# Ep.17 — Make Your Own Init Dummy Template

https://youtu.be/kQsTFWwyLa4?si=iLLXcH7SIPppICbw

![Create Dummy dialog](image.png)

## 1. Why make your own

[EP16](/guide/skin-layer-studio/ep16-init-dummy-template?lang=en) **Applied** a ready Init Dummy Template. This episode **builds and saves a Spine Dummy**.

Built-in forms exist:

| DCC | Built-in form |
|-----|----------------|
| **3ds Max** | BipedPlus |
| **Blender** | Auto-Rig Pro |

`.x` means center. This rig’s **Bone Front Axis is Y**. Some studios use **Z** as front and **X** as side. Bone naming also differs. For that freedom, you make the Template **yourself**.

Leave a comment if you need a Template.

Apply flow: [EP16](/guide/skin-layer-studio/ep16-init-dummy-template?lang=en). Dummy from bones: [EP13](/guide/skin-layer-studio/ep13-init-dummy?lang=en). UI: [F10](/guide/skin-layer-studio/ui-dummy-transfer?lang=en)

---

## 2. Parts, not Full Body

Init Dummy Template is split **by part**, not Full Body.

- Body: torso · head · legs · arms · fingers
- Facial: mouth · nose · eyelids · brows · ears · even cheeks

Keep **Body Module** and **Facial Module** separate.

## 3. Base body type

Game characters stay close in the large frame. Height-band Variation drops in **steps**. A 140 cm band and a 170 cm band each share almost the same size. They are not identical — sometimes a 1 cm offset is added.

Pick **one average body** as the base. The example is Zenless Zone Zero. Keep **males separate**. Internally, Mabel is the most average.

For Dummy data, keep **the body only** and strip clothes and Skin. The demo is 3ds Max; Maya · Blender are the same.

---

## 4. Dummy Mesh — more edges than the real mesh

A Dummy must **not have fewer edges** than the real mesh. It should have **more**. Add edges in the gaps and raise Low Poly to High Poly. The video scaled the mesh more than 2×.

Then:

1. Put **every bone you work** into Skin.
2. Check with **Sort by Hierarchy**.
3. Turn off **Unfreeze · Unhide**. If they stay on, skinning fails.
4. Confirm the SLS link, then **Pick All** (or Pick)

## 5. Cleanup — Spine Dummy

After Pick, leg · arm · head bones may come along. A Spine Dummy does not need leg bones.

1. Fold **Base Layer** Weight onto Pelvis at **1**.
2. Select leftover bones in Hierarchy, right-click **Remove Bones**
3. Bones with no Weight are removed. If the dialog says Undo is impossible, press **Remove**
4. Clear leftover arm · leg · torso bones. Dummy Data must stay **clean**.

This rig has **three** spine bones. Name it **my-spine3-dummy**.

On 3ds Max Biped the start bone is **Bip001 Spine**, not **Bip001 Spine1**. Recheck the count on your DCC too.

---

## 6. Create Dummy · Transfer

1. Put **Pelvis as Base · Seg** (Seg 1).
2. Select Spine 1 · 2 · 3 and **Create Dummy** — a Cylinder appears.
3. **FK** is better than IK here.
4. **Transfer Weight** Dummy → real mesh
5. When the first pass shows, **Tools → Smooth** (Base is at the top)
6. Fill gaps with **Mask · Wire**

Recent update: **W** move, rotate key, **R** scale. Press again to hide the gizmo.

![Transfer Weights](image_1.png)

## 7. Save Init Dummy

Always **File → Save** (`.sls`) first.

1. Right-click the Dummy → **Set Type = Init Dummy**
2. Right-click → **Save Init Dummy**
3. Files usually go under **AppData**
4. When asked, pick **one DCC** (3ds Max if it came from Max, Blender if Blender)
5. **Parts = Spine** (Facial · Other live here too)
6. Confirm under Init Dummy, then **Open File**

The first save can be wrong. If Spine Seg Weight landed on the wrong bone, **Change Influence** to swap Skin Spine 1 · 2. Same role: **Cut → Add**. Then **Tools → Normalize** (sum = 1) → **Prune All Layers**.

Even after saving the Init Dummy, **keep the `.sls` Skin Layer Data**. You will edit it again. After cleanup, Set Type → Save Init Dummy to **overwrite**.

The file in the video stored bones **flat (no parent)**. **A recent update now saves hierarchy as-is**.

![Dummy in viewport](image_2.png)

## 8. Apply on another character

1. Check the target spine count matches the save format (3 here)
2. Same bone names pass through; if not, click to assign. **Auto Find** usually works
3. **Apply** — the Dummy fits the torso. Waist stretch · side offset come from **bone differences** and that is expected. An arm Dummy follows that character’s arm length.
4. If Node Type is Init Dummy Template, **Fit Dummy** appears and turns on at Apply.
5. Purple boxes are **virtual bones**. They do not move the real bones.
6. Fit Pelvis etc., then **Commit**. Slide the timeline and bones return to normal.
7. **Transfer Weight** → **Hide** the Dummy. Data stays on the Template.

This is how you **save skin data as a file and reuse it**.

If you are short on time, skip building a Dummy. Right-click **Duplicate as to Custom** and use that. It may open rotated. Axis · naming edits: [EP18](/guide/skin-layer-studio/ep18-init-dummy-template-edit?lang=en).

The best sync is still **making your own**.

Contact: [contact@otakusolutions.com](mailto:contact@otakusolutions.com)

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## One-line flow

```
Average body · body only · add more edges
  → All work bones in Skin · Sort by Hierarchy · Unfreeze/Unhide off
  → Pick All → fold Base to Pelvis → Remove Bones
  → Pelvis Base·Seg · Spine Create Dummy (FK) → Transfer · Smooth · Mask
  → Set Type = Init Dummy → Save Init Dummy (DCC · Parts)
  → Change Influence · Normalize · Prune · keep .sls aside
  → Apply → Fit Dummy → Commit → Transfer Weight
```

## Related

- [EP13 — Init Dummy (IK / FK)](/guide/skin-layer-studio/ep13-init-dummy?lang=en)
- [EP16 — Init Dummy Template · 10-min First Pass](/guide/skin-layer-studio/ep16-init-dummy-template?lang=en)
- [F10 — Create Dummy · Transfer](/guide/skin-layer-studio/ui-dummy-transfer?lang=en)
- [F11 — Transfer Weights](/guide/skin-layer-studio/ui-transfer-weights?lang=en)
- [EP18 — How to Edit Init Dummy](/guide/skin-layer-studio/ep18-init-dummy-template-edit?lang=en)
- [F15 — Options · Bone Front Axis](/guide/skin-layer-studio/ui-options?lang=en)