Import Single Animations Onto Import Plugin Skeleton

Walkthrough how to import animations onto the UE Importer plugin's version of the Motorica skeleton.

This guide is only relevant if you have seen the error on the left image above, when trying to import an animation directly onto the skeleton that comes packaged with the plugin.

In UE 5.5, Epic introduced the new Interchange importer which altered the way that FBX importing happens in-engine. Our plugin uses a Z-up version of the skeleton, to be compatible with the engine's motion matching tools. Therefore, to import the Y-up animations that our platform generates, we must configure some input settings, but these settings do not exist in Interchange!

As a result, when importing animations directly onto SKEL_Motorica (the Motorica skeleton that is packaged with the plugin) we get the artefacts seen on the left image at the top of this page.

How to Fix

Before importing animations directly onto this skeleton, you must first use the console command:

Interchange.FeatureFlags.Import.FBX 0

This will disable interchange for all FBX imports, allowing you to use the legacy import procedure. After this, you may continue with the import process, first by clicking 'Import':

Then, select the file(s) you want to import, and you'll be greeted with the legacy import options. From here you will need to:

1. Select the Motorica Skeleton

If it doesn’t show up initially, you may have to click the settings cog and select 
‘Show Plugin Content’

1. Select 'Use Default Sample Rate'

1. Select 'Force Front XAxis' and set Import Rotation to (0°,0°,90°)

1. Then you're done!

Don't forget to run Interchange.FeatureFlags.Import.FBX 1 to revert the console command & bring back the Interchange FBX importer for other assets!