Animation

Animation

Game-ready motion with clean keyframes. Readable silhouettes in motion. Engine-compatible export.

When to Use

• Character locomotion (walk, run, idle)
• Combat animations
• Mechanical/prop animation
• Camera animation
• Object animation with constraints

Workflow

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Reference → Blocking → Breakdown → Splining → Polish
    → Cycle Validation → NLA Strip → Export

Locomotion Cycles

Naming: AN_[Char]_[Action]_[Variant]

Animation Principles (Applied)

1. Timing — Weight through spacing
2. Arcs — Natural limb paths
3. Overlap — Secondary motion offset
4. Anticipation — Wind-up before action
5. Exaggeration — Style-dependent (see style skills)

Mechanical Animation

• Use constraints over bone deformation
• Hinge: Limit Rotation constraint
• Pistons: Stretch-to or Copy Location
• Gears: Driver for synchronized rotation
• Doors: Empty pivot + rotation keyframes

Graph Editor Workflow

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1. Block stepped keys (Constant interpolation)
2. Splining: Bezier with auto handles
3. Ease: Weighted handles for acceleration
4. Cycle: Copy first/last frame; verify loop seam
5. Clean: Remove redundant keys

NLA for Game Export

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1. Action created and named per convention
2. Push down to NLA strip
3. Strip set to Repeat for cycles
4. Single strip active for export
5. Scale: 1.0; no NLA time remapping unless intentional

Camera Animation

• Smooth Bezier interpolation always
• Avoid sudden direction changes
• Match focal length to subject scale
• Camera shake: noise modifier on location (subtle)

MCP Integration

1. Insert keyframes via MCP if supported
2. Query action names and frame ranges
3. Validate bone/object animation data exists pre-export
4. Set frame range via MCP
5. Export animation with rig via export-pipeline

Game-Ready Requirements

• Root motion decision documented (in-place vs root motion)
• Loop seam invisible (walk/idle/run)
• No bone scale keyframes (engine issues)
• Animation length matches engine state machine
• Facial animation on separate action layer if needed
• Frame rate: 30fps default (confirm project spec)

Constraints

MUST DO

• Reference video for locomotion
• Block in stepped mode before splining
• Name actions AN_ prefix
• Test cycle loop before export
• Match animation style to art direction

MUST NOT DO

• Linear interpolation on organic motion
• Scale keyframes on rig bones
• Over-animate idle (subtle is better)
• Export without action assigned to NLA
• Skip root motion documentation

Reference Guide