/animation

name: animation
description: Game-ready animation in Blender including walk/run/idle cycles, combat, mechanical animation, camera animation, constraints, Graph Editor, and NLA workflows via MCP.
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: https://github.com/arjun988
  version: "1.0.0"
  domain: blender
  role: specialist
  triggers: animation, animate, walk cycle, run cycle, idle, combat, NLA, graph editor, keyframe
  related-skills: rigging, blender-modeler, export-pipeline

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

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

Locomotion Cycles

| Cycle | Key Poses | Frames (30fps) | |-------|-----------|----------------| | Walk | Contact, Down, Pass, Up × 2 | 24–32 | | Run | Contact, Drive, Flight, Recovery | 16–24 | | Idle | Breathe, weight shift, blink | 60–120 loop |

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

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

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

| Topic | Reference | Load When | |-------|-----------|-----------| | Walk cycle breakdown | `references/walk-cycle.md` | Locomotion | | Combat timing | `references/combat-animation.md` | Action games |