Animation Track types

This page gives an overview of the track types available for Godot's animation player node on top of the default property tracks.

See also

We assume you already read Introduction to the animation features, which covers the basics, including property tracks.

../../_images/track_types.png

3D Transform Track

3D transform tracks control the location, rotation, and scale of a 3D object. They make it easier to animate a 3D object's transform compared to using regular property tracks.

../../_images/3D_transform_track.png

Call Method tracks

Call method tracks allow you to call a function at a precise time from within an animation. For example, you can call queue_free() to delete a node at the end of a death animation.

To create such a track, click "Add Track -> Call Method Track." Then, a window opens and lets you select the node to associate with the track. To call one of the node's methods, right-click the timeline and select "Insert Key". A window opens with a list of available methods. Double-click one to finish creating the keyframe.

../../_images/node_methods.png

To change the method call or its arguments, click on the key and head to the inspector dock. There, you can change the method to call. If you expand the "Args" section, you will see a list of arguments you can edit.

../../_images/node_method_args.png

Bezier Curve Track

A bezier curve track is similar to a property track, except it allows you to animate a property's value using a bezier curve.

To create one, click "Add Track -> Bezier Curve Track". As with property tracks, you need to select a node and a property to animate. To open the bezier curve editor, click the curve icon to the right of the animation track.

../../_images/bezier_curve_icon.png

In the editor, keys are represented by white diamonds and the transparent diamonds connected to them by a line control curve's shape.

../../_images/bezier_curves.png

In the bottom-right of the editor, you can select the manipulator mode:

  • Free allows you to orient a manipulator in any direction without affecting the other's position.

  • Balanced makes it so manipulators rotate together, but the distance between the key and a manipulator is not mirrored.

  • Mirror makes the position of one manipulator perfectly mirror the other, including their distance to the key.

../../_images/manipulator_modes.png

Audio Playback Track

If you want to create an animation with audio, you need to create an audio playback track. To create one, your scene must have either an AudioStreamPlayer, AudioStreamPlayer2D, or AudioStreamPlayer3D node. When creating the track, you must select one of those nodes.

To play a sound in your animation, drag and drop an audio file from the file system dock onto the animation track. You should see the waveform of your audio file in the track.

../../_images/audio_track.png

To remove a sound from the animation, you can right-click it and select "Delete Key(s)" or click on it and press the Del key.

Note

If you need to, you can create multiple audio tracks that trigger playback on the same node.

Animation Playback Track

Animation playback tracks allow you to sequence the animations of other animation player nodes in a scene. For example, you can use it to animate several characters in a cut-scene.

To create an animation playback track, select "New Track -> Animation Playback Track."

Then, select the animation player you want to associate with the track.

To add an animation to the track, right-click on it and insert a key. Select the key you just created to select an animation in the inspector dock.

../../_images/animation_player_animation.png

If an animation is already playing and you want to stop it early, you can create a key and have it set to [STOP] in the inspector.

Note

If you instanced a scene that contains an animation player into your scene, you need to enable "Editable Children" in the scene tree to access its animation player. Also, an animation player cannot reference itself.