Task Force How to Add Custom Characters to your Workshop Maps

Preface

This is a quick guide for adding custom characters to your Task Force workshop maps. This is done using 3ds Max and assumes that you have already exported your character's fbx from Unreal Engine. We will create a baked copy of your character, remove your character's original skeleton and then import and rig your character to the custom Task Force skeleton.

Import Character Mesh

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Import character FBX | File > Import > Import in 3ds Maz

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Navigate to and select the character fbx, then press the open button

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In the FBX Import options box, make sure the Bone Conversion is set to “Leave as Bones” and the Scale Factor is 1.0. You may have to deselect automatic and select a different unit to achieve this.

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Create Baked Copy Of Character Mesh

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Close up the skeleton tree then select your character

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Once you have the character selected. Go to the utilities tab on far right (wrench icon). Click on “More...” then select “SkinUtilites” from the options box and click OK. Then click on “Extract Skin Data to Mesh”

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Remove The Skin From The Existing Mesh

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With the character selected (like it still is)

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Go to the modifier’s tab then right click on “Skin” and delete it

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- If your character is in the skeleton tree, drag it out, then delete the skeleton. (Select skeleton, right click and choose “select child nodes” then right click and again and choose delete.)

- This leaves you with a baked character mesh and the original character mesh. The original skeleton is gone.

Import The Task Force Skeleton

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Extract SK_Skeleton from the Task Force UE4 Project File

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Import SK_Skeleton into your 3ds character project | File > Import > Import > SK_Skeleton. Make sure the Bone Conversion settings and the Scale Factor settings are the same as before (“Leave as Bones” and 1.0). Note: This may take a few minutes to import.

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You will now see the Task Force Skeleton inside your character mesh.

Scale Your Character To Match The Skeleton

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Select both the baked character mesh and the original mesh. (You can close up the skeleton tree to make things easier). Then select the Scale tool and under the Transform Coordinate Center options (click and hold to show options) choose the bottom option.

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In the 3d viewing panel, click and hold in the triangle then drag to scale your character.

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It is easiest to use the character’s head in reference to the skull for proper scaling.

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Be sure to look at all viewing panels for proper alignment.

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Move The Task Force Skeleton’s Bones Into Position

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This is the longest and most critical part of this process if you want your character to look good.

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Expand your skeleton tree so you can see all the bones listed. (Control + Click the dropdown arrow.) It is best to start at the top of the body and work your way down.

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Select the head bone and use the rotate tool to rotate the skull into alignment with the character’s head.

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Next, move down through the arms to the hands. Upper Arm > Forearm > Hand > Fingers

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It’s important to take your time with the fingers as they will be really messed up if not done properly. Your final result should look something like this. (Note I did not take my times on the hands for this guide so the fingers look a bit off here). After finishing the upper body, move down through the legs.

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Remove Rotations And Scales From Your Character

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Select your character mesh then navigate to the utilities panel on the far right. Click on “Reset XForm,” then click “Reset Selected”

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Select the utilities panel and right click on xform

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Add A Skin Modifier To Your Character Mesh

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Select your character mesh then navigate to the modifiers panel on the far right. Open the “Modifier List” drop-down panel.

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Select “Skin” from the modifier list

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In the Parameters panel, click Add next to Bones

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In the “Select Bones” panel that opens, hold Ctrl and click the ticker to open the skeleton tree

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In the skeleton tree, select the everything from the hips down to the last bone. Select hips, hold shift then select the last bone “Thigh_Twist1_R”

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Add The Skin Data From Your Baked Copy To Your Character

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Select your character mesh and the baked copy from before.

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Go to the utilities panel on the far right. Click “More...” and open the skin utilities panel

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In the Parameters panel, select Import Skin data from mesh.

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In the Paste Skin Data panel that opens, select corresponding bones and move them from the source bones side to the target bones side.

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Do this for all corresponding Bones. Not all bones will have the same naming or same number of bones so you may have to space them out or pair them with similar names. For example. The "Source Bones” here only have 3x spine bones, but the “Target Bones” have 5x.

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Once Finished click OK and then delete the Skeleton Mesh. Select the SK_Skeleton in the Skeleton Tree, right click > delete.

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Also delete the SkinData, the baked copy from step 2.

Export Your Character For Use In Task Force

Select your character mesh and go to File > Export

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Select your destination then make sure your scale factor is at 1.0, same as before.

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Import Your Character Into Your Task Force Project

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Open your Task Force project file and navigate to the location that you want to import your character to.

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Click the import button and select your character. Click the open then import buttons and this will bring your character into the project.

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Add Your Character To The Map Using The TaskForceSettings Blueprint

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Navigate to your Blueprints > Workshop folder and locate the TaskForceSettings Blueprint. Drag this blueprint into your map.

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In the setting panel on the right, under Skins, hit the plus sign to add a character slot and name the character slot (Skins 1 is Commandos and Skins 2 is Terrorists). Expand the slot option panel and mesh panel. Under body, choose your character.

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Save your map and your are good to go.

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Source: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2002989656

How to Add Custom Characters to your Workshop Maps

Preface

Import Character Mesh

Create Baked Copy Of Character Mesh

Remove The Skin From The Existing Mesh

Import The Task Force Skeleton

Scale Your Character To Match The Skeleton

Move The Task Force Skeleton’s Bones Into Position

Remove Rotations And Scales From Your Character

Add A Skin Modifier To Your Character Mesh

Add The Skin Data From Your Baked Copy To Your Character

Export Your Character For Use In Task Force

Import Your Character Into Your Task Force Project

Add Your Character To The Map Using The TaskForceSettings Blueprint

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