The Path to iClone

Hello Everyone !

Since we have had several requests from users who are new to iClone, then we have decided to start with the very basics of the iClone Animation Pipeline.

We will start by posting some of the introductory iClone tutorials and gradually move to more advanced ones. This will allow any user to pick up from their particular level or interest with iClone and then work their way up.

The list here is tentative and it guides you from --- the basics of iClone, to character customization, to facial body animation, mocap animation, motion refinement, and final packaging prior to exporting to Unity.

Now you don't necessarily have to follow every tutorial as some users may only need certain steps, while others may need the entire list. Also, be sure to check out the other "iClone Resources" forum, where we will be periodically giving away iClone freebie characters and animations for Unity members.


The Path to iClone

1. Introduction to iClone
2. Turn a 2D Photo into a 3D iClone Character
3. Customize your Character in iClone
4. Create instant Facial Animations
5. Use advanced Facial Animation tools in iClone
6. Create fast Body Animations
7. Learn to modify Body Motions in iClone
8. Intro to Kinect Motion Capturing with iClone
9. Kinect Motion Capture refinement with iClone tools
10. Intermediate Kinect Motion Refinement (Looping and Motion Layer Editing)
11. Consolidate all your iClone motion data for Export

 

Real-time 3D Game Design for Unity


Now before we start with the iClone learning tutorials, we would like to give you an idea of what can be accomplished with Unity + iClone. So here is a teaser video that can give Unity users a better idea of the resources they have at their disposal.


>>CLICK VIEW DEMO <<

 

Tutorial # 1 - Introduction to iClone


When you first start up iClone, it can be a confusing place. What are all of these tools for? What is this stuff over here?

Well, if you're new to iClone and not yet familiar with the UI, then this is the tutorial you'll want to watch. Also, even if you're an experienced iClone user, you just might still be able to learn a few tips to make your workflow more efficient by using hotkeys and utilizing features you probably never even knew existed!

 

Tutorial # 2 - Turn a 2D Photo into a 3D iClone Character


In addition to the various character customization options you have with iClone, you also have the ability to create a brand new 3D head from your own personal 2D photos!

In this tutorial, you'll learn about the important concept of facial fitting, and how you can use it to bring your own head photos to life in 3D. You'll also learn a bit about customizing the texture and surface appearance of your new face, as well as making subtle changes to the facial features. All you need to start is a 2D photo of yourself or anyone else you want to make into a character.

 

Hi OXIDUS
Since I am starting to create Unity projects and I am interested in trying Iclone software to make and export 3D objects and Animations to Unity, for it, I would like to ask you if I could get one iclone trial version and the sample project(in the youtube video below) to try with the tutorial I saw here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnCpGOQEcoU&list=PL26DF4670E88F1937

Would it be possible?
Thanks for your time
Alejandro Castan

 

I've used iClone in the past, and it's a good tool for animation and creation.

 

Hello Castana1962,

If you are looking for a trial version, you can download the iClone5 demo here > http://www.reallusion.com/iclone/iclone_trial.aspx
To export to Unity you will also need 3DXchange which can be found here > http://www.reallusion.com/iclone/3dx/3dx_trial.aspx

The projects you see in the Youtube video do not belong to us, as they were created by the users Warlord720, so I am unable to share that.

 

Tutorial # 3 - Customize your iClone Character

There are many different options for creating and customizing your characters in iClone5. This tutorial will teach you how to take any iClone character and completely change it into your own unique creation by using the powerful character modification tools. Learn how to change facial and body proportions and textures, create unique clothing and hairstyles, and much more. This tutorial is essential for learning about the various options you have for characters in iClone5.

 

More! looks amazing

My question is: will I be able to use the Kinect animation feature to animate rigs that I've created elsewhere using Unity's Mecanim to retarget? I will probably be using 3ds Max's CAT rig system. Will the kinect mocap data be retargetable to these rigs? Yes and I'm in

( Really keen to get these videos on Kinect mocap)

 

Hello Sheper00,

YES! You absolutely can, and the process is fairly simple >>>

1) You grab your character and export it as an FBX from 3DS Max, or from any 3D tool.

2) Then you import your character's FBX file into 3DXchange5 PRO or Pipeline versions. Inside 3DXchange you will be able to automatically characterize your avatar's rig to make it compatible with iClone. (convert your character to a non-standard iClone character.)

3) Import your new converted character into iClone and start animating with the mocap plug-in.

4) Once you are done animating - send your character and your new motions back to 3DXchange5. Then export your character, and motions as an FBX using the Target Tool Preset templates: You can choose to export using the 3DX Max preset inside. This will automatically retarget everything in the FBX file to be used properly back in Max.

5) DONE!


In the iClone in Unity - thread, I posted the iClone to Unity Live Demo video that shows a similar process on importing and exporting character's to iClone. That is the most important part. Because once your character is in iClone then you can use the mocap, all iClone animations, and all the animation tools found in iClone prior to re-exporting your character back to your favourite rendering tool.

Here I'll post the video again

 

Tutorial # 4 - Create Instant Facial Animations

One of the coolest features with iClone 5 is the ability to create realistic facial animation in literally minutes! This tutorial will give you the low-down on how to do this. That's not it though... iClone 5 allows you to make much more detailed edits to your facial animation to create subtle nuances in expression and give you complete control over your characters facial movements.

 

Tutorial # 5 - Use Advanced Facial Animation tools in iClone

In this facial animation tutorial, you will learn all about the powerful features of the iClone's facial puppet and others tools that can help you bring your character's expression and speech to life. You'll get a walkthrough of audio lip-syncing and how to refine it, as well as how to add emotions using various facial animation options.

 

Tutorial # 6 - Create quick Body Animations with iClone

iClone’s Body Puppeteering panel offers a unique and easy way to animate your characters with highly-customizable animations. You can preview your motions in real-time and make minor adjustments as the animation loops. The Body Puppet panel also gives you the ability to mask out body parts, and layer different animations for different parts of the body on top of each other. You can easily create, blend and mask animations to create truly unique motions in minutes.

 

Tutorial # 7 - Easily Modify Body motions in iClone

The Motion Modify option is a new feature with iClone 5.5 that allows you to modify postures and animated poses of your character after the motion clip has been recorded. This tutorial will teach you how to use this tool to make subtle and unique custom adjustments to motions from the motion library, and from motions created with iClone's real-time body puppet tools.

 

Tutorial # 8 - Intro to Kinect Motion Capturing with iClone

iClone5 offers the most affordable and intuitive, motion capturing solution in the industry. Now you can simply use your body to control virtual actors, in real-time, with motion smoothing optimizations. Lightspeed your animations and create realistic-looking motions as now you can literally control actors with your body movements. All you need is iClone5 PRO, the Mocap plug-in and a Microsoft Kinect sensor camera. You can use the Kinect for Windows camera, or the Xbox Kinect camera with the additional AC/USB adapter.

 

Well, I finally bit the bullet and got the 3DX pipeline for iClone 5. I'm really glad I did. It is quite an amazing toolkit. If anyone else is thinking of using iClone for Unity games you should give it a very serious consideration and go and look at the reallusion marketplace. You may get the impression that it's just about talking heads, which frankly, is why I went looking. In fact that's just the tip of the iceberg. Actually an amazing asset to have access to. Now I wish I'd paid more attention and got it much earlier. I'm writing this after downloading the new UMA and looking at mixamo faceplus as well, and I still think iClone is a viable alternative and shouldn't be ruled out if you are investigating the best pipeline for game creation.

 

Tutorial # 9 - Kinect Motion Capture refinement with iClone (Human IK and Direct Puppet)


Turning your Kinect motion captures into refined motions is easy, thanks to the powerful animation tools within iClone. In this tutorial, you'll learn the proper way to capture your motions and save them for further editing. From there, you'll discover how simple it is to use the Direct Puppet tools in combination with some initial pose adjustments to make your motions truly exceptional in just a few minutes.

 

Tutorial # 10 - Intermediate Kinect Motion Refinement (Looping and Motion Layer Editing)


There are many more options for your to refine your raw motion capture data aside from using the Direct Puppet tool. In this tutorial, you'll learn how to use a fundamental skill to add detail to your motion with Motion Layer Editing. This involves placing keyframes and using the Human IK tool within iClone to modify your motions. You'll also learn how to prevent foot sliding, which is a common problem with raw Kinect mocap data. Finally, you'll see how simple it is to create a good looking looping motion, which you can extend however long you'd like.

 

Tutorial # 11 - Advanced Motion Capture Refinement with iClone

By now, you've learned how to use the Direct Puppet, Motion Layer Editing tools, and breaking clips to allow for different body alignments throughout motions in order to prevent foot sliding. This tutorial will go through much of the same techniques, but in addition will demonstrate how to make edits to produce a great side-facing motion. The important techniques for how to remove wrist flips in your animation are also explained here. For slow motion emphasis on your motion, you'll also learn how to use the Time Warp feature and how to Insert Frame. Finally, some Kinect mocap motions may result in your character ending up at a different place on the screen, which can cause trouble for looping motions. Here you'll learn how to fix that with the Align to Root feature.

 

iClone looks really promising even though I'd prefer to have it natively on the Mac. One thing I'm a little confused about, however, is what we're allowed to do with whatever we create with iClone. On your page "Royalty-free Content License", it says:

So that looks fine - but then it says:

... so that does not include games. And then it says:

So that would mean that even with the Export License, I couldn't use content from iClone in a Unity game.

What if I create my own 3D model, rig it in iClone, add my own motion captured animations? Would that work (primarily asking about the rigging part - I'm assuming iClone 5 Pro plus 3DXchange Pipeline), and if so, would I be allowed to do with this whatever I wish (including reselling the FBX)?

 

Hello Jashan,

And thank you for your question. I am very glad that you asked this because it will provide the opportunity for us to clear things up for you and everyone else.

From what I am reading, I believe that the issue is that the initial description on the Royalty-free Content License page is not as descriptive as the content found in the updated EULA. Which does state that if you have the Export License, then you may embed content in games and applications for personal, commercial or education. I hope this helps clear things up.

Also, in regards to your last question. If you create your own mesh (model) and use 3DXchange to rig your character (characterize), then you can animate your character in iClone and export it to other 3D software or game engines. You can also sell your character along with your animations. No problem. But if you use motions from either the Reallusion Content Store or Marketplace, then you cannot sell these motion files alone, regardless of format.

let me know if you have any further questions.

===========================================

http://www.reallusion.com/Reallusion_Content_EULA.pdf

The EULA states:

Under License Agreement between member and vendor:

4. If the content you have purchased includes the Export License, Reallusion grants you a non-exclusive,
worldwide, Royalty-Free license to export Content via 3DXchange Pipeline version into .fbx, .bvh, .obj or
other 3D file formats. You may then embed converted content in games and applications for personal,
commercial or educational projects. Reallusion Content itself may not be transferred, resold, regardless
of format.

6. Notice for developers or vendors using Reallusion content for mass distribution including game titles,
educational apps, online service or kiosk for, but not limited to various platforms: PC, Mac, mobile and
game consoles. To get the free mass distribution right using Reallusion content, developers or vendors
need to register your game or application information with Reallusion, and include Reallusion in your
title's credits. (marketing@reallusion.com)

 

Ok, thanks - that clears this up.

So 6 would only be relevant if I distributed the actual Reallusion content in its original format. In other words, if I export to FBX (or BHV or OBJ), 6 does not apply. But if I for instance created a game that could directly read iClone's native formats, and would like to deliver Reallusion content to the users of such a game (or app), I'd have to talk to marketing. Is that correct?

That all makes sense - thank you for the quick reply!


Oh, and another one:

So, there's certain "default content" that I could use, for example, to create more complex animations. And when I create e.g. an FBX from such "more complex animations" (that I have created, using default building blocks plus my own creativity), I could sell those as FBX. In doing so, I only need to be cautious to not use "non-default content" (or default content that is actually coming from contributing artists). Is that correct?

 

Hi Jashan

Below are the answers to your questions.
We are glad that we could better explain things.

thank you again !

-----------------------------------------------------------------

 

Tutorial # 12 - Consolidate all iClone Motion Data for Export.

iClone provides the ability for users to consolidate all of their motion data, including body, facial, spring, accessory, and constraint animations into a single MotionPlus file. In this tutorial, we'll start out by assembling a monster character with both puppet and spring accessories, then go about using iClone's various real-time facial and body animation tools to create a quick yet comprehensive animation. From there, it's all about saving the iMotionPlus file from the timeline, and exporting it with your character to Maya, Unity 3D, or any other CG or game software you use.

 

Just a small question before I get started with Iclone...is animating for game projects not possible without the mocap plugin?

I am a bit reluctant to spend money on plugins at the moment as am a beginner, (and trial versions are only for 15 days )...So are basic animations like walking running etc not possible without that plugin??

 

Hello Soumikbhat,

And thank you for the question. You don't necessarily need the Motion Capturing plug-in, this is more of an added option that saves lots of time. But if you have the patience you can definitely create your own animations with the puppet panel, and the 3D motion editor.

 

What are the mocap devices that iclone supports except kinect? Is animation possible with a webcam or camera attached to the pc?

 

Hi Soumikbhat,

The iClone Mocap plug-in supports a few DEPTH CAMERAS. These are cameras with an infrared sensor inside that can help perceive depth. This will NOT work with ordinary webcams or cameras attached to PCs as they do not have the infrared sensor.

Your best bet is to use the recommended Kinect Mocap for Windows camera as Microsoft has created and perfected their SDK to properly work with this. Others might not work too well due to issues with the firmware.

 

Hello,
thank you for the video!
I have a question, are there any possibilities to create really unique clothing. I mean not only change texture or colour but the very model?
All that I have in Iclone 5 are sweater and t-shirt and a couple of jeans... I`m working on video clip and those are not enough; e.g. how to create a dress or shorts?

Thank you in advance

 

Hai......
Using iclone to create 3d Hollogram..... http://smkmuhpwd-pwr.blogspot.com/2014/06/hollogram-in-iclone-tutorial.html

 

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Hello Svet_Lana,

Yes, there is a way to create your own unique clothing in iClone. We have some content packs called CLONECLOTH, in these packs you will find clothing maps that wrap around your characters. These also come in layers to create different layers of clothing. You simply bring these maps into Photoshop, Drawplus, or any other image editing software and create your own.

Here is a link with more information >> http://www.reallusion.com/ContentStore/promo/2012G5CharacterBases/

 

Tutorial # 13 - Enhancing and Modifying Motion Clips.

iClone has a library of literally hundreds of motions that you can apply to your characters with a simple click. In addition to that, there are thousands more available in both the Content Store and Marketplace, as well as other external marketplaces around the web. The thing about motion clips is, with a little creativity, you can do all sorts of cool things to them to customize them and make them unique. In this tutorial, we'll learn about a couple of simple motion clip editing techniques, and how they can really enhance the energy and uniqueness of your motions. By using these techniques together with some simple camera work, you can make your motions much more dynamic and attention-drawing.

 

Maybe its just me but I find the iCone website totally bemusing. I have been looking around for 20 mins and still dont really understand what it does or what I should buy if anything. There seems to be loads of bundles and addons etc etc to the point where you have no idea whether all the great stuff you see in the videos and photos is anything like what you will actually get if you buy x package. Will the free download be any use to me if I want to use it with Unity? Or do I need the Xchange thing, is the rendering just rubbish if I dont get the indigo thing? If so why havent they just made it the new renderer rather than selling it seperately. Do I need it anyway if I am just creating for Unity? etc etc etc.
I think they should consider selling 'iClone' with everything included in it and just keep it simple.

 

As an addition to my previous post, I thought maybe iCone could help me with character creation and so almost clicked the 'download trial' button but then I saw (or think I saw) that character creation is yet another add-on you have to buy. It seems like everything in this software is some extra add-on you have to buy, you want to import/export thats extra, you want to render, thats extra, you want to do any of the great stuff you see in the demos? its all extra. So what actual value is it to people who what to create stuff to use in Unity? Why is it pinned to the top of the forum?

 

I pretty much dont need anything iClone seems to offer in their free download package, but I do need all the stuff their 'add-ons' offer- why cant I test those?

Here's what iClone software could do to deserve being pinned at the top of this forum:-

1: Create any characters you want using our character creation system and put them in a scene using our easy environment creator.
2: Then animate them how you need to- we have tools that enable you to create the characters you need and the tools you need to make them move- capture your body movements and apply them to your characters.
3:Export the scene you have made directly into Unity- all of our character animations and shaders are directly compatible with Unity, so you can create your scene in iClone and distribute cross platform using Unity in one simple step.

And from what I can see this all looks possible- its just they have this bonkers modular system which means you cannot try it out end to end without buying something.

I don't mean to be mean but there is very little software I trust without trying it first... you can try Adobe, Autodesk, pretty much everything- but iClone you can only try iClone, not the import export thing (which is vital), not the character thing (which in my case is vital) not the movement capture thing etc etc.

Please iClone give us a Unity testing package that includes all the stuff we might need so we can properly asses what you are offering...

 

What if I create my own 3D model, rig it in iClone, add my own motion captured animations? Would that work (primarily asking about the rigging part - I'm assuming iClone 5 Pro plus 3DXchange Pipeline), and if so, would I be allowed to do with this whatever I wish (including reselling the FBX)?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
https://goo.gl/XgwwBx

 

When i create my Model in DS 4.9 with Face Animations (not the facekey.duf file - couldn't find it), export it as .fbx and try to import it to 3dxchange - it crashes. Withou facial animations everythings fine.

 

I can't seem to get Iclone to work with unity. When I change the animation type to humanoid like the tutorial suggests, my model looks funny like her back is broken and her legs cut through her dress. When I leave it as generic, it looks ok (not great) but then I cant use of unity's (standard assets) animations. Could you give me some advice on this issue Oxidus?