Keyframe Layers

Intro

Keyframe Layers make it possible to blend between keyframes/animation curves. This is very useful when needing to switch between animation states like running and walking. Keyframe Layers can transition between these states without the need to copy/paste blocks of animation.

UI

Active - Enable/disable the layer.

Strength - Determine the strength of the layer.

Mode - Set a mode for how the layer's values blend with the layers below it:

• Normal - Keyframes on the layer are additive.
• Overwrite - Keyframes on the layer will overwrite other layers.

Double click a layer's header row to set it as the current layer. The controls will reflect the current layer's values and any changes will be applied to it.

An additional read-only control will appear in the Scene Tree when keyframes are added to any non-Default Keyframe Layers. This will display the combined value of all Keyframe Layers.

Use the trash icon to remove a Keyframe Layer.

tip

To load the Strength animation curve into the Graph Editor, open the Keyframe Layer Editor and select the layer to adjust.

Increasing the Keyframe Layer's Strength increases the arm swing.

Example

1. Open keyframeLayers.cv (example file below👇) and load the Start Composition.
2. At the bottom of the Scene Window, click the Keyframe Layer Editor button
3. Click the + button in the bottom right of the window to create a new Keyframe Layer.
4. Double click the new Keyframe Layer to switch to it.
5. Set keys on armUpper.rotation of:
   • fr0 = -50
   • fr20 = 50
   • fr40 = -50
6. Set keys on armLower.rotation of:
   • fr6 = 0
   • fr26 = 40
   • fr46 = 0
7. Switch to the Graph Editor to adjust the animation curves.
8. Move the timeline to frame 100.
9. Back in the Keyframe Layer Editor set the Strength to 0 and set a key.
10. Move the timeline to frame 150.
11. Set Strength to a value of 100.
12. Press Play.

The arm's swing height should increase over frames 100 to 150.

Example Files↓ Download