Introduction

Using DAZ 3D  characters and clothing in Unreal Engine faces a lot of problems: First of all: the standard rig of all UE-Characters are different to the DAZ 3D -characters. More than this, character design for an Game Engine follows other rules then for rendering purposes only. With a simple export via .fbx file format many issues occur: bones are scaled, skin texture pokes through the clothing, animations don't work.

To simplify the import process and make it safe, this small tool set is available. The Yminus-Tool Set shortens the time to rename all DAZ-character nodes (bones)  (and labels) for all Genesis, Genesis 2, Genesis 3 and Genesis 8 human characters and clothing for importing and use in Unreal Engine to match the standard rig of UE-characters. All of this is possible without the use of third party software, the DAZ to Unreal Bridge or expensive exchange tools!

With the yminus tools and the tutorial you will be able to use your purchased characters from DAZ 3D in Unreal - even for games or 3D-showreels.

It is not a one-click-solution - but it saves a lot of time and shows the proper way to export and work with DAZ-characters in Unreal Engine. Included in this package are the universal  script DAZ to Unreal Engine, where all necessary processes are included to get an import ready fbx file.

The individual steps of the main tool can be followed with the sub-scripts for changing the mesh resolution, checking double bone names, for renaming the nodes and for quickly exporting an fbx file with proper preselected options.

There are also two other useful tools that are not included in the universal script. On the one hand a script to have all the bone names listed, for example to create an overview in a spreadsheet program to rename the bones manually and on the other hand a tool to adjust the skeleton to a morphed mesh if necessary.

There is also an extensive  step-by-step documentation (available via DAZ 3D) and a video tutorial . This help section deals with following topics: How to use the scripts? How to export and import character and clothing to Unreal Engine? How to retarget the skeleton and animations? How to assign and animate clothing from DAZ 3D to a player character with Unreal Engine Blue-Prints? - and much more (How to rename bones manually? How to avoid poking through of textures and meshes?).

Functionality of all scripts:

The main script changes the resolution in base resolution, checks the selected item for duplicate bone names, renames all nodes (from all genesis characters) and labels, saves a .fbx (2012) file ready for import in Unreal Engine.

Subscript 1 is just a short cut to change the mesh resolution to "Base Resolution" to decrease the number of polygons

Subscript No. 2 renames all nodes and node labels of the selected character or clothing according to the Unreal Mannequin

Subscript No. 3 exports the selected item with preselected options as .fbx file

Additional scripts

This subscript is a short cut to adjust the rigging of the selected character. Use it for the main character only after applying morphs.

This subscript checks the selected item downwards the node tree for duplicate bone names.

This subscript shows a list of all node names (not labels) of the selected item. You can copy that list for further use.