# MetaHuman for Maya — Considerations The ZBrush → Maya → MetaHuman route for refining likeness after the first solve. ## The toolset | Tool | What it does | Augmented Traveler use | |---|---|---| | **Character Assembler** | Assembles head, body and textures exported from Unreal (DCC Export) inside Maya | Starting point for every Maya session | | **Expression Editor** | Calibrates the facial rig to scanned or sculpted data; edits the Neutral Pose and expression poses; writes **calibrated DNA** | Restore features the solve smoothed away; tune likeness | | **Pose Editor** | Secondary body deformations with RBF and SwingTwist solvers | Shoulders and elbows under period tailoring | | **Groom Exporter** | Exports XGen grooms as Alembic for Unreal | See [[Grooms for MetaHuman — Considerations]] | **Versions:** MetaHuman 5.8 added Maya 2026 support and removed Maya 2023. Confirm Maya 2027 support before upgrading seats. ## Workflow 1. In Unreal: finish the base in MetaHuman Creator; **DCC Export**. 2. In Maya: install MetaHuman for Maya; open **Character Assembler** and build the scene. 3. **Load the head DNA** in Expression Editor (Home pane, path field). 4. **Neutral Pose editing**: bring the head into ZBrush, sculpt on layers **without changing topology or vertex order**, and return it as the corrected neutral ([[ZBrush — Sculpting for MetaHuman]], part B). 5. **Expression calibration** at the chosen likeness level (below). 6. **Export calibrated DNA**; bring it back into Unreal and re-assemble. 7. Review on the kiosk and headset builds; repeat if needed. ## Likeness levels (Expression Editor) | Level | Input | Fit for historical figures | |---|---|---| | **MH1** | Neutral only; other expressions estimated statistically from the MetaHuman database | **Default** for people who cannot be scanned (all of our figures) | | **MH12** | About 12 key expressions | Only with a scanned **actor**; the rig then carries the actor's expressions on the historical face | | **MH50** | About 50 expressions | Rarely justified for us | | MH4D | Thousands of video frames | Not supported by Expression Editor | Ethical note: calibrating a reconstructed historical face with an actor's scanned expressions blends two identities. Only do this with the actor's contract covering it, and credit the performer. ## Considerations - **DNA is calibrated, not created, in Expression Editor.** Start from a Mesh to MetaHuman auto-rig as close to the target as possible. - **Vertex semantics.** Keep eyelid-edge, lip-line and eye-corner vertices on their features. - **Minimize the delta** between joints and surface; large volume moves far from joints make expressions carry mass oddly. - **Keep Maya, MetaHuman for Maya and Unreal versions matched** to the season's engine lock. - **Do not rebuild the facial rig** by hand in Maya. **Owners:** character artist (neutral), technical animator (expressions, Pose Editor). Tutorials: [[Maya — Tutorials]] · local: [[Tutorial — Obtaining Initial Head DNA]] · [[Tutorial — Expression Editor Fundamentals]] · [[Tutorial — ZBrush No-Topology-Change Round Trip]] · [[Tutorial — Sculpting Expression Targets for the Expression Editor]] · [[Tutorial — Pose Editor Correctives for Period Tailoring]] Sources: [[Sources — 2026-09-19]]