MilkShape 3D Keyframer

The keyframer allows skeletal positions in a model to be saved as keyframes in the keyframer. Animation is produced by storing several keyframes to the keyframer then playing them back using the controls on the keyframer. Each frame need not be set, only frames where changes take place need to be set by the user (these are keyframes i.e. they are key to the animation), MilkShape 3D will fill in the gaps (frames). In order to use the keyframer the Anim button (on the right of the keyframer must be pressed).

The keyframer is shown in the image below. Click the part that you wish to see further information for.

Keyframe Slider

The keyframe slider is useful for previewing your animation before playing it. The slider has the advantage that you can slide it back and forward with the mouse movement instead of pressing the Play Forward and Play Backward buttons to see the animation. For selecting keyframes it is only useful in smaller animations, in large animation with a lot of keyframes it will be hard to pick a particular frame. This is why the Frame Position Box is provided.

Playback Controls

The playback controls allow you to view your animation in MilkShape 3D. From the left the buttons are: Goto First Frame, Goto Previous Keyframe, Goto Previous Frame, Play Backward, Play Forward, Goto Next Frame, Goto Next Keyframe and Goto Last Frame. All of these commands update the model to the current frame and the slider is also moved to the appropriate frame.

Frame Position Box

This box comes in useful when you have a lot of frames in your animation and the slider does not allow the accuracy you desire in selecting frames. The box will accept a whole number to indicate the frame to which you wish to go, the slider and view will update to show the selected frame.

Number of Frames Box

This box allows you to enter your own value for the number of frames you want in the animation. The default is 30. Most modelers choose a relatively high number (depending on the number of animations the model is to perform) and key in animations between certain numbers of frames leaving a 10 frame (or so) gap between animations. Say for example you had a Run, Walk, Jump and Shoot animation, you would key in the Run animation first then leave ten frames, then key in the Walk animation then leave ten frames, etc... This will be explained more in the animation tutorial.

The Animate Button

This is the button that enables the keyframer so you can use it. This button acts as a toggle when its pressed down the keyframer is enabled, when it is up the keyframer is disabled.