In the final episode of the Motion Matching Made Simple series, we focus on what happens after your character is up and running in Unreal Engine.

In Episode 3, we imported our Motion Factory dataset, set up Pose Search databases, and got a fully motion-matched character moving in game. Episode 4 builds on that foundation by covering retargeting, adding props, and iterating on motion quality using gameplay data.

You may notice that the dataset is different to the one we used for the tutorial series. This is because we wanted to deliver the highest quality dataset for Motion Matching, so re-created it with our new, better base model! (Coming soon)

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For those interested, here's the SpecOps character Kelechi used in the video: https://www.fab.com/listings/2e1773e3-5546-4d4c-b471-61da51073b42

We walk through two retargeting approaches. First, retargeting source assets during import directly from the Motorica skeleton to your character, which is the method we generally recommend for performance and reliability. Second, runtime retargeting, which offers more flexibility when sharing animation sets across multiple skeletons or iterating quickly during development.

This episode also covers how to add two-handed props, such as weapons, and maintain proper hand alignment using IK retargeting and hand pose layers. These steps help ensure believable interaction without compromising motion quality.

Finally, we introduce the reverse workflow. By recording your character’s root motion directly in Unreal Engine, exporting it as JSON, and uploading it back into Motion Factory, you can generate new animations that match your gameplay motion one-to-one. This makes it possible to patch problem areas like turns, starts, and stops with targeted animation coverage.

By the end of Episode 4, you’ll see how the full loop comes together, from base dataset generation to in-game iteration and refinement.

If you want to explore this workflow in your own project, you can request a demo or learn more about Motorica’s tools here.
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Watch the full series

Episode 1: Faster Animation Workflows with Motorica

https://youtu.be/zcLzfxWQ78w

Episode 2: Project Setup and Dataset Generation in Unreal Engine

https://youtu.be/h7insApv3H4

Episode 3: Importing Data into Unreal Engine

https://youtu.be/GuezQyDTshY

Motion Matching Made Simple | Episode 4: Retargeting, Props, and the Reverse Workflow