MetaHuman Creator — Considerations
MetaHuman Creator runs inside Unreal Engine (since 5.6). It is where a solved likeness becomes a complete character: body, skin, eyes, teeth, grooms, outfits and assemblies.
Tools used in Stage 2
| Tool | Use for Augmented Traveler |
|---|---|
| From Custom Mesh (5.8) | Start from a sculpted head and body (Mesh to MetaHuman — Considerations) |
| Face blending / sculpt | Nudge proportions toward the reference without leaving the realistic database |
| Body Params tool (parametric body) | Height, build and proportions to documented measurements; period posture |
| Skin (tone, age, texture detail) and unbaked textures (5.8) | Period complexion, sun exposure, age; custom maps baked from the ZBrush sculpt |
| Eyes and teeth | Iris color from written descriptions; period dental condition (no modern whitening) |
| Custom lighting scenarios (5.8) | Preview in Atheneum, Vestal House and kiosk lighting instead of the default studio |
| Hair and Clothing tab | Apply grooms and Outfit Assets; outfits resize to the body |
| Export / assemble | Cine and Optimized assemblies; DCC Export to Maya |
Considerations
- Stay inside plausible human space. The parametric tools blend real scans; pushing sliders to extremes produces pinching later in animation.
- Body first, then face. Body proportions change how the head reads; lock height and build from the historical record before final face tweaks.
- Match the dated self. Age and skin settings follow the program year, not the best-known portrait.
- Preview in venue light. A face tuned under the default studio light often reads wrong under warm lamp light or a dark kiosk background (Looking Glass HLD content uses black backgrounds).
- Decide assemblies early. Cine (strand hair, full-resolution textures) for the kiosk; Optimized (hair cards, compressed textures, fewer LODs) for Quest and phones. Check performance on the device, not just in the editor (Quest — Process).
- Keep a change log of every slider and texture change the historian approves.
- One character, one source of truth. Maya edits come back through DCC Export and re-import; never maintain two diverging versions.
Owner: character artist. Tutorials: MetaHuman — Tutorials
Sources: Sources — 2026-09-19