To preface this, I’m completely inexperienced in Persona/Skeletal Meshes/3D Modeling/anything graphically related.
I’ve been digging around through past threads as I was curious about how I’d go about implementing an equipment system as well as dismemberment. I’m looking for clarification on what I think I have to do, as well as any tips on how I should go about doing this.
For starters, I’d need to import a base skeletal mesh, but I’m unclear on how exactly Add Body Part functions- for example, do I start by importing the torso, then “add body part” the remaining appendages? Also, to clarify- can these added body parts then be detached based on conditions that I specify or would I need to set them to hidden and spawn a separate object?
From what I can tell, sockets will do what I need to be done with attaching armor, but what would I do if I wanted to take things one step further and also implement a system similar to Left 4 Dead 2’s?
For reference, page 66 here: http://www.valvesoftware.com/publications/2010/GDC10_ShaderTechniquesL4D2.pdf
My assumption is that the base skeletal mesh would be the internal anatomy, but would I then need to socket skin, and on top of the skin socket equipment? I saw there was an “add clothing elements” but I wasn’t sure how that functioned in regards to equipment/skin/etc.
One last question is how performance intensive this would be. Left 4 Dead 2 was obviously able to handle it, but they only had the one outer layer to be concerned with.
Any help that can be provided is appreciated!
Edit 1: I’ve been digging around a bit more and L4D2 used morph target animation, which I’m also clueless about, especially if I incorporated armor layers. 
Edit 2: I think I understand how morphing/culling works in regards to the internal anatomy model, but I’m still not sure how the anatomy model should be incorporated into a base character’s structure.