init: animation pipeline hub — Mac↔PC bridge for converting and implementing animations
Skills (.claude/skills/): animation-creation, iclone-video-mocap, pose-estimation (MediaPipe models via LFS), retarget-animations (deprecated). Tools: cc/mixamo/kevin/mocap retargeters + composite baker. Plans: animation-gen-pipeline + skills-adoption. exchange/: incoming-fbx, converted-glb, reference-video (LFS for fbx/glb/mp4). Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
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# iClone 8 Core Animation System — Technical Reference
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Compiled 2026-07-15 from manual.reallusion.com (iClone 8 Online Manual, sections 8.0–8.5), Reallusion KB, and Reallusion forums. Excludes the Video Mocap plugin (see video-mocap-plugin.md). `[UNVERIFIED]` marks low-confidence items.
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## 1. Character Animation Architecture
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### 1.1 Core model: Motion Clips + Layer Keys
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- "A **Motion** or **Animation** is the combination of the **Motion Clip** and the **Layer Keys**." Since iClone 1.x-era redesign, **layer keys are encased inside motion/animation clips**: dragging a clip drags its layer keys; a clip's layer key **cannot be moved outside the range of the clip**.
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- Motion track has sub-tracks: **Motion Layer** keys (per body part: e.g. `R Arm`, `LFingers`, `RFingers`) and **gesture layer clips** for both hands (LHand/RHand). Gesture data can be **Sampled** (extracted into LFingers/RFingers Motion Layer tracks) or **Flattened** (merged back into the motion clip).
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- **Relative Motion Layer Keys** blend an offset into the underlying motion. Old "absolute" motion layer keys were removed — the equivalent is removing the motion and posing via Edit Motion Layer.
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- A motion layer key's effect **persists to end of clip until another key is set**; transitions between consecutive layer keys are auto-generated.
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### 1.2 Edit Motion Layer panel (Modify > Animation tab > Edit Motion Layer; menu Animation > Edit Motion Layer; hotkey **N**)
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Engine is **HumanIK** ("automatic floor contact while the intuitive real-time IK motion control keeps the body balanced"). Panel sections:
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1. **Set as Default / Reset to Default** (base pose retrieval; Default button adds a layer key standing the character straight in default pose).
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2. Mode tabs: **IK / Mask / Detail**.
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3. **Body pictogram** with effector-point states: Selected / Free / Move-locked / Rotate-locked / fully Locked / blend-weight-activated joints; quick lock toggle.
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4. **Pin presets**: lock joint translation, joint rotation, Both Feet, Both Hands, Hands+Feet, Both Toes, Unlock All.
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5. **Mirror controls**: edit bilateral bones simultaneously, copy bone status to opposite side, mirror entire pose.
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6. Selection modes: **Full Body** (torso may drag along when an effector moves; Ctrl+Click multi-select; keys inserted on ALL Motion Layer sub-tracks except fingers) vs **Body Part** (limbs/head only; key lands only in the relevant sub-track, e.g. R Arm).
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7. **Set Key** and **Reset Pose** buttons.
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8. **Viewport Controller** (colored on-screen bone pickers), **Bone Display Mode** (bones/bounding boxes), Bone Settings (Size, Affect all Bones, Color, Opacity).
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9. Palm pictogram for **hand gestures**.
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10. **Effector Blend Weight** activate/deactivate.
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11. Three **Mirror Pose** buttons (incl. Pose Mirror Right to Left, Full Body Pose Mirror).
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12. **Vertical Pose Alignment** toggle — includes Z-axis values (normally only X and Y are aligned → confirms Z = vertical axis in iClone).
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13. **Properties** dropdown for numeric translate/rotate entry.
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14. **Copy Pose / Paste Pose**.
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- IK posing: pick an effector (e.g. hand), use Move tool (W) and drag in viewport — 2D mouse motion drives the limb; manual says "make sure your target body parts face the camera" for precise 2D→3D control. Rotate tool (E) = FK-style joint angle edits. **Foot Contact / Hand Contact** checkboxes prevent ground penetration. Recommended: deactivate sub-joint blend weights and pin (lock) bones you don't want dragged before editing.
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- **Pose Mixer / Mask Mode** (inside Edit Motion Layer): pick body parts on pictogram (Select All / Select None / Invert Selection), then apply `*.rlPose` files from Content Manager — only masked parts take the pose; repeat with other pose files to compose partial poses; masked mirroring via Pose Mirror buttons. Custom poses saved via Add/save to library (`.rlPose`; iClone 8.4 added save-custom-poses page).
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- **Edit Pose vs motion layer keys**: "Edit Pose" panel is the Character Creator 4 equivalent (CC manual: "Using the Edit Pose Panel", same Body Key Editor); inside iClone all posing goes through Edit Motion Layer and always lands as **Motion Layer keys** relative to the current clip (or on an empty motion as pose-to-pose keyframing).
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- Layering workflow onto existing motion: apply clip → Edit Motion Layer → go to frame → adjust effectors → key auto-added to Motion Layer track and blended into the Motion-track pose.
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### 1.3 Animation Layer panel (F11; iClone 8.x, distinct from the single Motion Layer track)
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- Stores pose keys in stackable named layers to "set their weight together". Toolbar: **Add New Layer, Duplicate Layer, Delete Layer, Rename Layer, Merge** (merge as **optimized keys** or **sampled key per frame**), reorder up/down, **Lock**, layer **Color**, **activation toggle** (mute), **Weight slider** with **weight keyframing** over time. Supports per-body-part layering (manual: "Animation Layers for Body Parts").
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### 1.4 Reach Target (Modify > Animation tab > Reach Target; menu Animation > Reach Target)
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Panel: (1) **Bone Edit Mode** checkbox (show bones); (2) **Bone Settings** (Bone Size / Affect to all bones / Color / Opacity); (3) **Pictogram** effector states: Selected / Free / **Reaching** (contacts target) / Motion-compelling (keeps original motion); (4) **Reach Target** section incl. **Select Target and Keep Current Pose** button (reach-key effect without snapping to the target); (5) **Reach Mode** — **Position** checkbox (hand snaps/aligns to target pivot) and **Rotation** checkbox (also follows target orientation); (6) **Reach Offset** (position and angle offsets from the target); (7) **Lock to Origin** (pin effector to original position); (8) **Release** (sets a release key on the timeline).
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- **Lock to Original workflow** (protecting existing pose while one part reaches): lock affected effectors **one at a time** (multi-selection not allowed for locking); secondary drift may require additional locks; verify by playback.
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- Reach keys/constraints are **not** exported directly to FBX — use **Menu > Animation > Flatten All Motion with Constraint** to bake Link / Look At / Attach / Path / Reach keys into motion clips first.
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- Effector **dummy props** can be used as reach targets to fix motions ("Fixing Motions with Effector" page); Look At / Reach / Path control also via dummy props (Set > Prop > Using Dummy Props).
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Sources: manual pages `50-Animation/Motion-Layer/Introducing_the_Edit_Motion_Layer_Panel.htm`, `Using_Body_Key_Editor.htm`, `How_to_Use_IK.htm`, `Layering_Motion_Layer_Keys_to_Exising_Motions.htm`, `Using-Mask-Mode.htm`, `50-Animation/Animation-Layer/Introducing-the-Animation-Layer-Panel.htm`, `50-Animation/Reach_Target/*.htm`, `51-Animation-Timeline-Editing/Clips_and_Keys.htm`.
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## 2. Timeline (F3; Shift+F3 focuses it)
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### 2.1 Tracks
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Per-object track stack includes: **Transform**, **Motion** (with Motion Layer + gesture sub-tracks), **Facial layer tracks**, **Viseme** (expand triangle → **Voice** and **Lips** sub-tracks), Expression tracks (see §5), **Visible**, Effect/HDR/IBL property tracks, **Audio/Sound + Lips** sync tracks, **Part tracks** (bone-skinned objects) and **Bone tracks** (individual bones + IK effectors), **Collect Clip** track, and the **Project track** (flags/markers). Track show/hide hotkeys: O, Q, T, M, R, Z, E, L, V, S, D, I.
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### 2.2 Clip operations (toolbar / right-click / hotkeys)
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- **Add Key** `A`; **Break** `Ctrl+B` (non-destructive split, hidden data preserved); **Break Flatten** (destructive split, discards data beyond boundaries); **Auto Extend** (expands clip when keys fall outside; also Menu > Animation > **Clip Auto Extend**); **Loop** `1` (drag right clip edge); **Speed** `2` (drag edge; shown as % on clip title bar); **Resize Clip** `3`; **Motion Direction Control** `4`; **Motion Modifier** `5`; Cut/Copy/Paste `Ctrl+X/C/V`; duplicate = `Ctrl+LMB drag`; Delete key. Prev/Next key: `Ctrl+Left / Ctrl+Right` (toolbar also lists Tab/Shift+Tab). Playback range on/off: `'` / `;`. Zoom `+`/`-`, Fit `Ctrl+*`, **Actual Size** `Ctrl+/` (1 cell = 1 frame at 60fps). Insert/Delete frames for project or single object; Mark In/Out; flags on Project track.
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- **Reversing Clips**: right-click clip > Reverse (page `Reversing_Clips.htm`).
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- **Time Warp** (right-click motion clip > Time Warp): default = **Linear**; presets **Ease In / Ease In & Out / Ease Out / Ease Out & In**; **Custom** panel = curve-type dropdown + variation slider (left ≈ linear, right = more dramatic). Changes speed *within* the clip.
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- **Transitions between clips**: transition range sits ahead of the latter clip; each clip has 4 draggable triangles: **Fade In Start** (weight 0) / **Fade In End** (100) / **Fade Out Start** (100) / **Fade Out End** (0); blend progression between lower triangles is always **linear**. Weights do nothing if only one clip is on the track.
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- **Transition Curves between two keys** (Transform and other key tracks): set 2 keys, right-click the **later** key > **Transition Curve** > pick from **16 curves + Default** (Ease In, Ease Out, Ease In & Out, Pause and Move, Gain momentum before Move, Damping, Gain momentum and Damp, Stutter Start, End in a Bounce, Stuttering Start and End, Elastic Start and Sudden End, Sudden Start with Elastic end, Elastic Start and End, Step, Linear, Default). 4 basic presets have a **Strength** slider; **Default** curve comes from **Preference panel > Default Key Tangent**. Live viewport preview when hovering choices.
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- **Hollow vs solid keys**: hollow = partially keyed frame (not all axes keyed — common after Sampling due to optimization); solid = all axes keyed. Editing hollow keys in detail requires the **Curve Editor**.
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### 2.3 Sampling & Flattening (right-click on motion/animation clip)
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- **Sample Motion Clip to New Layer** >> **Sample All Parts - Optimized** | **Sample All Parts - Per Frame** | **Sample Selected Parts** — exposes clip contents as **Layer Keys** (standard CC characters). Props/accessories: **Sample Animation Clip**.
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- **Flatten Motion Clip** >> **Flatten All Layers** | **Flatten And Keep All Keys** — merges Layer Keys into the clip. For clips with Speed/Time Warp applied, keys are **recalculated and optimized** rather than merged, and cells re-match timeline units (standard characters only). Menu names differ for standard vs non-standard characters vs props.
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- **Menu > Animation > Flatten All Motion with Constraint** bakes constraint keys (Link, Look At, Attach, Path, Reach) — required before FBX export of constrained animation.
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### 2.4 Collect Clip track
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- Open Collect Clip track → click-drag a range covering the desired clips/keys → right-click: **Add Motion to Library** (actors; merges/compacts Transform + Motion + Hands + Motion Layer tracks into one motion, save to Custom library), **Add Gesture to Library** (hand motions), **Add to Perform List** (iProps: Transform + Animation tracks), **Add to Perform** (props: Transform track). Re-import via right-click Motion track > **Import**, or the Perform menu. This is the standard way to consolidate a mocap-plus-layer-edit result into a reusable `.iMotion`/MotionPlus asset.
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### 2.5 Motion Direction Control (hotkey 4)
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Fixes the "transform keys fight motion clips" problem: select clip > Motion Direction Control button → leading line(s) show clip travel direction; **Rotate** fields (exact degrees), **Translate** fields (initialize clip start position), or use Object Rotate tool visually. With multiple clips, adjust the second clip while keeping adjacent motions aligned/connected. Related: **Menu > Animation > Auto Motion Alignment** >> **No Alignment / Align Position Only / Align Position and Direction**.
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Sources: `51-Animation-Timeline-Editing/Timeline-Operation-Basic.htm`, `Clips_and_Keys.htm`, `Sampling_and_Flattening.htm`, `Transition_Methods_in_Tracks.htm`, `Creating-Transition-between-Clips.htm`, `Time_Warp_for_Motion_Clips.htm`, `Collect_Clip_Track.htm`, `Using-Motion-Direction-Control.htm`, `90_Keyboard_Shortcuts/Timeline_Shortcuts.htm`, `02-Main-Menu/Menu_Animation.htm`.
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## 3. Curve Editor (built-in plugin; F12, Shift+F12 focuses; separate manual section 58-Curve-Editor)
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- Purpose: classic-animation curve control over iClone keys ("time and space adjustment", ease in/out, arcs, smooth/linear camera moves). Select motion keys in Timeline, edit their curves.
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- UI: **Menu bar** (Key, Tangent, Navigation, Zoom, Optimize/Filter, Curve menus); **Toolbar** areas: Outliner Display Options, **Tangent Tools**, **Handle Tools**, **Key Editing Tools**, Navigation Tools; **Search bar**; **Outliner** (structure nodes + curve nodes of selected object); **Edit mode** dropdown: **Layer Keys** | **Transformation**; **Time mode**: **Project Time** | **Clip Time**; Current Frame field; **Graph view**; **FK Mode** button (launches motion-layer editing for bone selection); Status bar with Frame/Value numeric fields.
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- Key Editing Tools: **Move Key** (Shift+Drag = single-axis constraint), **Offset Key** (shifts entire sequence before/after to preserve surrounding animation), **Add Keyframe** (directly on curve; toggle "Add Keyframes for All Curves"), **Remove Keys**, **Scale Keys** (bounding-box: horizontal = speed, vertical = magnitude).
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- Filter menu: **Optimize** (Threshold 0–1 curve-fitting; higher = smoother/fewer keys; options: Optimize Selected Keys only / Selected Curves only / Selected Keys on Selected Curves; Preview shows before/after key counts — for densely keyed mocap curves), **Smooth** (Smooth Factor strength, **Falloff** to avoid cliffs at range edges, **Keep Custom Tangent**, Preview), **Butterworth** smoothing (**Cut-off (Hz)**, **Sample Rate (fps)**, Falloff, **Align to frames** = float keys → integer frames, Preview). These are the primary **mocap jitter cleanup** tools — sample the imported mocap clip to layer keys first, then filter.
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- Tangent menu/tools include standard tangent types (Auto/Linear/Step/Ease etc.) `[UNVERIFIED — exact list not confirmed]`. Dedicated Curve Editor keyboard shortcut page exists (`58-Curve-Editor/Keyboard_Shortcuts.htm`).
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- Gotcha: to curve-edit inside a motion clip you must expose keys (Sample) — clip contents themselves aren't directly curve-editable; hollow keys are adjusted here.
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Sources: `58-Curve-Editor/Welcome_to_Curve_Editor.htm`, `UI_Intro_for_Curve_Editor.htm`, `UI_Intro_for_Curve_Editor_Key_Editing_Tools.htm`, `UI_Intro_for_Curve_Editor_Menu_Optimize.htm`.
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## 4. Motion Correction / Cleanup Tools
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### 4.1 Motion Correction (foot/hand sliding fix)
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- Right-click motion clip > **Motion Correction**. Derived from Reach: calculates ground-contact times, auto-creates **hand/foot prints**, sets Reach keys to feet/hands so they stick to prints.
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- Panel: **Presets** (pre-optimized body part sets), **Body Parts** (manual per-part activation), **Parts Settings**: **Threshold** (higher = severe sliding, lower = minor sliding — the main dial), **Transition** (frames for Reach/Release key transition), **Reach Offset** / **Release Offset** (shift Reach/Release keys left/right), **Reach Mode** checkboxes (touch prints / align to print directions), **Sync Threshold with all Parts** checkbox. Click **Correct**.
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- Iteration gotcha: after each Correct, run **Flatten Motion Clip > Flatten All Layers**, deactivate the already-fixed parts, then correct remaining parts; repeat.
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- This is the primary post-import cleanup pass for external/video mocap clips.
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### 4.2 Motion Modifier (Timeline button, hotkey 5)
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- Slider-based whole-clip body-part adjustment ("fix posture issues or alter overall look"). **Base Pose** options: **Default Pose** (motions that don't change much), **Auto Generate** (averages pose for highly varying clips), **Load** (use first pose of a loaded iMotion). **Part Modify** section with **Stand Mode** / **Move Mode**. Converts entire clip into an altered one. Not recommended for dramatic motions (big turns/heavy transforms).
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### 4.3 Motion Director (iClone 8 flagship; replaces MixMoves conceptually)
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- Behavior files (**iMD**) drive characters: each character can have multiple **Behaviors**; each behavior has **Modes** (currently **Casual** and **Athletic**); modes contain speeds ('Stroll', 'Walk', 'Jog'); each speed has perform-motions and **Mix-motions** ('Main Mixer' + sub-mixers).
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- Control: keyboard/gamepad (WASD-style; **Ctrl+R** start/stop playback-record; Shift = accelerate a level, Ctrl = decelerate; customizable via **Hotkey Manager**, Edit > Hotkey Manager, Ctrl+`); waypoints via **Alt+left-click** (queue) and **Alt+right-click** (absolute, cancels others). Cameras: **MD Camera** (system), **Free Camera**, **Follow Camera** (8 presets + 5 customizable) on MD Triggers panel. **Snap to Surface** for terrain-following characters (8.1). **Menu > Animation > Create iMD Cache** pre-retargets actors for MD performance. MD Props with **Reach Effect** settings exist (8.5).
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- Recording writes normal motion clips to the timeline, editable with everything in §1–§3.
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### 4.4 MixMoves — REMOVED in iClone 8
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- The iClone 7 MixMoves system (automatic motion-graph transitions) is **not in iClone 8**; legacy MixMoves animations still usable as regular motions (Reallusion forum confirmation). Motion Director is the successor.
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### 4.5 Motion Puppet / Direct Puppet / Prop Puppet / Morph Animation (Menu > Animation)
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- **Motion Puppet**: record motions from puppet templates onto the selected character (mask body parts, mouse-driven). **Direct Puppet**: simultaneously move+record body to generate motions. **Prop Puppet**: puppet-record prop animation. **Morph Animation**: Morph Animator panel — keyed morphing sliders (also how morph-based prop/character shape animation is keyed). **Edit Animation Layer**: layer keys on existing prop animations.
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### 4.6 Smoothing
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- Body: Curve Editor **Smooth / Butterworth** filters (§3), Optimize for key reduction.
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- HumanIK foot floor contact: automatic in Edit Motion Layer (Foot/Hand Contact checkboxes). Character-level contact geometry comes from CC's **Floor Contact Planes** (soles/palms; toes/fingers bend to avoid penetration) — set in Character Creator, honored by iClone terrain snapping.
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Sources: `51-Animation-Timeline-Editing/Motion-Correction-for-Sliding-Issues.htm`, `Modifying_and_Fixing_Motions.htm`, `50-Animation/Motion-Director/Basic-Concepts.htm`, `Setting-Hotkeys-with-Hotkey-Manager.htm`, `Snap-to-Surface.htm` (8.1), `02-Main-Menu/Menu_Animation.htm`, forum.reallusion.com/519260 (MixMoves), CC manual `06_Body/Setting_the_Floor_Contact_Planes.htm`.
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## 5. Face Animation
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### 5.1 Track structure
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- **Viseme track** → sub-tracks **Voice** (audio clip) and **Lips** (auto-generated viseme keys). **Expression** timeline = 4 tracks: **Muscle** (morph data), **Eye Blink**, **Eyeball**, **Head** (orient/tilt). **Facial Layer** tracks hold Face Key output. Face clips support Auto-Extend, Loop, Speed; layer keys copy/paste only within their originating clip. **Sample/Flatten** available to convert expression clips ↔ three-track layer keys. **Menu > Animation > Expression Clip Auto Crop** trims overlapping expression clips.
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### 5.2 AccuLips
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- Open: **Modify > Animation tab > Motion section > Facial group > Create Script**, or **Menu > Animation > Create Script > AccuLips** (other Create Script options: Record Voice, Text-To-Speech, Wave File).
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- Works only for **CC G1–G3+ Standard and CC Gamebase** characters. Audio: wav, mp3, m4a, aac, wma.
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- Workflow: Open Audio File / Record Voice → **Generate Text** (speech-to-text; fix red-highlighted words) → **Align** (word-by-word sync; or **Update Selected** for a range) → adjust word durations → **Apply** → visemes generated on Lips track. Optional: load a TXT/SRT script with identical filename to skip transcription; custom viseme-word pairs saveable to **dictionary**. TTS input auto-aligns. Old iTalk scripts convertible.
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### 5.3 Viseme editing & strength (3 levels)
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1. **Project/character level**: Modify > Animation tab > **Facial Animation Settings > Viseme Strength** slider. 2. **Clip level**: right-click voice clip on Viseme track > **Talking Style Editor** (hotkey 6) — per-clip viseme strength sliders. 3. **Individual key**: double-click viseme key (or empty cell to add) → **Lips Editor** (hotkey 7) — phoneme choice (e.g. "Phoneme: Oh") + **Expressiveness** slider (result visible after slider release).
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- **Smoothing mouth**: right-click Lips/Lip Options track range > **Lip Sync Options** → radio **Full Mouth** (+Smooth checkbox + smooth value) or **Parts** (independent lips / tongue / jaw sliders).
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### 5.4 Face Key panel (Menu > Animation > Face Key, or Modify > Animation tab)
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- Tabs: **Expression** (preset expression style sets via dropdown), **Modify** (detail morph sliders grouped: **Brow, Eye, Nose, Cheek, Mouth, Custom**), **Morph** (**Expressiveness** slider + **Revert**). **Muscle** editing: click highlighted face regions and drag in viewport to sculpt an expression; **Muscle Symmetrical Selection** for mirrored edits; **Reset to Zero** button. Keys land on **Facial Layer** tracks; blend sequential keys by placing the playhead between them. Muscle vs Detail distinction: Muscle = region-drag posing, Detail = per-morph sliders.
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### 5.5 Face Puppet (Menu > Animation > Face Puppet)
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- Real-time mouse-driven expression recording. Profiles: **Male, Female, Stylized** ("00_"-prefixed enhanced versions), **Universal** (mouth shut + six mouth expressions). **Facial Profile Strength** slider exaggerates/smooths. **Solo Feature Profile** states: None / Active / Selected. During Preview/Record: **left-click = blink**, hotkeys **Q W E R T Y** trigger Full Face Control Profile commands. **Profile Details** (Edit Property) table: 60 standard + 24 custom morphs. Preference > Control > "Confine Face Puppet area to 3D view-port". Attribute tab **Auto-Blink** toggle (disable during puppeteering).
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Sources: `50-Animation/Facial-Animation/Creating-Voice-Script-with-Accurate-Lipsync.htm`, `Three-Levels-of-Setting-Strength-for-Visemes.htm`, `50-Animation/Pro_Facial_Animation/Face_Puppet.htm`, `Face_Key_Editing.htm`, `Facial_Timeline.htm`, `51-Animation-Timeline-Editing/Adding_or_Modifying_Lip_Synching_Keys.htm`, `Smoothing_Mouth_Movements.htm`.
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## 6. Characters & Characterization
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- **CC4 Standard characters** (CC3+/CC Gamebase etc.): full feature support — Edit Motion Layer/HumanIK, facial system (AccuLips requires CC G1–G3+ Standard/Gamebase), Motion Director, sampling with "All Parts - Optimized". Created/edited in Character Creator 4; CC4's **Characterization panel** data (bone-mapping, bone-rotation, floor contact, **HIK property data**) is what iClone uses for retargeting.
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- **ActorCore characters/motions**: Reallusion's store rigs (AccuRig-rigged); load directly in iClone and accept iClone/ActorCore motions; AccuRig converts arbitrary humanoid meshes → compatible rigs.
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- **Non-standard/Humanoid characters**: custom FBX rigs are converted via CC4's **Convert to Non-Standard / Humanoid** (Characterization mode: map custom bones to standard iClone bones, adjust to **T-pose** — all `.iMotion` are T-pose-based; skipping T-pose causes body-part offsets when motions apply). 3DXchange's old conversion role now lives in CC4/AccuRig. Feature availability in iClone differs (e.g. sampling menu items differ for non-standard characters; AccuLips unsupported).
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- **Imported mocap interaction (core side)**: **File > Import > Import External Motion** (iClone 8.4+) accepts **FBX or BVH** motion for standard/humanoid characters. Options: **Motion Profile** (from CC Characterization data), optional **T-pose** file from the same source, **Sample Per Second** (higher = more detail), **Root Bone** dropdown (choose source root node), **Auto-generate to Perform List**; **Convert All** → clips stored under custom **Motion > External Motion** library. Once converted, mocap clips are ordinary motion clips: trim/loop/speed/time-warp, Motion Correction, sample-to-layer + Curve Editor filtering, Edit Motion Layer layering, Reach Target locking.
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- **Props/Accessories**: animate via **Transform track** keys, **Prop Puppet**, **Edit Animation Layer**, Morph Animator; clip form = Animation clips ("Sample/Flatten Animation Clip"); collect via Collect Clip > Add to Perform (List). Constraint animation via Link/Attach/Path/Look At dummy workflows, flattened before export.
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Sources: `8.4/50-Animation/Import-External-Motions/Import-External-Motions.htm`, CC4 manual `09-Import-Humanoid/*`, 3DXchange 6 legacy `Converting_Models_to_Non_Standard_Characters.htm`, actorcore.reallusion.com learn-and-support.
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## 7. Import / Export
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- **Menu paths**: `File > Export > Export FBX...` | `Export Alembic...` | `USD (Omniverse)`. `File > Import > Import External Motion` (mocap in). 3DXchange is **discontinued**; all conversion/export features merged into iClone 8 / CC4 (kb.reallusion.com/Product/53036) — iClone 8 ships pipeline-capable (FBX/OBJ export built in, no separate Pipeline SKU).
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- **Export FBX dialog** (verbatim, from manual screenshots): **Target Tool Preset**: Maya, 3ds Max, Unity 3D, Unreal (UE4 Skeleton), Unreal (UE5 Skeleton), Motion Builder, Blender, Cinema 4D, **Maya (Motion Pipeline)**, **Motion Builder (Motion Pipeline)**, Marmoset Toolbag. Preset changes downstream settings incl. axis conversion (no manual Y-up/Z-up radio in iClone 8; legacy 3DXchange had explicit Y-Up/Z-Up choice). **FPS** dropdown (default `Project(60)`). **Export Range**: T-Pose (no animation, avatar moved to origin (0,0,0)) / Current Frame / All / Range (From/To). Checkboxes: **Embed Textures**, **Embed Timeline Timecode**, **Max Texture Size** (default on, 2048), **Convert Image Format to** (default Bmp shown; JPG if unset), **Delete Hidden Face**, **Use Smooth Mesh**, **Convert Skinned Expressions to Morphs**, **Merge Face Hair to One Object**, **Delete Unused Morphs**, **Tear Ducts UV Adjustment** (character can't round-trip to CC if on).
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||||
- **Export FBX Advanced Settings** (gear icon): **Merge Opacity to Diffuse Texture**, **Preserve Bone Names (CC Base)** (default on), **Mouth Open as Morph**, **Epic Skeleton** (UE4 Skeleton / UE5 Skeleton radio), **Epic Skeleton Hand and Foot IK**, **Reset Motion Root**, **Export Weight-map to Vertex Color** (default on), **Use T-Pose As Bind Pose**, **Reset Bone Scale** (default on), **Add Reference Pose** (default on) with radio: T-Pose for Unity / A-Pose for UE4 Skeleton / A-Pose for UE5 Skeleton / A-Pose for UEFN. Also **Export JSON for Auto Material Setup** (default on, for Auto Setup plugins) `[per Auto Setup manual]`.
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||||
- **Root motion**: **Reset Motion Root** — since 7.6, for Unity/Unreal game-engine presets the root node **follows the hip** instead of staying at origin; needed for root-motion scripting/blending in engines. Constraint animation must be flattened first (**Animation > Flatten All Motion with Constraint**). Motion-only export: use the **(Motion Pipeline)** presets.
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||||
- **Batch export**: select multiple objects; with Target Tool Preset = **Unreal** or **Unity 3D** each object exports to a **separate FBX** named after the iClone object; any non-game-engine preset merges all picked objects into **one** FBX.
|
||||
- **Non-exportable types**: iLight, iEffect, iParticle, iTree, iGrass, iTerrain, iWater, iSky, aml, iTalk, iPath.
|
||||
- **USD**: via free **Omniverse connector plugin** — Menu > Plugin > Omniverse > Export USD, File > Export, or toolbar. Options: Export All/Selected; Material Render Mode (RTX Real-Time = OV PBR shader; RTX Interactive Path Tracing = SSS MDL for digital humans); Export Range > **Motion FPS: 60/30/24**; Send to Server (Nucleus). Outputs main USD + light/material/motion dependency folders.
|
||||
- **BVH**: **import** supported (Import External Motion); **BVH export is NOT available from iClone 8** — legacy BVH export was 3DXchange Pipeline; CC4 4.4+ has BVH export (see export-pipeline-to-blender-godot.md §3).
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||||
- **Blender/Godot**: Blender via Target Tool Preset "Blender" + free **CC/iC Blender Tools** (soupday) importer; Godot has **no preset** — use Unity 3D or Blender preset FBX, or round-trip through Blender→glTF `[workflow inference, not Reallusion-documented]`.
|
||||
- **Licensing**: Reallusion content items require an **Export License** to leave the Reallusion ecosystem in FBX/OBJ/USD ("You must first purchase the content licenses in order to export FBX and USD files" error otherwise); iClone-only content (legacy "maroon" items) is blocked without it. Your own imported/created assets are unrestricted. FBX-key/`.fbxkey` applies to CC character mesh round-trips. Export License purchase deducts already-owned iContent cost.
|
||||
- **Alembic** export exists for vertex-cache workflows (`Export Alembic...`).
|
||||
|
||||
Sources: `83-FBX/FBX_UI_Intro.htm` (+ dialog screenshots), `Exporting_FBX_from_iClone.htm`, `Batch_Exporting_FBX_Files.htm`, `Resetting_Motion_Root.htm`, kb.reallusion.com/Product/53036, reallusion.com/ContentStore/Export_License.pdf, Omniverse plugin manual (iC-8.3), forum.reallusion.com/556427.
|
||||
|
||||
## 8. System Fundamentals
|
||||
|
||||
- **Frame rate**: Project Settings > **Time Unit** section — FPS dropdown per project; **default project length 1800 frames, maximum 54000**; timeline "Actual Size" = 1 cell : 1 frame **at 60fps** (iClone's native/internal sampling is 60fps; FBX FPS default `Project(60)`; render/export offers 12/24/25/30/60). Time Mode: Realtime vs **By Frame** (physics). Time Unit display: time-based or frame-based.
|
||||
- **Units**: **1 iClone unit = 1 cm**; default grid 100×100 units = 1×1 m. CC characters ≈175 units tall. Matches Unreal cm scale directly.
|
||||
- **Axes**: iClone is **Z-up** (Reallusion: "iClone and 3DXchange are Z-Up based 3D tools"); corroborated by Edit Motion Layer "Vertical Pose Alignment includes Z-axis values". FBX export axis conversion is handled by the Target Tool Preset (Y-up conversion for Maya/Unity etc.). Character bones do **not** share a common up-vector (spine Z-up, legs point down, feet back) — a known pain point when retargeting exported skeletons. A literal `Z_UpAxis` node/track name: not found in iClone 8 docs `[UNVERIFIED — likely a 3DXchange-era conversion dummy]`.
|
||||
- **Key global shortcuts**: Space play/pause; ,/. start/end frame; ←/→ frame step; **F3 Timeline**, **F11 Animation Layer panel**, **F12 Curve Editor** (Shift+ variants focus); **N = Edit Motion Layer**; Q/W/E/R = Select/Move/Rotate/Scale; Ctrl+Z/Ctrl+Y undo/redo; X/Z/C/V camera Pan/Zoom/Orbit/Roll; Home = 45° perspective; F = front view of selection. Timeline-specific keys in §2.2. All remappable: **Edit > Hotkey Manager (Ctrl+`)** — Device: Keyboard, expand item, press new key.
|
||||
- **Rotation order**: editable per object via **Menu > Animation > Rotation Order** (Euler order — matters for curve editing and export). **Remove Object Animation** / **Remove Scene Animation** clear animation (scene removal offers frame-position options).
|
||||
|
||||
Sources: `03-Introducing-the-User-Interface/Project_Settings_Time_Unit.htm`, `90_Keyboard_Shortcuts/Global_Shortcuts.htm`, `Timeline_Shortcuts.htm`, `Hotkey-Manager.htm`, 3DXchange5 `Y_Up_or_Z_Up.htm`, forum.reallusion.com/109018 & /326528 (cm units), forum.reallusion.com/525257 (bone axes).
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
Key gotchas worth surfacing: layer keys can't leave their clip; flatten-between-iterations for Motion Correction; Flatten All Motion with Constraint before FBX export; MixMoves removed in iC8; AccuLips is CC-Standard-only; game-engine presets (Unreal/Unity) are the only batch/per-file + Reset-Motion-Root paths; 60fps internal / cm / Z-up when planning Godot import.
|
||||
Reference in New Issue
Block a user