One common challenge molecular modelers face when presenting their work is managing visual clarity. Whether you’re building a complex mechanistic animation or simply highlighting a specific part of a molecule, the need to temporarily hide certain elements for clarity is key. Let’s walk through how the Hide animation in SAMSON can help you clean up your molecular scenes for better communication.
When visualizing within SAMSON, models can get crowded quickly—especially if you’re working with large biomolecular assemblies, multiple ligands, or dynamic pathways. While transparency can help, there are cases when you want parts of the model to completely disappear for part of an animation and then remain invisible until the end of a specific segment. That’s where the Hide animation comes in handy.
What the Hide Animation Does
The Hide animation allows selected nodes (molecular objects, groups, etc.) to disappear at a specified keyframe. From that point onward, those nodes remain hidden until the end of the animation. This is achieved using node visibility rather than adjusting transparency, offering a true ‘vanishing’ effect for unwanted visual clutter.
This makes it ideal for focusing user attention during complex transitions or step-by-step molecular walkthroughs. For example, during a protein-ligand binding sequence, you can make the apo structure disappear and keep only the holo form visible from a certain point onward.
How to Add It
To apply the Hide animation in your project:
- Select the nodes you want to hide later in the animation.
- In the Animation panel inside the Animator, double-click the Hide animation effect.
The Hide animation consists of three keyframes:
- Between keyframes 1 and 2: nodes remain visible.
- At keyframe 2: the nodes disappear.
- Between keyframes 2 and 3: the nodes stay hidden.
You can move any of the keyframes to change the timing or duration of the effect—this gives you complete flexibility to match narrative pacing or clarify specific moments in your presentation.
Fine-Tuning the Animation
To make the animation smoother, adjust the easing curve, which controls how values transition from one frame to the next. This is useful for syncing the Hide effect with motion, rotation, or other visual changes in your scene.
Important Note
The animation menu used in older videos is no longer present in the latest version of SAMSON. All animations, including Hide, are now accessible from the Animation panel in the Animator.
If you’re showcasing molecular mechanisms, educational content, or interactive scientific visuals, mastering simple tools like the Hide animation can dramatically improve how clearly your ideas come across.
To learn more, visit the official documentation page here.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.