Check out:
http://www.reallusion.com/iclone/help/iclone5/PRO/Open "Head"
Select the article: "Full Head Morph"
OK, this article explains how to use the CUSTOM button in the iClone 5 HEAD>FACES>MODIFY>FACIAL FEATURES>HEAD panel to create custom faces "Using Custom Head Morph Template." Basically, this says it's possible for me to apply a custom Head/Face template.
But the process for actually CREATING a custom Head/Face template, described in the online help articles, doesn't actually work. Firstly, it only applies to G3 heads, according the article below. Secondly, when I follow the instructions I am not able to actually export a VNS file which Iclone 5 Pro needs to do the custom Head/Face modification.
The article links to this 2nd article:
http://www.reallusion.com/templates/linkcount/linkcount.asp?lid=enu_3DX4_Head_MorphWhich explains the process in more detail. Basically, this article gives the following instructions:
1. Export a default head from the Head Morph>Head Model Panel in 3D Exchange.
2. Modify the head in another program, export as OBJ
3. Import your modified OBJ back into 3D Exchange.
4. Export Custom Head to Head-Morphing Template by clicking "Export" in the "Head Morph" section of 3D Exchange as VNS file.
The problem comes about when I try to do this. For practical purposes, I skipped the step of actually modifying the default head from 3D Exchange. There is no VNS export option when I go to do the final step. I only have the option to export OBJ.
I understand this only works for G3 heads. When I try to export a default head from 3D Exchange I have the option to export a G5 head or G4 head. I've tried both, thinking that I could use a G4 head to export a backward compatible G3 head... and still cannot get the VNS export function to work.
So, to sum up, The Custom Head feature in iClone 5 - as described Reallusion's online tutorials - doesn't appear to actually work. Why would there be a "Custom" button in the Iclone 5 HEAD>FACE>MODIFY>FACIAL FEATURES>HEAD panel if it is not actually possible to CREATE a HEAD FACE template in the first place? And Why would it not be possible to do this with G5 HEADS? I've been banging me head on this issue to for months, thinking I'm just overlooking a step. Does anyone have any idea what's going on here?