Animations - Revision history

Usr 40be82e7-f7d5-4548-b314-3fc7b26d22ee: /* Blend Trees */ DBT

2026-06-12T01:10:34Z

Blend Trees: DBT

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:10, 12 June 2026
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	* '''1D''' blend trees for scalar controls.		* '''1D''' blend trees for scalar controls.
	* '''2D''' blend trees for two-axis controls.		* '''2D''' blend trees for two-axis controls.
	* '''Direct''' blend trees for per-motion weight control.		* '''Direct (DBT)''' blend trees for per-motion weight control.

	Blend-tree inputs are Float parameters in Unity's Animator. In VRChat, Bool and Int expression values can still drive these workflows through parameter conversion.		Blend-tree inputs are Float parameters in Unity's Animator. In VRChat, Bool and Int expression values can still drive these workflows through parameter conversion.

Usr c0fd3826-5fbd-465b-869b-142f974af714: Simplify SDK category.

2026-04-16T02:41:29Z

Simplify SDK category.

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:41, 16 April 2026
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	* [https://vrc.school/docs/Other/Scale-Friendly VRC School: Designing Scale-Friendly Systems]		* [https://vrc.school/docs/Other/Scale-Friendly VRC School: Designing Scale-Friendly Systems]

	[[Category:~~Needs animations~~]]		[[Category:SDK]]
	[[Category:~~VRCSDK~~]]		[[Category:Needs images]]

Usr 8ee44c1a-f905-4e08-bb61-e1cd34e09fc0: Category:VRCSDK

2026-04-15T06:07:40Z

Category:VRCSDK

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:07, 15 April 2026
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	[[Category:Needs animations]]		[[Category:Needs animations]]
			[[Category:VRCSDK]]

Usr 8ee44c1a-f905-4e08-bb61-e1cd34e09fc0: Category:Needs images

2026-04-15T05:48:52Z

Category:Needs images

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:48, 15 April 2026
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	* [https://vrc.school/docs/Other/AAPs VRC School: Animated Animator Parameters]		* [https://vrc.school/docs/Other/AAPs VRC School: Animated Animator Parameters]
	* [https://vrc.school/docs/Other/Scale-Friendly VRC School: Designing Scale-Friendly Systems]		* [https://vrc.school/docs/Other/Scale-Friendly VRC School: Designing Scale-Friendly Systems]

			[[Category:Needs animations]]

Usr 40be82e7-f7d5-4548-b314-3fc7b26d22ee: AAP

2026-04-06T20:27:21Z

AAP

@@ Line 88: / Line 88: @@
 * Animated Animator Parameters (AAPs).
 * Scale-reactive systems driven by avatar scaling parameters.
 == Official resources ==

Usr 40be82e7-f7d5-4548-b314-3fc7b26d22ee: add another resource link

2026-03-16T15:48:23Z

add another resource link

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:48, 16 March 2026
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	* [https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/class-BlendTree.html Blend Trees] on Unity Manual		* [https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/class-BlendTree.html Blend Trees] on Unity Manual

	== ~~References~~ ==		== Resources ==
			* [https://vrc.school/docs/Unity-Animations/Intro-Unity-Animation VRC School: Introduction – Unity Animation]
	* [https://vrc.school/docs/Unity-Animations/Animation-Clips VRC School: Animation Clips]		* [https://vrc.school/docs/Unity-Animations/Animation-Clips VRC School: Animation Clips]
	* [https://vrc.school/docs/Unity-Animations/Types-Of-Animations VRC School: Types of Animation Clips]		* [https://vrc.school/docs/Unity-Animations/Types-Of-Animations VRC School: Types of Animation Clips]

Usr 40be82e7-f7d5-4548-b314-3fc7b26d22ee: We use our body to animate our avatars, documenting the advanced options

2026-03-14T19:44:41Z

We use our body to animate our avatars, documenting the advanced options

New page

{{Noticebox/Official}}
'''Animations''' on VRChat avatars are built with Unity animation clips, Animator Controllers, and avatar parameters.

Avatar animation setups commonly combine:
* [[Animators|Animator Controllers]] to choose states and transitions.
* Animation clips to keyframe property changes over time.
* Built-in and custom parameters from [[Expressions]] to drive states, blend trees, and continuous controls.

In Avatar 3.0 workflows, the controllers used for avatar behavior are assigned through the [[Avatar Descriptor]] playable-layer slots.

== Animation clips ==
An '''Animation Clip''' is a <code>.anim</code> asset containing keyframed values over time.

Avatar clips animate:
* Transform position, rotation, and scale.
* GameObject active states and component enabled flags.
* Component values (for example blendshape weights, constraints, particle settings).
* Material and shader properties.
* Material swaps.

Material swaps are object-reference curves, so they behave as step changes rather than smooth blends.

In Unity's Animation window:
* '''Record''' mode automatically writes keys when an animatable value changes.
* '''Preview''' mode previews changes without automatically creating keys.

Animated object paths are relative to the Animator root. If a path no longer resolves, the curve remains in the clip but will not affect anything at runtime.

Creators often separate clips into:
* '''Static clips''': hold constant values (for example, on/off states).
* '''Dynamic clips''': change values over time (for example, dissolves or hue shifts).

Give even static clips a small duration (for example, two identical keyframes) so state timing is explicit.

=== Clip settings ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Setting
! Effect
! Typical use
|-
| Loop Time
| Repeats the clip when it reaches the end.
| Idle loops, repeating effects, and cyclical motions.
|-
| Loop Pose
| Adds seam correction for loop continuity.
| Smoother start/end blending on looping motion.
|-
| Cycle Offset
| Starts playback at a normalized offset in the clip.
| Desynchronizing repeated effects or phase-shifted motion.
|}

== Blend Trees ==
'''Blend Trees''' combine multiple motions using Animator parameters. Direct blend trees can play multiple motions at once.

Forms include:
* '''1D''' blend trees for scalar controls.
* '''2D''' blend trees for two-axis controls.
* '''Direct''' blend trees for per-motion weight control.

Blend-tree inputs are Float parameters in Unity's Animator. In VRChat, Bool and Int expression values can still drive these workflows through parameter conversion.

== Motion time ==
States can enable '''Motion Time''', using a parameter to scrub through a clip's normalized timeline.

On avatars, this is often paired with radial or axis puppet inputs for continuous controls. Limiting input ranges and transition paths helps avoid snapping or unreachable states.

== Where avatar animations should run ==
Playable layers are evaluated in order (Base, Additive, Gesture, Action, then FX), so higher layers can override lower layers when both animate the same property.

{| class="wikitable"
! Playable-layer scope
! Typical animation content
|-
| Base / Additive / Gesture / Action
| Transform animation (position, rotation, scale), usually for locomotion, gestures, and full-body actions.
|-
| FX
| Non-transform avatar features such as GameObject toggles, blendshapes, material and shader values, particle settings, and other component properties.
|}

Non-transform animation should be kept in FX for expected mirror and remote behavior. Playable-layer slots should use Animation Controllers, and reusing the same controller in multiple playable layers is discouraged.

== Advanced techniques ==
Some avatar animation patterns use advanced Unity setups, such as:
* Direct blend tree combinations for compact logic. Animator Optimizer are using this to reduce CPU usage.
* Animated Animator Parameters (AAPs).
* Scale-reactive systems driven by avatar scaling parameters.

== Official resources ==
* [https://creators.vrchat.com/avatars/playable-layers/ Playable Layers] on Creator Docs
* [https://creators.vrchat.com/avatars/animator-parameters/ Animator Parameters] on Creator Docs
* [https://creators.vrchat.com/avatars/expression-menu-and-controls/ Expression Menu and Controls] on Creator Docs
* [https://creators.vrchat.com/avatars/state-behaviors/ State Behaviors] on Creator Docs
* [https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/class-AnimationClip.html Animation Clip] on Unity Manual
* [https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/class-BlendTree.html Blend Trees] on Unity Manual

== References ==
* [https://vrc.school/docs/Unity-Animations/Animation-Clips VRC School: Animation Clips]
* [https://vrc.school/docs/Unity-Animations/Types-Of-Animations VRC School: Types of Animation Clips]
* [https://vrc.school/docs/Unity-Animations/BlendTrees VRC School: Blend Trees]
* [https://vrc.school/docs/Avatars/Playable-Layers VRC School: Playable Layers]
* [https://vrc.school/docs/Avatars/Radial-Puppets VRC School: Radial Puppets]
* [https://vrc.school/docs/Other/Parameter-Mismatching VRC School: Expression Parameter Mismatching]
* [https://vrc.school/docs/Other/Advanced-BlendTrees VRC School: Advanced Blend Tree Techniques]
* [https://vrc.school/docs/Other/DBT-Combining VRC School: Combining Layers Using Direct Blend Trees]
* [https://vrc.school/docs/Other/AAPs VRC School: Animated Animator Parameters]
* [https://vrc.school/docs/Other/Scale-Friendly VRC School: Designing Scale-Friendly Systems]