Import Blendshapes from Cinema 4d

Is it possible to import blend shapes from Cinema 4D into Unity? I haven’t been able to find instructions how to do so specifically for Cinema 4D. Is it possible directly? Or using some clever work around perhaps? Thanks.

Yes… Blend-Shapes are possible to export from Cinema 4D to Unity

There are two approaches to export Blendshapes from Cinema4D:

  • You export the C4D File (Morph-Tag with your morph-poses) and import it into Unity (Unity can import native C4D Files). Nothing more is required.

  • For FBX the same , if it does not work, You can build blendshapes (Meshes of your poses) and export all as FBX and import all into Unity

For the second approach, I explained the workflow below.

FBX-Workflow:

In Cinema 4D you have to create Meshes from the Poses. In the PoseMorph Tag in the Edit Tab you have to right click on a pose and choose “to Mesh”. But be aware to set the slider to 100% before you choose the command. If not it creates a mesh of the pose with 0%.

After you have created all the meshes for your poses, you have to put each mesh as target in the link-tab in the posemorph Tag, to get Cinema to now to use the meshes.
Then organize your Blendhapes as Childs or whatever for example under your Mesh and make them unvisible.

Then export the file as FBX

Import the FBX into unity and activate import Blendshapes if it is not checked in the inspector.
Now drag your Model/Object into the hierarchy or SceneView and now you can see in Blendshapes in the inspector.

I used salsa 3d for a project and I created the blend shapes/pose morphs in cinema for all the mouth shapes and eye positions. Then exported to fbx using the 2011 preset (the newer ones didn’t work with unity for some reason. Blend shapes didn’t have names). Import the fbx into unity like normal and put the fbx into a scene. You will see the blend shapes in the Skinned Mesh Rendered section of the inspector. The only issue I have is that there are multiple copies of each blend shape, other than that salsa worked great.

Yes it is possible. To avoid the duplicate mesh issue set your c4d pose morphs to RELATIVE (meaning you won’t have any additional meshes that are being referenced by the pose element).

Hi.
Im having the same issue even if i follow those steps. I have a bunch of rigged fbx models in a great pack from Unity store with blendshapes that i want to add an expression to in C4D. When i import the updated fbx into Unity i get all the blendshapes as new meshes in the hierarchy. Actually I get the same problem when I just open one of the fbx in C4D and export it without changing anything. Isn’t it possible to use c4d for this and in that case what tool should I use instead?