Content Dev:CC Clothing Preproduction

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Main article: CC Asset Development.

Pre-production Guidelines

Simplified Workflow

  1. Prepare Base Character
    • Align and export the CC3+ base character as a reference to ensure correct scale and posture.
  1. Create High-Poly and Low-Poly Meshes
    • Model the high-detail asset.
    • Perform retopology to create a game-ready (low-poly) version.
    • Bake technical maps (Normal, AO, Curvature).
  1. Bind Low-Poly Mesh to Base Rig
    • Apply skin weighting and bind the mesh to the CC skeletal structure.
  1. Export in FBX Format
    • Export the rigged mesh using the standard FBX (*.fbx) format.
  1. Import and Save in CC
    • Import the FBX into Character Creator.
    • Set the asset type to "Cloth".
    • Save the final file as *.ccCloth.

Production Tools Overview

Required Software & Plugins

The following table summarizes the primary tools used in the High-Poly to Low-Poly (retopology) workflow:

Software Version Purpose Units Coordinate System
ZBrush 2024 High-poly sculpting Centimeters N/A
Maya 2023 Rigging, FBX export Centimeters Y-Up (Right-Handed)
3ds Max 2020 Rigging, FBX export Centimeters Z-Up (Right-Handed)
Blender 4.0+ Modeling, rigging, export Centimeters Y-Up
3D-Coat 4.7+ Texture painting N/A N/A
Substance Painter V10.1.2 PBR texturing, baking N/A Y-Up (OpenGL)
xNormal Any Mesh baking N/A N/A
Character Creator 4.0+ Final assembly (*.ccCloth) Centimeters Y-Up
iClone 8.0+ Cloth simulation / animation Centimeters Y-Up

General Pipeline Notes

  • The production pipeline standardizes on FBX SDK 2012.1. Always export FBX files using this version.
  • Normal maps must be in OpenGL (Y+) format for compatibility with iClone.
    • Verified compatible tools: ZBrush, Maya, Substance Painter (OpenGL mode).
  • Avoid using 3ds Max for texture baking due to potential normal map channel inversion.
  • Always set working units to Centimeters (cm) across all DCC tools.

Notes

  • Normal Map Configuration
    • Ensure Substance Painter projects are set to OpenGL to avoid inverted green channel issues.
    • Incorrect configuration may result in flipped or incorrect shading.
  • Unit Setup
    • All production assets must use centimeters to maintain scale consistency with CC base models.
  • Blender Coordinate System
    • Blender uses Z-Up internally but converts to Y-Up during FBX export.
  • 3ds Max Version & Export Standards (Critical)
    • Recommended Version:
      • Use 3ds Max 2020 or earlier for maximum pipeline compatibility.
    • Mandatory Export Requirement:
      • FBX export version must be set to FBX 2012.
    • Reason:
      • Ensures compatibility with Character Creator’s internal FBX parsing system and prevents issues with skin weights and materials.
    • Warning for 3ds Max 2021+ Users:
      • Newer versions may introduce compatibility issues (e.g., Arnold material conflicts, missing textures, or corrupted exports).
      • Users assume responsibility for resolving any issues arising from unsupported versions.
      • Only FBX 2012 exports that successfully import into CC will be accepted.

Cc clothing pre-production 01.PNG

3ds Max Setup

  1. Go to Customize → Units Setup...
  2. Set Display Unit Scale to Metric and select Centimeters.
  3. Click System Unit Setup.
  4. Set 1 Unit = 1.0 Centimeters.

Cc clothing pre-production 02.PNG

Maya Setup

  1. Go to Windows → Settings/Preferences → Preferences
  2. In the Preferences window, select Settings
  3. Under Working Units, set Linear to Centimeter

Cc clothing pre-production 03.PNG Cc clothing pre-production 04.PNG

ZBrush Export Settings

  1. Open the Tool palette
  2. Locate the Export sub-palette
  3. Set coordinate system to Z-Up
  4. Ensure Flip Normals is OFF

Cc clothing pre-production 05.PNG

3ds Max Import Verification

  • Verify mesh orientation after import.
  • If the mesh appears inverted:
    • Enable Flip Normals
  • Verify scale consistency:
    • Adjust using scaling tools if necessary

Attachment File Documentation

Base Character Files

Use the correct base character files depending on the project requirements to ensure proper alignment and deformation.

  • Standard Base Models
    • Male Base and Female Base are the primary templates.
  • Morph-Based Characters
    • If a custom body shape is required:
      • Use the provided Morph Base and corresponding .fbxkey file.
      • These are mandatory for maintaining compatibility.
  • File Location

\Attachments

Attachment File List

File Name Description Notes
Female_Base.Max / Female_Base.fbxkey Female base character files Note 1
Male_Base.Max / Male_Base.fbxkey Male base character files Note 1
UV Check\UV check_Grid.jpg
UV check_Horizontal.jpg
UV check_Vertical.jpg
UV check_Dots.jpg 		UV checker maps Note 2
Quality_Reference Production quality reference -

Notes

  • Note 1: FBXKey Usage
    • A .fbxkey file is automatically generated when exporting a CC character.
    • It must be included when re-importing the FBX into Character Creator.
    • FBXKey files are not interchangeable between different characters or morphs.
  • Note 2: UV Checker Maps
    • All checker textures use a 1:1 aspect ratio.
    • Select appropriate maps to verify UV uniformity and scaling consistency.

Technical Classification Notes

Accessory vs. Cloth Classification

  • Classification Logic
    • Requires skinning → Treated as Cloth
    • No skinning (rigid) → Treated as Accessory
  • Cloth Settings (Conform)
    • Items categorized as Cloth (e.g., belts, necklaces, layered items) must have Conform or Non-Conform properly configured.
  • RL Made Standards
    • Assets must be correctly assigned to Embed / Cloth / Layer categories.
    • This ensures proper collision behavior, layering, and simulation accuracy.
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