Question How to synchronize independent layers

I'd like to have the attack animation playing on the whole body except it shouldn't animate the legs when running. On the other hand, the running animation should animate the whole body except the torso when an attack animation plays.

After spending hours with layers the closest result I got had a problem where the legs were animating, and the torso was doing an attack animation and when the swing animation was finished it went back to the running animation but the arms were not synced with the legs... :/

 

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Synchronizing independent layers in an animation system, such as in game development, can be a bit tricky, but it's essential for achieving smooth and coherent character animations. It seems like you're working with a character that can run and attack simultaneously, with specific body parts animating differently for each action. Here are steps you can follow to achieve this synchronization:

1. Define Animation Layers: In your animation system, ensure you have separate layers for each body part or action you want to control. For example, create layers for the legs, torso, and arms. Each layer will handle a specific animation.
   
   
2. Layer Weighting: Assign weights to the layers to control their influence on the character's animation. For example, when the character is running, set the leg animation layer to full weight while setting the arms and torso layers to zero weight. When the character is attacking, set the arm and torso layers to full weight while setting the leg layer to zero weight.
   
   
3. Blend Trees: To smoothly transition between animations, use blend trees. For the legs, create a blend tree that handles the various leg animations (e.g., running and standing). For the upper body, create a separate blend tree that handles the upper body animations (e.g., attacking and idling).
   
   
4. Parameter Control: Use parameters to control the weights of the layers and transitions between animations. For example, you might have a parameter like "IsRunning" that triggers the transition to the running animation, and "IsAttacking" for the attack animation.
   
   
5. Transitions: Create transitions between animations based on the parameters. When you switch from running to attacking or vice versa, gradually change the layer weights to smoothly blend between animations.
   
   
6. Synchronization: To ensure that the animations sync properly, make sure that the keyframes for the arms and torso in the attack animation align with the legs' keyframes in the running animation. This may require adjusting the timing and frame rates of the animations.
   
   
7. Testing and Tweaking: Test your character in the game engine and fine-tune the weights, transitions, and synchronization until you achieve the desired result. This process may involve tweaking animation curves, adjusting blend tree parameters, and modifying animation clips.
   
   
8. Inverse Kinematics (IK): In some cases, using inverse kinematics can help you maintain precise alignment of limbs during animations. IK solvers can be used to ensure that hands and feet remain in contact with the ground or other objects, even when the animations change.
   

By following these steps and making precise adjustments to your animation system, you should be able to synchronize independent animation layers effectively, allowing your character to run and attack without issues like unsynchronized limbs.