In molecular modeling, visualizing the dynamics of your designs is often as critical as the design process itself. Understanding when and how to emphasize specific nodes in your molecular models can dramatically improve communication, presentations, and analysis. The ‘Shown’ animation feature in SAMSON is a straightforward yet powerful tool that helps you achieve this.
Why Use the ‘Shown’ Animation?
The ‘Shown’ animation makes specific nodes of your molecular structure visible between keyframes during an animation. This is particularly useful when you want to draw attention to components of your molecular model that would otherwise remain hidden. Unlike transparency adjustments, this technique directly toggles nodes’ visibility, offering precise control over your presentation.
A common pain point among molecular modelers is ensuring certain features stand out during specific segments of an animation. Whether you’re highlighting the binding site of a protein or revealing specific interactions within a molecular complex, the ‘Shown’ animation allows you to pinpoint attention exactly where it is needed—making your presentations more professional and comprehensible.
How to Use the ‘Shown’ Animation
Getting started with the ‘Shown’ animation is easy:
- Select the nodes you want to appear during the animation.
- In the Animation panel of the Animator, double-click the ‘Shown’ animation effect.
- This creates a keyframe at the current frame, marking the point where your selected nodes become visible.
- Adjust the animation’s keyframes as needed to ensure proper timing and emphasis.
Customization and Flexibility
For an added layer of control, you can modify the easing curve of the animation. By tuning the parameters, you can dictate how smoothly or abruptly the visibility changes occur, which may better align with the narrative of your molecular presentation. Learn more about this via the Easing curve documentation.
Visual Example
Here’s an example of the ‘Shown’ animation in action:
In the provided animation, specific nodes appear at designated keyframes to communicate critical visual changes. This approach not only improves clarity but also makes your workflow presentations more engaging for your audience.
Additional Tips
Tip: You can easily move keyframes during or after setup to make timing adjustments. This feature ensures you have flexibility while editing animations for presentations or analyses.
Learn More
The ‘Shown’ animation is just one of many animation tools available in SAMSON. To explore additional effects such as ‘Hidden,’ ‘Appear,’ ‘Disappear,’ ‘Flash,’ and more, you can visit the in-depth animation documentation at this documentation page.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Download SAMSON today at https://www.samson-connect.net.