Some implementations of the disclosure are directed to a pipeline that enables real time engines such as gaming engines to leverage high quality simulations generated offline via film grade simulation systems. In one implementation, a method includes: obtaining simulation data and skeletal mesh data of a character, the simulation data and skeletal mesh data including the character in the same rest pose; importing the skeletal mesh data into a real-time rendering engine; and using at least the simulation data and the imported skeletal mesh data to derive from the simulation data a transformed simulation vertex cache that is usable by the real-time rendering engine during runtime to be skinned in place of the rest pose.