Proposal Info
Areas: Animation
Proposal Type: New Feature
Overview
Key Frame animations are composed out of key frames, a point in time with fixed value of given property. Two or more keyframes allows tweening between two values with optional easing.
PixiEditor is a perfect candidate for keyframes, each document is composed out of nodes. Each node has multiple properties. Tweening any arbitrary property within the timeline would greatly improve the animation workflow and open up possibilities for advanced animations.
Timeline
Key frames within timeline would look similarily to other software
From within the timeline, user would be able to pick a target node and a target timeline.
Node Graph Key Frame Node
To avoid confusion, Key Frame could be a node within the Node Graph, connected to target node and property. Chain of keyframes would create desired tweening.
Pros: Key frames are a part of the Node Graph and can be integrated any way.
Cons: Possible clutter, harder to maintain the Node Graph. Easier to break timeline.
Animated sockets
An alternative solution to Node Graph Key Frame Node chain, would be visually marking animated property socket.
Connecting other node to property that is animated using key frames, would overwrite animation. Appropriate information in the timeline should be shown, such as grayed out keyframes and “Animation overwritten in the Node Graph”.
Pros: Cleaner, more manageable way.
Cons: No direct access to key frames, from within the Node Graph
I’m more keen on this solution, rather than Key Frame Nodes, as exposing key frames to the Node Graph can be solved differently, while maintaining Graph with tons of nodes is harder.