Create a Custom IK Retargeter

This workflow explains how to create a custom IK retargeter for your assembled MetaHuman character. This workflow is the same whether you are making an IK retargeter for the face or body. Refer to the Unreal Engine documentation for IK Rig retargeting for more information.

Create an IK Rig

Creating a custom IK retargeter may require a new IK rig.

1. Right click in the Content Browser and select Animation > Retargeting > IK Rig.

2. Give the new asset a name, and double click to open the asset editor.

3. Set the Preview Skeletal Mesh to the head or body skeletal mesh of the assembled MetaHuman character.

4. Click Auto Create Retarget Chains. MetaHuman skeletons are already set to do this properly.

5. Click on Auto Create IK.

Create an IK Retargeter

Creating a custom IK retargeter.

1. Right click in the Content Browser and select Animation > Retargeting > IK Retargeter.

2. Give the new asset a name, and double click to open the asset editor.

3. Set the Source IK Rig Asset to the IK_MH_IKRig asset provided by MetaHuman Creator. The Source Preview Mesh should update automatically.

4. Set the Default Target Rig to the rig for the custom character. This might be the IK Rig created in the previous section. The Target Preview Mesh should update automatically.

   We recommend offsetting the target mesh in X so that it is easier to see in the viewport.  

5. Click Add Default Ops. This will make sure you have all the retargeting operations.

6. In the Asset Browser select an animation to play on the character to ‘audition’ the retargeting.

With the basic retargeting asset setup, you can continue to modify the retargeting properties as you would for any other character.

Next Up

Runtime Retargeting

Understand who to use the various runtime retargeting options for assembled MetaHuman characters.