Animating an object

This topic describes the basic procedure to animate a simple cube (available in the Asset browser). While there are many ways to use MotionBuilder as an animation tool, you can use the following procedure as a basic guide and introduction to important tools and windows.

1. Drag two cubes from the Elements folder of the Asset browser into the scene, positioning them similar to the cubes in the following picture.
   

   Optional: You can change the color of the two cubes by adding a material to each, then changing the Diffuse property.

2. Select the cube on the left, then open the FCurves window if it is not already open in the current layout.
   

   FCurves window

   The properties of the selected cube display in the FCurves properties pane as well as in the Properties window.

3. In the FCurves window Properties pane, click the Translation (Lcl) header to select the cube’s Translation properties.
   

   Cube’s Translation properties selected, showing the function curves

   The cube’s translation properties are selected and their representative function curves display. Right now, the function curves are flat because the cube is not yet animated.

   The color of the function curves correspond with the color of the axis they represent. By default, the function curve for the X-axis is red, the Y-axis is green, and the Z-axis is blue.

4. With the Translation (Lcl) properties still selected, set a keyframe by doing one of the following:
   • In the Properties pane, click the Keyframe (K) button next to the Translation (Lcl) header to set keyframes for the X, Y, and Z translation properties simultaneously.
   • Press K on your keyboard.
   • Click Key in the Key Controls window. If the Key Controls window is not available in your current layout, click Window > Key Controls in the MotionBuilder menu bar.
   • Click the Key (K) buttons in the Properties window.
     

     Properties pane A. K button for Translation properties

   One keyframe displays on each function curve. On the Action timeline, one visual keyframe represents all three translation properties.

   Now that you’ve set a keyframe, you can also modify the function curves by manipulating the keyframes on the function curves themselves, or change the time or value in the FCurves Options pane.

5. Advance the Timeline indicator to frame 15.
   

   Transport Controls window

6. Do one of the following to translate the selected cube higher and to the right:
   • Click in the Viewer window and press T to activate Translation mode, then translate the selected cube upward on the Y-axis.
     
   • In the FCurves window, drag in the value fields next to a property in the Properties pane.
   • Translate the first cube higher and to the right.
7. With the Translation properties still selected in the FCurves window, set a keyframe.
8. Go to frame 30 and translate the first cube until it sits on top of the second as shown in the following figure, then set another keyframe.
   
9. Click in the FCurves pane, then press A to frame the function curves.
   

   Function curves framed

10. Drag around the three keyframes on frame zero to select them.

    Tangent handles display on the selected keyframes, and their coordinates display in boxes on the horizontal (time) and vertical (value) axes.

11. In the Transport Controls window, drag the right Stretch handle on the Zoom bar to 60.

    This zooms on the animation from frame 0 to 60, adjusting the Action timeline to the length specified by the Zoom time codes.

12. Play the animation using the Play Controls in the Transport Controls.

    See Transport Controls.