Creating clear and engaging molecular presentations is a common challenge for scientists, educators, and communicators working with complex molecular systems. Whether you’re preparing a talk, a paper supplement, or a video explanation, effectively controlling what appears on screen — and when — can make or break your audience’s understanding.
One subtle but effective presentation trick in SAMSON is the ability to show certain parts of your model precisely when needed using the Shown animation. This animation lets you control the visibility of nodes (anything from atoms to molecules or entire groups), allowing for a cleaner, more informative narrative without visual clutter. It’s especially helpful when building up complex scenes step by step.
What Is the ‘Shown’ Animation?
The Shown animation makes selected nodes visible over time, between keyframes. Unlike transparency fades, this effect toggles node visibility, which is cleaner and performs well in animations. It’s part of a broader set of animation tools in SAMSON that help you build explanatory sequences, including Hidden, Appear, Disappear, Show, and Hide.
How to Apply the ‘Shown’ Animation
- In your SAMSON scene, first select the nodes you want to animate.
- Next, open the Animation panel in the Animator.
- Double-click on the Shown animation effect. This sets the begin keyframe at the current animation frame.
- Move to a different frame in your timeline, and reposition the keyframes to control when the nodes appear. You can always come back and adjust the keyframes later.
This technique is particularly powerful when explaining mechanism highlights or molecule parts that become relevant only at specific stages of your animation. By controlling timing cleanly, you keep focus where it matters — no more manually toggling visibility and guessing animation times.
Visual Example
Here’s a sample animation showing how Shown and Hidden can be used to alternately display groups of atoms — ideal for educational animations or structural walkthroughs:
Polish With Easing Curves
Want to refine transitions? You can adjust how the animation parameter changes over time using the Easing curve. For example, you could use a smooth curve to make the appearance feel more natural, or a sharp step for emphasis.
Why This Matters
Effective communication in molecular modeling isn’t just about data — it’s about how you guide your audience through complexity. The Shown animation offers a simple yet powerful way to layer information visually, without overwhelming viewers. When combined with other animations and interactions in SAMSON, it’s a valuable tool in your storytelling toolkit.
Learn more about the Shown animation effect in the official documentation: https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/animations/shown/
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.