Best way to implement character customization?

[swineflu]

Hello, I've been looking to contribute to OpenMW and It'd be great to work on a character customization system with sliders and layered textures but I'd like to discuss what the best way to implement this might be. I've only been coding in C++ for about a year now and I haven't worked in a 3D engine yet, but here's what I'm thinking:

Model Morphs: There is a separate skeleton used for morphs and each bone of the skeleton contains has an animation of it transforming for the desired morph (like making the nose longer). This is all data driven so modders can add as many bones to the skeleton that they want, and the animation data for the morph skeleton is saved on every actor.

Overlayed Textures: I guess you would have something like alpha mapped eyebrows or scars that are baked on top of the base skin texture when an NPC loads. I'd reckon this would also account for changes to the body when used with morphs like making a character muscular by overlaying a muscular bump map or distinguishing whether a character is male or female by an overlaid chest bump map for breasts (since it would look quite strange if the model was changed for these but not the bump maps).

Would these work? And how does this all factor into Morrowind's weird animation system? I'd love to have a go at those jank combat animations too but I'm not installing some old version of 3DS Max for it!


Also, this isn't about the engine since it should be data, but my ideal system would be a uniform androgynous model for all non-beast races just to make things a lot easier since people wouldn't have to make versions of every cosmetic change like hair for every race and gender. If you don't think one model can have that much range, take a look at Dragon's Dogma. It does have separate models/textures for the sexes but they do crazier morphs (tiny children and tall old people have the same base body) and it still ends up looking fine so I'd imagine androgyny wouldn't be too much of a stretch either. It'd also be cool if you could use it to make children and fat people since they are strangely absent in Morrowind, at least other than our particular Dwemer friend.
Though now that I think about it, user defined sliders, the lack of distinction between sexes, and children might be of great interest to certain parts of the loverslab community. I don't know how to feel about that.

[DestinedToDie]

Could be useful for someone looking to make a new game on OpenMW.

I've been messing with OpenMW for some time now. Making assets in hopes of making a game. Although I've only made some simple statics for the moment. At first I was hoping for a system like the one you describe. Being able to simply sculpt every character like in Fallout 4.

Then I got a pretty sweet idea for pre-made models and I think I'll stick to those. But from a game devs point of view having the option for customizable characters would be pretty good.

Build it and they will come.

[AnyOldName3]

So something a bit like the RaceMenu/BodySlide integration that can be modded into Skyrim? It could be good, but it's important to make sure that it's easier to make something that looks like a person than a deformed mass of flesh.

[TheOneWhoWatches]

Very interesting idea(s).
Not sure that having 1 character model for male and female characters is a good idea though.
Changes between male chest (visible ribs/muscles/obese) and female breast sizes from non-existant to... E are pretty drastic.

As for weird animations, don't think about it.
Just do it, animations can be redone. (And should be redone IMO)

3ds max 2010 and 2011 is fine for that as I found out for myself.
Now if only physics can be applied to the bones at least... (wishful thinking)

How do you want to change combat animations?