Build a better human? Maybe.
Epic Games has announced MetaHuman Creator, a new browser-based tool that runs in the cloud via Unreal Engine Pixel Streaming, which lets users create life-like digital humans in about an hour. And right now, we could all use a little more human interaction.
According to Epic, MetaHuman Creator simplifies the design workflow allowing you to create its life-like humans with ease. As adjustments are made, the software blends between actual examples in the libraries in a "plausible, data-constrained way." This blend will help you create more realistic work without needing to know a lot of how-to. To start, the program allows you to select from several preset faces in Unreal Engine's database. The company hasn't said if the library will expand in the future, but knowing how Epic operates, it seems likely.
With the platform, you can choose from 18 different body types, a variety of hairstyles, and different clothing. After creating your human, you can download it via Quixel Bridge for animation and motion capture in Unreal Engine. Besides the LODs, you will also get source data in the form of a Maya file, including, meshes, skeleton, facial rig, animation controls, and materials.
MetaHuman Creator assets are compatible with Live Link Face iOS app, and Epic says they're currently working with a variety of companies for additional support, including ARKit, Faceware, JALI, Speech Graphics, Dynamixyz, DI4D, Digital Domain, and Cubic Motion. Additionally, animations created for one MetaHuman will run on other MetaHumans, enabling users to easily reuse a single performance across multiple Unreal Engine characters or projects.
We've detailed what Unreal Engine can create when it comes to short films and virtual production, and MetaHuman Creator looks freakin' awesome. At the moment, the platform is only available for early access signup. That said, Epic has released two finished sample characters to modify and use in projects running on Unreal Engine 4.26.1 or later. Epic says MetaHuman Creator will be available as part of an early access program starting in the next few months.
For more info, jump over to the Unreal Engine support page.
Your Comment
8 Comments
pretty good but still can easily tell its CG...we have 4k/8k tvs these days lol
February 10, 2021 at 9:34AM
The first few seconds completely blew me away but then everything after just looked like well rendered rubber.
February 10, 2021 at 3:32PM
Eyes still look dead
February 10, 2021 at 4:29PM
True. And "opened-speaking-mouth"
February 11, 2021 at 1:38PM
Take into consideration this is a free software, that can be run and rendered in real-time on your home computer, no expensive, fancy render farms, or days of waiting for 1 frame to complete. To be able to manipulate and render near photo quality humans in real time is game changing. Hats off to the Unreal team. I'll be testing out this project ASAP.
February 10, 2021 at 5:34PM, Edited February 10, 5:35PM
Agree with this. Look, people like Disney have stuff that is years ahead of this that we won't hear about until it's first release, etc. This is incredible for what it is. There are other companies that will crush stuff like this but I don't think that's the point of this at all.
February 12, 2021 at 9:26AM
That is pretty impressive!
February 12, 2021 at 8:26AM
Good to know this useful info. Thanks for share
June 13, 2021 at 5:33AM