Import mesh from DAZ into Blender and rig/weigh manually

Hi all

I’m completely new to the 3D world and I’m eager to learn how things work. I hope my question is not totally off topic…

I played around a bit with DAZ Studio and I was impressed what morphing options I have. Unfortunately I don’t need all that morphing stuff because I don’t want to morph my future model from male to female and then to an alien :wink:
I just want to create a model that has certain characteristics. But to start I thought it would be a good idea to import the Genesis 3 mesh from DAZ and, since the import of the armature does not really work (i tried this already), rig everything manually. The rig in DAZ would be my reference…

Question 1:
Does this approch make sense? Or are there already great human Blender models with rig etc out there?

Question 2:
If i would go with that approach, do i have to expect huge problems on my way?

Question 3:
What other tasks do i have to execute to have a full blown model that i can use in animations in Blender?
Tasks like weighing, applying textures etc

Any help would be great!

Thanks a lot!

Regards
stabio

Question 1:
Does this approch make sense? Or are there already great human Blender models with rig etc out there?
Look on blendswap or Makehuman which can export a rig for use in blender

I like the figures from DAZ and I have used them on many occasions. I usually take the model and then rig it myself using Rigify. You may get some problems, but that’s what learning is all about!
If you export it from DAZ, be sure to export the textures, then these can be used directly on your model.

I’m a fan of DAZ for what it is… It’s a commercial product, and characters derived from it aren’t really yours (can’t be shared). Yet for people like me, who are artistically challenged, I think it’s a viable option.

Tips…

Use the DAE export option. That will give a weighted mesh, armature, and collect the diffuse maps for you. Using the DAZ Studio, and Blender versions I have, you have to bake the morphs. Individual face posing morphs can be baked/exported from DAZ, then imported to Blender and joined as shape keys to the base mesh.

With the Genesis2 mesh, and characters I’ve seen, the base shape is the only symmetrical mesh. It is the only one that will allow mirroring of shape keys. But, if you pack that base mesh with all the morphs/shape keys your going to use, then import the character shape you want, you can move the character shape key to above the basis, and it will all work. But if you then create more shape keys it gets muddled whether they are based on the basis or the character. It is workable, just have to keep it in mind.

DAZ treats bone rolls differently, and the end bone in each bone chain points straight up. Yet if you intend to create an actual rig for the armature the initial editing of the armature is just part of the process.

You use the phrase “full blown model”. That can mean a lot of things. Myself, it means an animator friendly rig, that does everything it should, and exposes all character functionality through a linked, proxy rig. I’ve got 3D Universe’s, Skyler and Rayn for Genesis2 and am slowly working toward my “full blown” goal. They’ve got all of the base face posing morphs as shape keys, as well as a limited set of full body morphs. For me it’s really just a learning process, and as I dig deeper into rigging, shape keys, drivers, materials, etc. the pieces I’m pulling together do fit together into a larger whole, that would, otherwise, be beyond my (current) abilities.


Thumbs Up for DAZ!

Thx for your help!
@SkpFX: Do you use the default settings for the DAE export in DAZ? And how do you export the morphs out of DAZ? As .fbx?

Sorry for not getting back to you sooner stabio. Yes, default settings for the DAE, except whatever your preferences are for gathering and converting maps.

Also, I don’t know about fbx. I exported each morph as a separate DAE and joined as shapes in blender.

The best method I’ve found is to export a base Genesis mesh, and apply all the morph shape keys to it.
Then each character you want to create just join it as a shape key to that base mesh. And bind the base mesh to the character’s armature.

Hope that helps.

No problem :wink: Just saw your reply a bit late…
Is this a Genesis 2 figure that you are using? How about the armature? Did it import ok or did you add your own armature? Where the weights ok or did you have to weight paint a lot?