Animation Setup

Animation Setup

Blender for Animation Modification

Blender is required for modifying Mixamo animations to remove unwanted movement and optimize them for game use. This free, open-source 3D software enables precise control over animation data.

Blender Installation and Setup

• Download and install Blender from the official website
• Use default preferences for this workflow
• Delete default scene objects (cube, light, camera) for clean workspace

Animation Download and Preparation

Mixamo Download Settings

For all animations, use consistent export settings:

• Character Mesh: Set to default X Bot
• Format: FBX
• Frame Rate: 30 FPS
• Keyframe Reduction: None
• Skin: Without Skin (unchecked)

Animation Categories

Sword and Shield Animations

Additional attacks for varied combat:

• Shield Attack 02: Sword and shield attack with spin
• Shield Attack 03: Sword and shield slash with spinning slam

Two-Handed Weapon Animations

Enhanced two-handed combat variety:

• Two-Handed Attack 02: Great sword casting animation (magical variation)
• Two-Handed Attack 03: Great sword kick animation (ranged knockback)
• Two-Handed Attack 04: Great sword jump attack (requires forward motion removal)

Bow Animations

Melee options for close combat:

• Bow Attack 02: Standing melee kick (knockback utility)
• Bow Attack 03: Standing melee punch (bow strike attack)

Rifle Animations

Special abilities for firearm combat:

• Rifle Grenade: Toss grenade animation (area damage)

Stealth/Dagger Animations

Fast stealth-focused attacks:

• Stealth Attack 02: Standing melee attack 360 high
• Stealth Attack 03: Standing melee attack 360 low
• Stealth Attack 04: Standing melee combo attack (multi-hit)

Magic/Unarmed Animations

Spell-casting attacks for magic users:

• Magic Attack 01: Standing one-hand magic attack 03
• Magic Attack 02: Standing two-hand magic attack 01
• Magic Attack 03: Standing one-hand magic attack 01

Platformer Specific Animations

• Backflip: For jump attack rewards and aerial maneuvers

Death Animation

• Death Animation: Dying animation for character defeat states

Blender Animation Processing

Import Process

1. File > Import > FBX: Import downloaded animation
2. Timeline Setup: Drag timeline window larger for better visibility
3. Graph Editor: Change view from Dopesheet to Graph Editor

Forward Movement Removal

Remove unwanted forward motion from animations:

// Blender process for removing forward movement
1. Expand hip bone in Graph Editor
2. Select Z Location keyframes
3. Move timeline to frame 0 (start position)
4. Delete Z Location keyframes
5. Play animation to verify movement removed

Timeline Adjustment

Set proper animation length:

1. Use double-right arrow to find last animation frame
2. Note the final frame number
3. Set End Frame in timeline to match final frame
4. This prevents extra empty frames in exported animation

Rotation Application

Apply current rotation to prevent import issues:

1. Layout Tab: Switch to Layout view
2. Deselect All: Click empty space in viewport
3. Select Skeleton: Click skeleton object
4. Apply Rotation: Ctrl+A > Rotation
5. This prevents rotation problems in Unreal Engine

Export Process

Configure export for Unreal Engine compatibility:

Export Settings

• Selected Objects: Checked
• Forward: -Y Forward
• Up: Z Up
• Geometry: Default settings
• Armature: Add Leaf Bones unchecked
• Animation: NLA Strips and All Actions unchecked

Save Export Preset

Save settings as “Unreal Animation Export” for reuse on future animations.

Unreal Engine Integration

Import Settings

• Skeleton: Select X Bot skeleton for all animations
• Create Animation Montages: Right-click imported animations > Create Animation Montage

Animation Montage Setup

Create montages for each animation to enable:

• Precise timing control
• Notify events for gameplay integration
• Interrupt and blend capabilities
• Section-based animation control

Rate Scale Adjustments

Adjust animation playback speed based on weapon type:

• Standard Weapons: Rate scale 1.0
• Fast Weapons (Stealth): Rate scale 1.5 for quicker attacks
• Heavy Weapons: Rate scale 0.8 for weightier feel

The animation setup provides the foundation for varied, responsive combat mechanics across all weapon types and character actions.