MetaHuman for Maya — Considerations
The ZBrush → Maya → MetaHuman route for refining likeness after the first solve.
The toolset
| Tool | What it does | Augmented Traveler use |
|---|---|---|
| Character Assembler | Assembles head, body and textures exported from Unreal (DCC Export) inside Maya | Starting point for every Maya session |
| Expression Editor | Calibrates the facial rig to scanned or sculpted data; edits the Neutral Pose and expression poses; writes calibrated DNA | Restore features the solve smoothed away; tune likeness |
| Pose Editor | Secondary body deformations with RBF and SwingTwist solvers | Shoulders and elbows under period tailoring |
| Groom Exporter | Exports XGen grooms as Alembic for Unreal | See Grooms for MetaHuman — Considerations |
Versions: MetaHuman 5.8 added Maya 2026 support and removed Maya 2023. Confirm Maya 2027 support before upgrading seats.
Workflow
- In Unreal: finish the base in MetaHuman Creator; DCC Export.
- In Maya: install MetaHuman for Maya; open Character Assembler and build the scene.
- Load the head DNA in Expression Editor (Home pane, path field).
- Neutral Pose editing: bring the head into ZBrush, sculpt on layers without changing topology or vertex order, and return it as the corrected neutral (ZBrush — Sculpting for MetaHuman, part B).
- Expression calibration at the chosen likeness level (below).
- Export calibrated DNA; bring it back into Unreal and re-assemble.
- Review on the kiosk and headset builds; repeat if needed.
Likeness levels (Expression Editor)
| Level | Input | Fit for historical figures |
|---|---|---|
| MH1 | Neutral only; other expressions estimated statistically from the MetaHuman database | Default for people who cannot be scanned (all of our figures) |
| MH12 | About 12 key expressions | Only with a scanned actor; the rig then carries the actor's expressions on the historical face |
| MH50 | About 50 expressions | Rarely justified for us |
| MH4D | Thousands of video frames | Not supported by Expression Editor |
Ethical note: calibrating a reconstructed historical face with an actor's scanned expressions blends two identities. Only do this with the actor's contract covering it, and credit the performer.
Considerations
- DNA is calibrated, not created, in Expression Editor. Start from a Mesh to MetaHuman auto-rig as close to the target as possible.
- Vertex semantics. Keep eyelid-edge, lip-line and eye-corner vertices on their features.
- Minimize the delta between joints and surface; large volume moves far from joints make expressions carry mass oddly.
- Keep Maya, MetaHuman for Maya and Unreal versions matched to the season's engine lock.
- Do not rebuild the facial rig by hand in Maya.
Owners: character artist (neutral), technical animator (expressions, Pose Editor). Tutorials: Maya — Tutorials · local: Tutorial — Obtaining Initial Head DNA · Tutorial — Expression Editor Fundamentals · Tutorial — ZBrush No-Topology-Change Round Trip · Tutorial — Sculpting Expression Targets for the Expression Editor · Tutorial — Pose Editor Correctives for Period Tailoring
Sources: Sources — 2026-09-19