# Animation Engine

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### WHAT IS THE ANIMATION ENGINE? 

The animation engine allows you to intelligently blend, or interpolate the "STATE" of objects in one group into the "STATE" of objects in another Group. For example if the objects in Group 1 form a ring and the objects in Group 2 form a box, the animation engine will animate the position from the ring to the box.

<figure><img src="https://2307539615-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FVXPIT6wWK7VeTYMAHNYe%2Fuploads%2FcweQRHyvuXzQwNjb42Mi%2Fanimation-engine-example.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=6e448f49-91f4-4610-8e20-6f7715736834" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="info" %}
**Animation Engine**\
• Particle replicator vs particle look options\
• Animating in a single group\
• Using multiple groups to animate a single object\
\
[**WATCH NOW!**](https://www.videocopilot.net/help/element/tutorial/basic/animation_engine/)
{% endhint %}

#### Group Selection

Choose what groups you want to animate between with the Start Group and Finish Group options.

<figure><img src="https://2307539615-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FVXPIT6wWK7VeTYMAHNYe%2Fuploads%2FL03thPbVqgh7Ww6LQcjk%2Fgroup-selection.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=588320a6-df25-41bd-84b1-c32bb7b046a5" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### Animation Type

Particle animations can be animated using various transition types such as Directional, Radial, Random or Linear.

<figure><img src="https://2307539615-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FVXPIT6wWK7VeTYMAHNYe%2Fuploads%2Fd5BTzy4k3eq7oxYi1aZY%2FAnimation-Type.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=1b408ae9-b458-425a-be9a-35eecd70e889" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="info" %}
When you check the Enable button, the Finish group will dissapear and only be visiable when you keyframe the Animation value to 100%.
{% endhint %}

**Uniform**
\
Particles animate from one group to the next in a striaght forward manner.

**Directional**
\
Particles animate in a single direction that can be controlled with the Yaw and Pitch.

**Radial**
\
Particles animate in a spherical pattern. You can control the position and change the direction from Outward to Inward.

**Random**
\
The random transition mode moves particles in a random pattern.

**Shape Order**
\
Particles animate altogether at the same time.

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**ANIMATION TYPE**
\
Control the animation between the two Replicator Shapes. 0% is the Start Group and 100% is the Finish Group.

**SMOOTHNESS**
\
This controls how fluidly the animation goes from one state to another. A Lower number of Smoothness will be a more sequential movement, whereas a higher number will have a more fluid together animation.

**RANDOMNESS**
\
Change how the randomness affects the animation.

**EASE TYPE**
\
Control the transition smoothing of the in and out points of the animation.

**GROUP DIRECTION**
\
Control which group the animation starts with. Choose Backwards to reverse the Start and Finish groups.

**PARTICLE COUNT FROM**
\
Because the Animation Engine is a way of animating a certain number of particles from one shape to another, this let you decide which group’s amount of particles to use. Lets you choose either from the Start Group or the Finish Group.

**DISCONNECT MULTI-OBJECT**
\
Uses multi-object pieces in animation.

**SEED**
\
Change the Random Seed of the animation.

**DIRECTIONAL OPTIONS**
\
Change the Yaw (Horizontal) and the Pitch (Vertical) angle of the animation.

**DUAL ANIMATION MODE**
\
Allows particles to start animating with a specific Blend mode like Radial but finish using a different sequence like Direction. You can also use the dual sequence mode with directional to have 2 separate blending directions for outgoing and incoming particles.

***

### TIME DELAY

Offset how the Position, Duration, Scale, Material, and Multi-Object transitions from one state to another when animating.

#### Duration

Control how smooth the animation transition is.

#### Offset

Offset the animation if the Duration is set lower.