Retargeting Animation in Unreal Engine 5

* for UE 5.1 and 5.2, you'll want to watch this newer video: • Unreal Engine 5.2 - Le...
Learn how to transfer animation from one character to another in UE5.
NOTE: if you wanna see an example of fingers added, pop over to this more recent video: • Copy Mixamo animations...

[@samcha9508]

This tutorial is eventually the only one to make me feel comfortable in comprehensive with the retargeting process in UE5. I have to say you are the best.

[@3dJC]

Awww thanks Sam! If you want more practice, and want to see how to do fingers, I made a follow-up too: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpPQfHmmhNd0erc

[@420kushan]

If you want to set T-pose accurately, you can set Target Actor Offset to 0. Its a lot easier than doing that on 150 "by eye". But still the best tutorial for this! Thx

[@Cronofear]

I found in my case that the Root bone (root motion) and the IK bones are not being retargeted at all. The way i solved it was to go to the IK retargeter asset->Chain Mapping tab. Then select the Root and IK chains and change (in the details panel) the translation mode from "None" to "Absolute".

[@drajk23]

thank you so much for making this! I was honestly so confused why UE removed the auto retargeting, but thanks to this it made it all look and feel so easy! keep up the great work :D

[@3dJC]

Thanks! I'll keep adding stuff lil by lil when I get the time... cheers!

[@Gotitmade1]

I'm with Sam Cha! This is a fantastic tutorial. Having watch about five other tutorials, only now do I finally feel like I know what is going on with retargeting. Thank you!

[@3dJC]

That’s great! If you are using version 5.1 or 5.2, I did just make an update video because they made some slight changes again… The concepts are the same, but a bit of the interface has been changed. I’d say the changes are better in most cases.

[@DeonSaga]

They need to set up a template humanoid ik rig feature to make this faster because like 90% of assets use the default humanoid rig anyway.

[@metafuel]

This was really helpful and excellently explained thank you. So much easier and more practical than the previous method. Thanks for your time. Subscribed.

[@3dJC]

Great to hear!

[@michaczarnecki1679]

Thank you! All I have been looking for in short movie. You saved me a lot of time.

[@3dJC]

Glad it was useful!!

[@SeraphEvenstar9999]

This has helped a lot! Very easy to follow tutorials. Keep it coming :)

[@3dJC]

Thanks, will do!

[@deunank]

Thanks. Great tutorial as always.

[@user-yn5pv8xq3z]

number 1 !!!!!!!!!!!! thank you so much

[@lucasouzah2a]

you are awesome, TKU so much!

[@navidumardaraz7163]

This has helped me to understand the process finally. 😁

[@3dJC]

That's great!!

[@crs11becausecrs10wastaken]

Dude... thank you, this is exactly what I was trying to figure out.

[@3dJC]

Glad I could help!

[@omiorahman6283]

thank you for your guide this has helped a lot

[@3dJC]

Glad it helped!

[@derf0007]

Super helpful! You rock! and I subbed.

[@3dJC]

Glad it helped! More videos to come!

[@brumakriders]

THANK YOU!

[@zelinkavo]

¡Muchas gracias!

[@micorime]

oh! thank you QvQ pipeline looks more friendly now hehe

[@mathajar9563]

helpfing alot thanks

[@3dJC]

No problem!

[@eversonrodrigo8617]

Muito obrigado! fiquei por um bom tempo tentando encontrar essa solução para o meu projeto, mas com este vídeo consegui arrumar o meu game player. Grato!

[@3dJC]

That’s great to hear!! Glad it helped!!

[@chronosschiron]

MY GAWD WHY DID THEY MAKE HTIS SO MUCH MORE BLOODY WORK

[@3dJC]

😀

[@borakian]

Great tutorial. New Sub.

[@3dJC]

Thanks, glad to have you aboard!

[@ashleysparling]

Thank you so much htis has helped me big time. I am guessing if you wanted the fingers it would be the same proces, And just another differnt qestion would you then need to set the animations and mesh up in a new animation bluebring?

[@3dJC]

Howdy Ashley - I JUST uploaded a new video which includes the fingers, and it may answer the second question you have - lemme know if it doesn't and I'll try to address.... Mixamo to MetaHuman Retargeting: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpPQfHmmhNd0erc

[@cosmosiiienngames]

Really good and understandable. Sir, can you show this event with metahuman character?

[@3dJC]

Here you go 😀Unreal Engine 5.2 - Learn Animation Retargeting from Mixamo to Metahuman and more. #ue5 kzbin.info/www/bejne/f2mXg4Kfrap-acU

[@franconova8048]

Can you make a video for the updates in 5.1? UI changed a fair bit! This was super helpful, solidifying my knowledge, I was thinking there had to be something wrong in my process, but no, it just takes a few more clicks

[@3dJC]

yeah, I was thinking it's time to make an update as things, as you mentioned, are a tad different... good idea! next week perhaps!

[@leandrogamedev]

Hi !! thanks for the tutorial! , i share the same skeletal in two different characters (one tall, other smoller), i want to use the same animation to both without duplicate all the anims with the retargeter. Its posible have one animation for both? THANKS!

[@indieartsmidwest4042]

Thank you so much for making this straight forward tutorial. The new retargeting setup had me so confused and I never got the old way to work properly. You're definitely right about the T-pose to A-pose setup. Just rotated the necessary bones with "edit pose" and it matched up well.

[@3dJC]

That’s great to hear! I did a follow up on retargeting including fingers in the one titled “mixamo to metahuman“ in case you need that too.

[@StanSeo]

Wow... J.C... I need to take your class... I mean it...

[@3dJC]

Let's do it!

[@Swampfox87]

Nice video man, thanks a lot, but I have one question, what about fingers and how can I make him grab correctly his sword or weapon?

[@3dJC]

I did a follow up video specific to mixamo to metahumans where I showed the finger chain making as well - kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpPQfHmmhNd0erc and once the anim is transferred you can use the bake to fkrig to make slight tweaks, or use bake to control rig if you character has a control rig...

[@ARMORHOUS3weplay]

Dude! Insta sub tytyty!!!!

[@3dJC]

Ha, thanks!!!

[@3dgust]

Is there a way I can do retargets like this but with props? I tried faking it using emitters and attaching them to the socket of the joints but is too limiting. Thanks in advance. (like having the mouse use the same sword as the warrior)

[@salvadorcabrera4941]

❤

[@zodix44]

all nice and good until the IK control rig messes it up. The built in IK is so bad

[@hamster-dumpster]

Can i just change a mesh of a mannequin and reapply it to existing skeleton?

[@BadgeroUK]

Love this, thank you! Are you available for freelance consulting work at all? Would love to send over some details - what's the best way to connect if so? (email etc?)

[@3dJC]

Kinda full plate these days, making the videos here is about the most I can do with any extra time for now… add a video topic request if you have any specific needs and perhaps I can whip something up!

[@BadgeroUK]

@@3dJC Understood ty!

[@MaxStudioCG2023]

ok perfect (we all got this :D ) but how we actualy use those animation in a character that we play ( use some keyboard buttons to kick, punch , some nice action jumping or powers for the char etc) .....implement those animations in a metahuman that we playing ingame :)) nobody have no tutorial on that (only retargeting,rigs etc ...but with this we only can use them in movies clips, animated graphic, NPC chars etc) but not ingame to play with :D someone do a tutorial on this haha :"D :))

[@ARMORHOUS3weplay]

Is there a way to copy the same ikrig since most Paragon characters are human? This way you don't have to ikrig every time you add a character?

[@3dJC]

Good question. The skeleton gets "assigned" when you created the IKRig via the skeletal mesh you choose. In the case of an individual Paragon character, you can at least swap the preview mesh to the other variants of the character or change it in the blueprint, but I don't see a way to re-assign the base skeleton that is being used, nor a way to copy/paste the chain info to another IKRig. My gut is they will make these types of options available as they get feedback from users, but for the moment I think the answer is no. If you find a sneaky way, please report it back!

[@letsplaysomthing3799]

idk why but i cant use root no more root animations when i retarget any fix?

[@thanapoomjantararuangtong3797]

Hello, I would like to ask when I try to rotate the target bone in edit pose to make it same as the IK source, but the target bone remain the same (it doesn’t rotate at all even the angle is already changed). Would you mind to give me some advice? I would really appreciate.

[@3dJC]

I haven't seen something like that before... "maybe" it's not the joint you think it is? try with other joints to see if the move, like elbow or leg?

[@thanapoomjantararuangtong3797]

@@3dJC Thank you for your advice. I will have a try ^ ^.

[@TheMasterchief1111]

Does this process work the same way for the UE5 Manny? - I have a UE4 solider character and I want to retarget to the UE5 Manny. Does this break the process or should the retarget only be done to a UE5 Character Skel?

[@3dJC]

You should be fine, retargeting doesn’t care where the manny skeleton came from v4 or v5. The V5 skeleton for Manny is a little more complex, but it is still totally doable. Just make sure you pick the right joints for retargeting.

[@3dJC]

I have another video on Maximo to metahuman and retargeting, which may help as the metahuman and Manny skeletons are not that much different in version 5 as far as the basic body.

[@barulicksama3838]

Show us retargeting with different skeletons pls.

[@3dJC]

This example uses three different skeletons, can you explain what you mean a little bit more and I’ll give it a go?

[@barulicksama3838]

@@3dJC I already figured out, thank you.

[@nikolistary]

There's a million videos on this subject but none regarding weapon/gun animation retargeting. Does anybody know how to do this?

[@Swampfox87]

I am looking for that either :(

[@Swampfox87]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpPQfHmmhNd0erc

[@3dJC]

How would you define "weapon/gun animation retargeting"? Can you give me an example of what you are trying to do and I'll see if I can figure it out? I like a good challenge :)

[@nikolistary]

@@3dJC I have purchased weapon and animation packs from the UE Marketplace. Naturally, their skeletons are different from my Skeleton/Character blueprint. I want to take their Arms with their various poses/animations (reload, fire, aim, etc.) and apply it to my mannequin. I have spent over 500 hours trying and the results are never good. Arms flail around like chicken wings even after retargeting every single limb on a human body. It is incredibly challenging to retarget a rifle or shotgun as they have many rigged and moving parts. The Marketplace animations and Arms need to communicate properly to my UE5 mannequin and that's no easy feat. My end goal is to have my character pick up a gun, hold it idle, aim, shoot, and reload with good looking animations. Let me know how it goes!

[@nikolistary]

@@3dJC More specifically, I am trying to use the Arms/Animations from this pack: kzbin.info/www/bejne/epy9h2ufm7SfiK8

[@Dhieen]

12:40 i dont have the "edit pose" in ue5.1, is it normal? where is it?

[@3dJC]

Ah yes, I need to make another video for 5.1 as there are slight differences…

[@Dhieen]

@@3dJC Yeah i found an edit pose option but when i move a bone unreal crashes... wtf haha

[@natecoet3291]

This is not long it's boring to do. Sure there are some gains but they could have streamlined rather that make it a nuisance. Got to love modernity.

[@shaunramkelawon]

am i the only one who goes to 4 to retarget and bring it back to 5 lol

[@3dJC]

Ha, you'll get used to it :) Just give it a few passes and it'll be like riding a bike...

[@AnindoChatterjee14]

Yes

[@Jups2]

i'm doing the same thing do animations in 4 then go back to 5 KEKW, in 5 i can't manage to make the hands animation to work that why i go to 4 :))