On friendly german forum "c4dnetwork.com" Peter Notz ( aka "nophoto") public python script which know convert also hierarchical extrude, maybe you can check it how it´s done...(post 6)
http://c4dnetwork.com/board/threads/77919-Script-Editable-Plus-von-Sandi-Dolak-Wo-verfügbar?p=745161&viewfull=1#post745161
As you can said. Add all splines under Extrude, enable Hierarchical parameter and press "C" key. Single extrude will be converted to extrude objects for every single spline...(then only drag all separated Extrude objects outside from null hierarchy and remove unnecessary objects)
From your post isn´t known which i7, but I´m sure it´s faster than Xeon´s. Since c4d use mainly single core power, xeon´s with lower frequency per core are simply slower. It can be interesting for rendering, but not for modeling or animation imo...
If remeber correctly, there was something broken with this preset in R17. Did not check it in the past after service updates if this issue was repaired...I am not currently at my PC, will try it at the evening...
There was on Toolfarm last year...
http://www.vfxer.com/toolfarm-black-friday-cyber-monday-2015-sales/
But don´t know if BodyPaint (as standalone version) was included in deal...
Chris Smith create years ago xpresso presets named CSTools. Works really great in older versions, but was planned conversion to python and adding more tools, but for now there´s no any info about it. Last news was from cgtalk few years ago...
Great job,
Martijn, your models/characters are simply irresistible...I use your models as "etalon" for the same kind of models/characters.
What to say...Kingcoma style