Use the Animator tools in Twinmotion to create custom translation, as well as rotated and exploded view animations of the objects in your scenes.
The Animator tools, also referred to as animators, are preconfigured customizable animation widgets that you link to the objects you want to animate. Once an object is linked, it is animated and moves according to the specific settings of the animator.
With the animators, you can:
Animate objects inside the Sequence tool and control them by moving the playhead along the timeline.
Animate objects in Properties-based configurations.
Create images and panoramas of animated objects and select the exact point in the animation you want to show.
The animators, located in the Twinmotion Library in the Tools > Animators category, are divided into three main categories: Translators, Rotators, and Exploders. Each category contains the default Animator tool (Translator tool, Rotator tool, and Exploder tool), and a selection of templates with linked objects you can drag into the scene that demonstrate some of the animation types you can create with the tools.
Translators: Use the Translator tool to move objects or parts of objects from one position to another. For more information about translators, see the Translator and Rotator Tools page.
Rotators: Use the Rotator tool to animate objects in circular spatial patterns, such as rotating a door to open and close it. For more information about rotators, see the Translator and Rotator Tools page.
Exploders: Use the Exploder tool, and the ready-to-use presets, to create exploded view animations that show all the parts of an object, and how the parts are assembled. You can also create and save your own presets. For more information, see the Exploder Tool page.
All animators can be configured and share most of the same settings. For information about the settings, see Animator Tools Reference.
Working with Animators
When you use the animators, keep the following points in mind:
It is best to use animators inside sequences. When animators are added to a sequence, they are saved as animation tracks, and can be previewed and controlled with the playhead along the timeline.
Animators animate only their direct children. To animate all the parts of an object, the parts must be parented by the animator (nested directly below the animator) in the Scene graph.
When a container is nested below an animator, the contents of the container are animated as one.
Animating Objects
You can animate objects in one of the following ways:
Use an animator (Translator, Rotator, or Exploder).
Use one of the translator, rotator, or exploder templates.
Using an Animator
To animate objects with an animator:
Import or drag the object you want to animate into the scene.
Select an Animator tool from the Library > Tools > Animators > (Translators, Rotators, or Exploders) category.
Drag the animator into the scene.
In the Scene graph, move the parts of the object you want to animate directly under the animator.
Object parts parented to an Exploder animator. Select the animator in the Scene graph, and in the Properties panel modify the settings of the animator to define how you want to animate the parts.
If you are creating an exploded view animation, you can use presets instead, and modify their settings to create custom presets. For more information, see the Exploder Tool page.
Using a Template
To animate objects with an animator template:
Import or drag the object you want to animate into the scene.
Drag an animator template from the Library > Tools > Animators > (Translators, Rotators, or Exploders) category into the scene.
In the Scene graph, delete the parts nested below the animator.
In the Scene graph, move the parts of the object you want to animate directly under the animator.
Parts to delete nested below the animator. The parts of the object are animated according to the animator's settings.
To modify the animation, select the animator in the Scene graph, and in the Properties panel modify the settings.
