Using MakeHuman software/tool with TGE(A)
by Vijay · in Artist Corner · 09/02/2009 (4:33 pm) · 3 replies
Has anybody tried to create models with the superb MakeHuman software? This seems like a great way to create new human models. Of course, the models created by the software are very high polycount but that can always be reduced using the regular modeling tools.
I'm trying some experiments to get a model generated from makehuman into TGEA. Makehuman can export models into .OBJ format so I'm using Milkshape and Houdini to tweak the model and export to TGEA. I've had some success but not a whole lot. For example, I can do polyreduce in Houdini but I'm not able to export it with their Torque exporter. I can export the reduced model from Milkshape but doesn't show up quite perfectly in the showtool. Just wondering if anyone has done similar experiments.
I'm trying some experiments to get a model generated from makehuman into TGEA. Makehuman can export models into .OBJ format so I'm using Milkshape and Houdini to tweak the model and export to TGEA. I've had some success but not a whole lot. For example, I can do polyreduce in Houdini but I'm not able to export it with their Torque exporter. I can export the reduced model from Milkshape but doesn't show up quite perfectly in the showtool. Just wondering if anyone has done similar experiments.
#2
I did have some success importing a high-res human mesh then using retopo to create my own mesh over the top - I think this is the way forward, rather than relying on MakeHuman's output.
Other than that, I think it's a great tool - and it gives you an armature and skeleton as a bonus!
I agree, Steve - they do look a little generic, unless you use the most obvious sliders like making them really fat or really muscly. Like I said, I think they'd work well as a blueprint to hand-model off. MH also provided a nice high-res head and hands for my generic-soldier model ;P.
Now what I'd be *really* interested in is hooking up MH's back-end to the engine directly... so you can have access to all those sliders and controls in the engine, and create completely unique character models on-the-fly, from a single base mesh. Great for character creation and crowd scenes.
09/02/2009 (11:54 pm)
I also tried going through Blender - though via Collada format. I found that using the decimate modifier to get the poly count to sane levels did terrible damage to the mesh. The existing modifier doesn't seem to preserve quads, so you're left with a mess of triangles that will be extremely ugly to animate.I did have some success importing a high-res human mesh then using retopo to create my own mesh over the top - I think this is the way forward, rather than relying on MakeHuman's output.
Other than that, I think it's a great tool - and it gives you an armature and skeleton as a bonus!
I agree, Steve - they do look a little generic, unless you use the most obvious sliders like making them really fat or really muscly. Like I said, I think they'd work well as a blueprint to hand-model off. MH also provided a nice high-res head and hands for my generic-soldier model ;P.
Now what I'd be *really* interested in is hooking up MH's back-end to the engine directly... so you can have access to all those sliders and controls in the engine, and create completely unique character models on-the-fly, from a single base mesh. Great for character creation and crowd scenes.
#3
I agree with Daniel that it would be cool to hook MH to Torque for character creation. I've actually been looking into it since my game needs something like it, unfortunately MH's blend shape control system is still rather buggy and almost completely written in python so it will be a lot of work to make use of it. One of their older versions of MH is almost completely written in C++ and though not as feature complete was far more stable, so that may be a better starting point for implementing a similar system in a game.
09/03/2009 (11:57 am)
With one of the characters I am working on I've actually started with a makehuman base just as a test. Unfortunately since the makehuman models are pretty generic looking and very high poly I've had to do almost as much work( if not more) just to get it looking good in T3D without breaking the polygon budget. If nothing else though the makehuman model is a good place to learn from if your not a professional 3d artist as, for the most part, the edgeloops of the makehuman model are perfect for animation and as long as you can reduce the poly count to fit your polygon budget without breaking up the majority of those edgeloops you can get really nice looking animations without too much work.I agree with Daniel that it would be cool to hook MH to Torque for character creation. I've actually been looking into it since my game needs something like it, unfortunately MH's blend shape control system is still rather buggy and almost completely written in python so it will be a lot of work to make use of it. One of their older versions of MH is almost completely written in C++ and though not as feature complete was far more stable, so that may be a better starting point for implementing a similar system in a game.
Associate Steve Acaster
[YorkshireRifles.com]
As you mention the polycount from MakeHuman is absurdly high. Also I found that it looks a bit "generic" regardless of various variables. (various variables -- murdering the English language here)
I used Blender, imported as an OBJ file, had to tweak a bit to get it the right way up, stick the head on, other bits that might have come away during import. But as a test it worked.