Objective

 

The inclusion of keyframes for simulation caches and keyframe editing tools allow users to fix isolated simulation issues, blend simulations together, adjust timing, and create looping cloth simulation caches.

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Edit Animation Keyframes

 

Location

 

Animation Editor ▶ Animation Timeline

 

Operation

 

1. Beginning with an avatar with animation, navigate to the Animation Editor.
2. Press the 'Record' button, then stop recording when desired by pressing the 'Record' button again.
3. Select the Animation Layer created for the garment in the Animation Timeline
4. Where vertical lines exist marking Keyframes, select a Keyframe and delete it by pressing the 'Delete' Key.
5. Observe that there is no longer a Keyframe in the previously selected position, and the simulation interpolates vertex positions for the garment linearly across the gap.
6. Where there is now an empty space between Keyframes, move the playtime slider to this position.
7. Select a pattern or garment in the 3D Window.
8. Using the Gizmo, rotate or translate the pattern/garment into a new position.
   → The user can also activate simulation in the 3D Window before creating a new Keyframe.
9. While the playtime slider is still at the position without a keyframe, add a new Keyframe with the 'S' Hotkey.
10. Slide the playtime slider across the area of the timeline where a new frame was keyed, and observe the saved change in the updated frame keyed by the user.
    → To form a smoother transition between the preexisting cache animation and the user-created Keyframe, delete simulation cache Keyframes to the left and right of the user-created Keyframe.

 

※ Note:
Fit the Frame Range
- Click the 'Fit Horizontal' button located next to the 'Animation Max Frame' input field at the bottom right of the Animation Editor. This will display every animation layer from its start to end.

- Double-click the Animation timeslider to switch to the full layer view. (ver.2024.0)

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Copy & Paste Keyframes

 

Location

 

Animation Editor ▶ Animation Timeline

 

Operation

 

1. Beginning with an avatar with animation, navigate to the Animation Editor.
2. Press the 'Record' button, then stop recording when desired by pressing the 'Record' button again.
3. 'LMB Click' to select a single Keyframe, or 'Shift + LMB Click and Drag' to select multiple Keyframes.
   → If a range of Keyframes has been selected, the user can 'LMB Click and Drag' the white handles on either side of the selection to make fine adjustments.
4. Once the desired selection has been achieved, 'RMB Click' over the highlighted selection to open a pop-up menu then select 'Copy Keyframe' to store the selected frame(s).
5. Move the playtime slider to a different position on the timeline in the same Animation Layer and 'RMB Click' then select 'Paste Keyframe' to past the Keyframe(s) beginning from the current position.

Animation Editor Keyframe Options:

Create Keyframe	'S'
Delete Keyframe	'Del'
Copy Keyframe	'Ctrl+C'
Paste Keyframe	'Ctrl+V'

 

 

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Cut & Merge Animation Layer

 

Location

 

Animation Editor ▶ Animation Timeline

 

Operation

Cut Animation Layer

1. Beginning with an avatar with animation, navigate to the Animation Editor.
2. Press the 'Record' button, then stop recording when desired by pressing the 'Record' button again.
3. Select the resulting Animation Layer by clicking on its title at the left of the Animation Editor interface.
4. Move the playtime slider to a point in the middle of the resulting Animation Layer.
5. Press the 'Cut' button in the Animation Editor Toolbar (scissor icon).
6. Observe that the Animation Layer has split at the current timeline position, and the portion removed has been separated into a new Animation Layer.

Merge Animation Layers

1. Select two Animation layers by clicking on their titles at the left of the Animation Editor interface while holding the 'Shift' Key.
2. Press the 'Merge' button in the Animation Editor Toolbar (two overlapping squares) to Merge the Animation Layers together.
   → Animation Layers can be moved horizontally (see below) before being merged together to adjust timing.
   → When merging layers, the layers will be merged into the top selected layers.

 

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Animation Layer Controls

 

Location

 

Animation Editor ▶ Animation Layer

 

Operation

 

Move Animation Layer Horizontally

1. Double LMB click on the interpolation space of an Animation Layer (solid pink by default) to activate track movement.
2. When the interpolation space of an Animation Layer is highlighted (red by default), the layer can be moved left and right by clicking and dragging with the mouse cursor.
   → To move the Animation Layer to a specific number of frames, when highlighted, RMB clicks on the Animation layer and select 'Move Layer Horizontally', then enter the desired number of frame units to move the Animation Layer.
   → When highlighted, an Animation Layer can also be moved one frame unit at a time by using the Left or Right Arrow Keys.

 

Delete Animation Layer

→ To the left of the Animation Timeline, click on the name of the Animation Layer you would like to delete - highlighting it in grey - and click the "Delete" Key to delete the entire Animation Layer

 

Reorder Animation Layer

→ To the left of the Animation Timeline, click on the name of the Animation Layer you would like to move and drag it above or below the Animation Layer.

→ Animation data for an Animation Layer on top will completely block any animation data on an Animation Layer beneath.

 

Layer Locking & Keyframe Visibility

→ Lock an Animation Layer by clicking ON the leftmost yellow circle next to the desired Animation Layer's name.
→ Hide an Animation Layer's cached animation by clicking OFF the center yellow circle next to the desired Animation Layer's name.
→ Hide an Animation Layer's keyframe markers by clicking OFF the rightmost yellow circle next to the desired Animation Layer's name.

 

Animation Layer Selection

→ To select an Animation Layer, click on its title to the left of the animation timeline (it will turn a lighter shade of grey when selected).
→ To add another Animation Layer to the selection, hold down the 'Shift' Key and click on the title of an additional layer.
→ To remove an Animation Layer from the selection, hold down the 'Ctrl' Key and click on the title of any Animation Layer you would like to deselect.

Rename Animation layer

→ To rename an animation layer, double-click on its name or right-click on the name of the animation layer and select 'Rename'.

→ Hold down the Shift key to select multiple animation layers, and then follow the above steps to rename them all at once.

 

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Animation Editor UI Updates

 

Location

 

Animation Editor ▶ Animation Editor Toolbar

 

Operation

 

Animation Editor Icon Additions & Updates:

Loop	Circular Arrow	→ Sets animation timeline playback to loop.
Playback Speed	1X	→ Ranges from 1/4X to 8X speed.
Merge Selected Animation Layers	Two Overlapping Squares	→ Merge selected Animation Layers into a single layer.
Cut Selected Animation Layer	Scissors	→ Split Animation Layer at current timeline position.
Delete	Trash Can	→ Deletes Animation Layer or Keyframe depending on selection.
Create Keyframe	I	→ Creates new Keyframe at current timeline position.

 

 

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