Creating Type-Specific Tracks

To create a node-related track, perform the following:

1. Click to add a track that will animate some parameter. The Add Parameter window will open.

2. Choose a node in the list and then choose a parameter that should be animated and click Ok.

   

   If you want to animate a type-specific node parameter, click + to the left of the desired node type and choose the parameter.

3. In the Select Node dialog window that opens, bind the track to a node from the list and click Ok.

   Notice

   You can later change the node bound to the track in the Name field of the Track Info section: double-click the field and choose a node in the list.

   

   Notice

   If the track animates a type-specific parameter, it should be bound to the node of the corresponding type. Otherwise, an error message will occur.
4. Compose a track by creating the required number of key frames.

Common parameters of node-related tracks allow you to toggle the node on and off, change its position, orientation and scale along the X, Y, and Z axes.

Moving a Node#

The position parameter allows you to animate node movement along the axes. A spline, along which the node moves, can be visualized in the scene: enable both the track graph and Visualizer (Helpers -> Show Visualizer) in order to see the created track path.

Track Path

For each axis, you can specify a type of velocity of the node when it moves:

Types of Node Velocity

• Inconst velocity stands for the inconstant velocity of the node when it moves along the spline (as curves are passed faster).
• Const velocity stands for the constant velocity of the node. It will move at the uniform speed throughout the whole spline.

Also, you can specify the axis along which the node should be oriented when moving: choose follow X, Y or Z together with the type of velocity.

Notice

For players, always set follow Z, as all cameras face in the negative Z direction by default.

Follow X Axis	Follow Y Axis	Follow Z Axis

When you choose the axis to follow, you should also specify an Offset that specifies how far along the spline is the point by which the node is oriented.

Offset

• By the default value of 0.01, the node faces the current spline point.
• By higher values, the node is oriented as if it has already moved further forward the spline.

Notice

By the value of 0, the node will always be oriented along the specified axis instead of facing it along the spline.

If you want to control the orientation of the node for the follow the axis mode, you can use a dummy node:

1. Create a dummy node.
2. Add your node as its child.
3. Orient and position it relative the dummy however necessary.

Rotating a Node#

These tracks control the name parameter of NodeReferences. This parameter allows you to change the .node file, to which the node reference points. Thus, by using tracks, you can animate switching of the source node of the particular NodeReference.

These tracks control parameters of spacer and animation fields (except the Field and Viewport Masks):

• Field Spacer parameters
• Field Animation parameters

These tracks control parameters of light sources:

• Common light parameters
• Omni light parameters
• Projected light parameters
• World light parameters

Objects-related tracks allow animating common and type-specific object settings.

Common Objects Parameters#

Skinned Mesh Parameters#

Particle System Parameters#

Water Mesh Parameters#

Volume Projected Parameters#

These tracks allow you to set up cameras used for cut-scenes. All types of cameras can be used.

Common parameters that available for all types of players allow you to animate the camera's viewing frustum parameters and post-process materials applied after all other post-processes.

Moving a Camera#

Rotating a Camera#

Player Persecutor Parameters#

These tracks control parameters of sound sources. For common sound parameters, see the chapter on Sound-Related Tracks.

Switching a Sound Source#

These tracks allow you to control playback of the transformation defined by the path: continue the playback if it is paused, or start it if stopped.

To create a material-related track, perform the following:

1. Click to add a track that will animate some parameter. The Add Parameter window will open.

2. Choose a material in the list and then choose a parameter that should be animated:

   

   • If the parameter is one of the common material settings, you can add it straight away and go to the next step.

   • If the track should animate a state, texture, or parameter of the material, check the type of the target parameter and choose it in the list:

     • For a material state with a checkbox, select stateToggle.
     • For a material state with a drop-down list, select stateSwitch.
     • For a material parameter with a slider, select parameterSlider.
     • For a parameter with a color picker, select parameterColor.
     • For a material texture, select textureImage.

3. In the Select Material dialog window that opens, bind the track to a user material from the list and click Ok.

   Notice

   You can later change the material bound to the track in the Name field of the Track Info section: double-click the field and choose a material in the list.

   

4. If the track animates a state, texture, or parameter of the material, specify its name in the State, Texture, or Parameter field of the Track Info section.

   

   Track Info with State Field

5. Compose a track by creating the required number of key frames:

   • For one of the common material settings or stateToggle, double-click enables and disables the setting.

   • For stateSwitch:

     • To set the 1st state value, set 0 as the track Value.
     • Track Value of 1 means the 2nd state value in the drop-down list.
     • Track Value of 2 means the 3rd state value in the drop-down list, etc.
   • For parameterSlider, set the Value.
   • For parameterColor, pick a color.
   • For textureImage, choose a file.

To create a property-related track, perform the following:

1. Click to add a track that will animate some parameter. The Add Parameter window will open.

2. Choose a property in the list and then choose a parameter that should be animated:

   

   • If the track should animate a parameter of the property, check the type of the target parameter and choose it from the list:

     • For a parameter with a checkbox, select parameterToggle.
     • For a parameter with a drop-down list, select parameterSwitch.
     • For a parameter with a slider, select parameterFloat.
     • For a parameter with a text string, select parameterString.
     • For a parameter with a color picker, select parameterColor.

3. In the Select Property dialog window that opens, bind the track to a user property from the list and click Ok.

   Notice

   You can later change the property bound to the track in the Name field of the Track Info section: double-click the field and choose a property in the list.

   

4. If the track animates a state or a parameter of the property, specify its name in the State, or Parameter field of the Track Info section.

   

   Track Info with State Field
5. Compose a track by creating the required number of key frames:
   • For intersection, collision, stateToggle or parameterToggle, double-click to enable and disable the setting.

   • For stateSwitch or parameterSwitch:

     • To set the 1st state or parameter value, set 0 as the track Value.
     • Track Value of 1 means the 2nd state or parameter value in the drop-down list.
     • Track Value of 2 means the 3rd state or parameter value in the drop-down list, etc.
   • For parameterFloat, set the Value.
   • For parameterString, set a string.
   • For parameterColor, pick a color.

To add fade-in or fade-out effects:

1. Add a render -> fadeColor track.
2. A key frame with 0 alpha will be automatically created.
3. Double-click the created key. This color has 0 alpha value channel, which means it is absolutely transparent.
4. Set alpha (A slider) to 255 to create a solid color (for example, black) and click Ok.
5. Double-click the track line to create another key frame. This color should have 0 alpha.

6. Key frame colors are smoothly interpolated from solid color to completely transparent one (revealing a screen image).

   • To create a fade-in effect, position a solid color key first and after that a transparent key frame.
   • To create a fade-out effect, position a transparent key frame first and after that a solid color key.

To create a sound-related track, perform the following:

1. Click to add a track that will animate some parameter. The Add Parameter window will open.

2. Choose a sound in the list and then choose a parameter that should be animated:

   

   For example, to create a track that controls the volume of all sounds played in the world, choose the volume parameter. To switch on and off all sounds, choose the enable parameter.

To switch between the cameras that view the world in the game mode:

1. Add the game -> player -> node track.
2. Double-click the track line to set the player to render the screen at the given time.
3. Choose one of the players on the list.

To set up players (change the field of view of cameras or their clipping plane distances), you can use one of the following ways:

• Set up in-game player parameters. That is, they will be applied to the camera currently used in the game.
• Set up player node parameters. These parameters control settings for each separate camera existing in the world.

To apply postprocesses, you can choose one of the following ways:

• Add postprocesses for in-game player (the game -> player -> postMaterials track). When cameras are switched, the postprocess will still be applied to the current in-game camera.
• Add postprocesses via the render settings (the render -> postMaterials track). They are applied to the screen image (all cameras) and can be used together with players postprocess materials.

1. Add the track track.
2. Double-click the track line to create a key frame.
3. Choose a *.track file to load.

4. Adjust the Time line of the track:

   1. Double-click the Time line to create a key frame and set Time = 0 and Value = 0, so that all tracks will be played from the beginning.
   2. Create another key frame on the Time line with Time = 20 and Value = 20. Thus on the 20th time unit of the track, all internal tracks will also be at their 20th time unit.
5. Add another track track, load a *.track file for it and adjust the Time line as described above.

6. Adjust the Weight line of both tracks to specify when the first track is to be played and when the second track: double-click the Weight line to add its weight.

   Notice

   To create, for example, smooth transition between tracks, use weights to indicate when the track is played and when it is stopped.