Link: Vive Mocap Kit in Code Plugins - UE Marketplace
For support, please write me at e-mail.
Documentation
To capture animation in UE4/UE5, download main demo project (ViveMocap) from the Marketplace Description page. Example of VR real-time avatar without all additional stuff is called “Simple Demo Project”.
At UE5.2 the plugin still uses SteamVR (rather then OpenXR) for many reasons. If you own copy of the plugin and need OpenXR version, please write me at contact e-mail.
How to Start
Download and open Vive Mocap project. It has two maps: MocapMap to capture in VR headset, and NoHMDMocapMap (should be launched as PIE New Window) to capture without HMD. Yes, it’s possible to use only Vive Trackers without HMD and controllers, but you need to modify config files in SteamVR for such setup. You also can use NoHMDMocapMap with passive (unused) HMD.
There are 3 presets on both maps: UE4 Mannequin, UE5 Manny and MetaHuman. To select one of them, select SkeletonPreset actor and its Details tab click “Set Default” button.
Launch map (VR Preview or New Editor Window) and follow instructions for calibration. At least 4 points should be tracked: [1] head, [2-3] two hands and [4] spine (either hips, which is recommened, or ribcage).
Recommendations
- Select roles for all used Vive Trackers in SteamVR dashboard (Settings → Controllers → Manage Vive Trackers). It doesn’t matter what role you apply, but it should be initialized to read information about tracking status and filter out position errors.
- You can use up to 2 Vive Trackers attached to the same bone to imrove tracking qual;ity and stability. There are 2 bones to track spine: hips and ribcage. In other words, up to 4 Vive Trackers can be attached to spine.
- I recommend to attach spine trackers with different angles. For example, tracker at pelvis shifted to the right, and ribcage tracker shifted to the left.
- Keep in mind tracking conditions: for some animations, it makes sense to attach hips or ribcage tracker at the back.
- ViveMocapKit is using IK model. So, it’s enough to attach trackers either to calfs or thigs to capture legs animation. It’s also possible to track either forearms or upperarms, but
trackers attached to upperarms are preferable . They allow to compute not just elbows position, but also rotation of clavicles. - if you have trackers on uppearms, don’t skip clavicles rotation offsets in the calibration menu – adjust them until you get fair clavicles animation.
- It’s possible to exclude some Vive Trackers from body tracking. Setup isn’t quite obvious, so feel free to contact me.
- Also, it’s possible to use any other tracking system (including optical) with other tracked devices then VIve Trackers.
Videos
New assisted calibration mode on NoHMDMocapMap:
Outdated, but still useful: Vive Mocap Kit - Setup custom mesh to capture animation - YouTube
Setup in blank project (for VR real-time avatar): Vive Mocap: body tracking setup - YouTube
Capture without VR headset right in UE5 viewport even without starting Preview: ViveMocapKit Tutorial: Mocap in UE4 Viewport - YouTube
SteamVRTrackingLib Plugin
SteamVRTrackingLib is a helper plugin with additional functions used in the ViveMocap demo project. ViveMocapKit doesn’t need this plugin to work, but not vice versa. In particular, SteamVRTrackingLib serves to track SteamVR devices in UE4 viewport and to bind Vive Trackers to static names. Read about SteamVRTrackingLib features here: https://antiyuri.medium.com/extendin…r-1507eb07eff3
If you owned ViveMocapKit plugin, just download latest ViveMocap project on the Marketplace page. SteamVRTrackingLib is inside of the ViveMocap/Plugins folder.
