Animation Options Window

Use

You can use the Animation Options window to create multiple animation sequences for the scene, and control various animation settings including frame rate, duration, and time display.

The Sequences area displays a list of the animation sequences including the default sequence. That is, the current scene animation. You can add and edit sequences including the default sequence. However, the default sequence can’t be deleted.

Features

Fields

Functional Description

Sequences Window

Displays the current scene’s animation sequence

  • Start: The number of the frame where the animation begins

  • End: The number of the frame where the animation ends

  • FPS: The frames per second; that is, the number of frames of an animation sequence that are displayed every second. This setting reflects on the playback system as various film, computer, and TV playback systems differ.

  • Used: Indicates whether the sequence is used.

Add

Adds a sequence

Delete

Deletes the selected sequence

Edit

Edits the selected sequence

Playback Control

Used to select the percentage playback speed, and to skip frames:

  • Speed: Determines the percentage playback speed. This option is the speed the step plays as a percentage of real-time speed. For example, if the step is 10 seconds long and you enter 100%, it takes 10 seconds to play. However, if you enter 50%, the step takes 20 seconds to play.

  • Skip frames to maintain speed: Skips frames if the computer can’t keep pace with the current frame rate (FPS). This option causes certain frames to be missed when playing the animation. Otherwise, all frames are displayed during playback even if they aren’t displayed at the current frame rate.

Time Display

Used to select how to display the time in the frame slider. This setting operates in relation to the FPS. For example, if the time slider is at frame 45, and the FPS is set to 30, the time slider displays the following for each of the different time display options: Frames: 45, Seconds: 1.5, MM:SS: 0:1.50 and SMPTE: 0:1:15.

  • Frames: Displays the time in frames

  • Seconds: Displays the time in seconds

  • MM:SS: Displays the time in minutes and seconds

  • SMPTE: Displays the time in the Society of Motion Picture Technical Engineers standard. This standard measures video and television production time.

Continuous Time

Calculates the animation between frames (frame interpolation) using the real-time value. For example, 1,250 seconds. Otherwise, the closest key time value is used. For example, 1 second, even if the animation is in between 1 second and 2-second frames.

Snap to Frames

Moves from frame to frame, without frame interpolation, when playing the animation