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Feedback Timeline Track Offsets namings are not intuitive (Apply Scene Offsets, Apply Transform Offsets)

Discussion in 'Timeline' started by c0ffeeartc, Aug 3, 2019.

  1. c0ffeeartc

    c0ffeeartc

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2015
    Posts:
    42
    When working for the first time with timeline Track Offsets - `Apply Scene Offsets` and `Apply Transform Offsets` in AnimationTrack gave me a lot of frustration.
    Documentation doesn't mention them yet.
    After digging through forum, creating separate sandbox project and playing around with simple animations and timeline I got better grasp of their meaning. Please correct me if I make mistake in explanation.

    First problem I'd say that `Scene Offset` term is misleading since it's talking about Transform's world position, and `Transform Offset` is ambiguous because it's not clear whether it's local or world transform values.
    I would suggest using terms something like "World Transform Offsets", "Local Transform Offsets".

    Second problem is `Apply` meaning.
    In `Apply Scene Offsets` it reads current local position and adds this offset to track clips. As a result, bound object moves from same world position at first frame.
    In `Apply Transform Offsets` it adds user defined offset to track clips. As a result, bound object's transform.localPosition is set to the offset values at first frame (and may look like bound object teleported).
    By the behavior of `Apply` options could be renamed to `Read Local Transform Offsets` and `Set Local Transform Offsets`.
    If `Apply` can't be changed to better alternative my request would be to provide some infobox in inspector better describing how selected option influences animation.

    Thanks
     
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2019
  2. seant_unity

    seant_unity

    Unity Technologies

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2015
    Posts:
    1,516
    Thanks for the feedback, I will pass it on.
     
  3. SteveArcade

    SteveArcade

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2021
    Posts:
    1
    The terminology has made confusion throughout countless projects between animators and coders. Both are aiming for the same thing but SCENE offset to me = World space to the scene, so no matter where you are in the scene, it should goto those exact world space offsets and play. Transform offsets sounds like Local offsets since they are not scene they are transform. Neither work like these descriptions and it's impossible to explain in their current confusing naming. Kind regards.