• After the MetaHuman is generated: Choose smallest body preset in Creator. Scale down in Unreal for child height. Achieves childlike appearance. Requires minor tweaks.
• You now have a “child MetaHuman”: Face appears young with petite features. Body scaled for child size. Ready for animation. Passes as child character.
• Add appropriate hair: Use PixelHair or short MetaHuman style. Selects child-friendly cuts. Enhances age-appropriate look. Completes visual design.
• Animate and use as normal: Apply MetaHuman animations, adjust for child motion. Supports gameplay, cinematics. Fully functional character. Integrates seamlessly.

Converting MakeHuman child models is a viable workaround for youthful MetaHumans. Scaling and styling ensure a convincing child character despite adult body limitations.

Where can I find templates or base meshes for child Metahumans?

Since Epic hasn’t released official child MetaHumans yet, there aren’t “official” child templates in MetaHuman Creator. However, you can look to a few places to get starting points or base meshes for younger characters:

• Community-Sharing (MetaHuman Presets): Forum posts share youthful preset blends. Guides suggest female presets, softened features. No template files. Provides tweak recipes.
• MakeHuman or Other Sources to generate base mesh: MakeHuman, DAZ3D, CC4 offer child meshes. Export FBX for Mesh to MetaHuman. Free/paid models available. Requires license checks.
• Marketplace or Fab assets: Fab’s “MetaHuman Cartoon Character Boy” is rigged. Stylized but child-sized. Paid asset with full rig. Serves as base mesh.
• 3D Scans or Models: 3D Scan Store’s child scans convert via Mesh to MetaHuman. Provides realistic base shape. Scanning children is challenging. Enhances facial realism.
• Creation from scratch in modeling software: Sculpt child head in ZBrush, Blender. Modify MetaHuman base for youth. Requires advanced skills. Generates custom templates.
• Existing MetaHuman adjustments: Tweak youthful presets for teen look. Enlarge eyes, shrink chin. Saves as reusable template. Limited to older children.
• Forums/Discords: MetaHuman communities share DNA tweaks, methods. Official sharing may violate terms. Provides workflow insights. Encourages community collaboration.

External tools like MakeHuman provide child base meshes for conversion. Community resources and marketplace assets offer additional starting points for youthful MetaHumans.

What are common challenges when creating younger Metahuman characters or converting from MakeHuman?

To wrap up, let’s list the common challenges developers face in this process:

• Proportion Issues: MetaHuman adult bodies retain mature proportions post-scaling. Head-to-body ratio may not match children. Creative scaling, clothing hide issues. Requires careful adjustments.
• Facial Fidelity vs Age: MetaHuman’s adult skin details add mature features. Child faces need smoother textures. Edit normals, choose youthful presets. Ensures age-appropriate look.
• Eye Size and Placement: Children’s larger eyes are hard to replicate. MetaHuman’s fixed eye size limits adjustments. Makeup, head shape simulate youth. Demands precise tweaking.
• Hair appropriation: MetaHuman hairstyles suit adults, not kids. Child-friendly cuts require PixelHair or custom styles. Hair impacts perceived age. Needs significant effort.
• Clothing and Scale of Accessories: Adult MetaHuman outfits look odd on kids. Shoes scale incorrectly. Source child-appropriate clothing. Adds design workload.
• Animation Retargeting for Shorter Characters: Adult animations cause foot sliding on scaled rigs. Adjust strides, motion curves for childlike movement. Requires animation tweaks. Ensures natural motion.
• Facial Animation Exaggeration: Child MetaHuman uses adult facial motion range. Adult actor mocap may seem mature. Tone down expressions for youth. Needs mindful direction.
• Voice to Face Mismatch: Realistic child MetaHuman needs matching voice. Mismatched audio creates uncanny effect. Requires child voice actors. Adds production complexity.
• Licensing and EULA: Non-CC0 models like DAZ may violate terms. MakeHuman’s CC0 is safe. Ensure legal source usage. Avoids ethical issues.
• Performance: Multiple MetaHuman children strain performance. LODs, simpler background characters needed. Similar to adult MetaHumans. Demands optimization planning.
• General Uncanny Valley & Audience Perception: Realistic child avatars risk creepiness if imperfect. Requires high authenticity, careful context. Demands ethical consideration. Enhances audience acceptance.
• Lack of Reference for Younger ages in MetaHuman: Toddlers are nearly impossible due to extreme proportions. MetaHuman suits ages 8+. Requires custom rigs for younger. Limits age range.

Creating younger MetaHumans involves overcoming adult-centric design limitations. Careful scaling, styling, and animation adjustments ensure convincing child characters.

In conclusion, while we now have the means to create child characters with MetaHumans, the process still involves navigating these challenges. It’s a multi-step effort that touches modeling, rigging, texturing, animation, and even artistic direction. Being aware of these common pitfalls helps in planning solutions (like using appropriate tools and making certain design choices). Despite the challenges, many have achieved quite impressive young MetaHumans with some work, and these will only get easier as the MetaHuman toolset expands.

FAQ Questions and Answers

1. Is the Mesh to MetaHuman feature free to use?
   Yes – MetaHuman Creator and the MetaHuman Plugin (including Mesh to MetaHuman) are free for all Unreal Engine users​fab.com. You just need an Epic Games account. There’s no additional cost to create or export MetaHumans.
2. Do I need a super powerful PC or special hardware for this?
   You need a PC that can run Unreal Engine 5 and do photogrammetry processing. A decent GPU and CPU help (for RealityCapture or Unreal). However, many steps can be done on a normal gaming PC or even using mobile apps for scanning. For best results, use a good camera (or modern smartphone) and ensure you have at least mid-range GPU for the MetaHuman and photogrammetry tasks. An internet connection is required to submit to the MetaHuman backend (cloud processing)​dev.epicgames.com.
3. Can I do the entire scanning process with just a smartphone?
   Quite possibly, yes. You can use smartphone apps like RealityScan or Polycam to capture the scan, which offload heavy processing to the cloud or do it on-device. Then you’d import the result into Unreal on a PC. The scanning itself doesn’t require fancy equipment beyond a phone with a good camera. That said, the MetaHuman conversion step does require Unreal Engine on a PC (or Mac).
4. How many photos do I need for a good face scan?
   It varies, but generally the more, the better (within reason). Often ~40–100 photos around the head are used to capture all angles​old.reddit.com. Some have done it with fewer (20-30) and still got decent results, but you risk missing detail. It’s better to take too many than too few. Ensure overlapping coverage. If using video, a 10-20 second slow pan around can produce dozens of frames for reconstruction.
5. What format should my scanned mesh be in for import?
   Use OBJ or FBX format​dev.epicgames.com. OBJ is simpler and often recommended for very high poly meshes (it imports faster for large vertex counts). FBX works too but remember to enable “Combine Meshes” on import if it has multiple parts​dev.epicgames.com. Include the texture files (JPG/PNG) so the material can be set up in UE.
6. My scan has parts of my shoulders – is that okay or should I crop it?
   Including some neck and shoulders in the scan is fine and can even help with alignment and neck shape. The MetaHuman process will focus on the face, and the body will be replaced by the MetaHuman body anyway. Just make sure nothing obstructs the face. You don’t need to painstakingly crop to just the head – MetaHuman Identity can handle a mesh that has more of the torso; you’ll just align the face region. Do ensure the head isn’t tiny in a large scan area – scale it appropriately on import.
7. After conversion, can I export my MetaHuman to other programs (like Maya or Blender)?
   MetaHumans can be exported from Unreal Engine to other 3D software (via FBX or glTF), but keep in mind their DNA file (rig parameters) is proprietary. You can export the meshes, skeleton, and even textures (for example, to Blender)​yelzkizi.org. However, outside of Unreal, you won’t have the same convenient rig controls or material setups unless you do extra work. For use in Unreal Engine (games, films), you can definitely animate and render your MetaHuman. If you need it in Blender for a project, it’s possible to export, but you’ll likely lose the facial rig sophistication (there are community tools to reconnect shape keys though).
8. How close will the MetaHuman look compared to my actual face?
   If done well, very close – on the order of 90%+ likeness. The overall head shape and features will be captured. Users have found that others do recognize the MetaHuman as them. Minor differences can occur: e.g., skin details or very subtle curves might differ because of the standardized topology and available skin materials. You may need to tweak some features in MetaHuman Creator to improve the likeness (adjust nose, jaw, etc., slightly). Lighting and hair selection also impact perceived likeness. But in general, with a high-quality scan, the result is strikingly accurate​80.lv.
9. Will my MetaHuman have the same facial expressions as me?
   The MetaHuman can exhibit any human facial expression, but it doesn’t inherently know your specific expressions. You animate it using the MetaHuman rig (either manually or via performance capture). If you capture your facial performance (e.g., using an iPhone and MetaHuman Animator/Live Link), then your MetaHuman will mimic your expressions and mannerisms quite faithfully​fab.com. So yes, it can have the same expressions, but you have to drive those animations; it’s not automatic from the static scan.
10. If I get a better scan later, can I update my MetaHuman?
    You can’t directly “re-run” the same MetaHuman with new scan data to morph it (there’s no current feature to refine an existing MetaHuman via another mesh). However, you could create a new MetaHuman from the improved scan and then either use that new one or manually copy certain adjustments you made from the old one. MetaHuman identities are essentially one-shot creations. So if you get a better scan, it’s best to just generate a new MetaHuman (maybe name it “You_v2”) and see if the result improved. You can delete or keep the old one as needed. In short, improving requires redoing the process with new data.

Conclusion

Creating child MetaHumans in Unreal Engine 5 is achievable today by using external models (e.g., MakeHuman or Blender) and Epic’s Mesh to MetaHuman to gain the advanced rig and materials. You customize proportions through uniform scaling or bone adjustments, then polish with age-appropriate hairstyles (via PixelHair), clothing, and animations.

The automated retopology in the pipeline eliminates manual cleanup, and converting a MakeHuman model saves hours of rigging work. You’ll leverage MetaHuman Creator’s tools and MetaHuman Animator for believable expressions crying, laughing, emoting just like adult characters. Once you’ve performed one conversion, you can save presets and build a reusable library of child assets, streamlining future workflows. These methods let you populate your Unreal scenes with realistic, expressive children until Epic provides native support. Happy creating, and we can’t wait to see the youthful characters you bring to life in Unreal Engine 5!

Sources and Citation

1. Epic Games – MetaHuman Creator Interview (Eurogamer) – Epic acknowledged future plans for child MetaHumans​eurogamer.net.
2. Epic Games – MetaHuman Official Page – Description of Mesh to MetaHuman plugin’s capabilities​unrealengine.com.
3. Reddit – Mesh to MetaHuman Discussion – Explanation that Identity Solve fits MetaHuman topology to custom mesh​reddit.com.
4. FlippedNormals – PixelHair Afro Hair Product – Details on PixelHair’s hair system and shrinkwrap hair cap​flippednormals.com​flippednormals.com.
5. Blender Market – PixelHair Product Page – PixelHair uses Blender particles for realistic hair, provided with hair cap for easy fitting​flippednormals.com​flippednormals.com.
6. Unreal Engine Forums – Community Tutorial by Yepkoo – Demonstrates creating a MetaHuman from a MakeHuman model (child character example)​forums.unrealengine.com.
7. Unreal Engine Forums – Q&A on MakeHuman with UE4 – Confirms you can export MakeHuman to FBX and use in Unreal (no special plugin required)​forums.unrealengine.com.
8. Fab Marketplace – MetaHuman Stylized Boy Listing – Example of a community-created child character rigged to MetaHuman skeleton​fab.com.
9. MetaHuman Documentation – FAQ – MetaHuman Creator’s current focus on adults and notes on diversity plans​eurogamer.net.
10. MetaHuman Documentation – Mesh to MetaHuman Guide – Step-by-step workflow for creating a MetaHuman from a custom mesh, which we applied to MakeHuman​unrealengine.com.

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