Make a crowded molecular scene easier to read with an undocking animation

A molecular structure can be difficult to explain when several components occupy the same space. In a static view, it may be unclear which atoms or meshes belong to the receptor and which belong to the other parts of the scene. Moving selected components away from their docked positions can make their spatial relationship easier to inspect and present.

SAMSON’s Undock animation creates this separation over time: one selected node stays static as the receptor, while the other selected nodes are animated away from their current positions. The final positions are computed automatically. This is useful for showing a complex in context and then creating a clearer view of its components—without manually placing every animated node.

Set up the selection before you animate

The selection determines what stays put and what moves, so it is worth checking it before adding the effect. Select at least two structural nodes or meshes. The first node acts as the static receptor; the remaining selected nodes are animated. If you accidentally select them in the wrong order, the wrong component may stay in place.

If the receptor consists of multiple nodes, put those receptor nodes in a folder and select the folder first, followed by the nodes or meshes you want to move. This gives the animation a single receptor selection while preserving the grouping of the receptor components.

SAMSON may try to guess which nodes to animate when nothing is selected. For a presentation where the distinction between fixed and moving components matters, an explicit selection is the more predictable starting point.

Add the effect and shape its timing

1. Open the Animation panel in the Animator.
2. Double-click Undock to add the animation to the selected nodes.
3. Review the keyframes and move them as needed to control when the movement occurs in your presentation.
4. If the separation is not right for your view, inspect the animation and adjust its amplitude.
5. Adjust the easing curve if you want to change how the animation parameters are interpolated between frames.

The movement amplitude is computed automatically when the animation is created, but it is adjustable in the Inspector. In practice, check the result from the camera angle you intend to use: an automatically computed separation may still need adjustment to make the structures legible in your particular view. Keyframes can be repositioned, so you can also coordinate the movement with other parts of a presentation.

Use motion to clarify, not to replace inspection

An undocking animation is a presentation aid, not a substitute for analyzing the molecular structure. Keep the receptor fixed so viewers have a spatial reference, and give the moving components enough separation to make their arrangement understandable. If the scene becomes harder to interpret while the components move, consider changing the amplitude or the timing rather than adding more motion.

One useful approach is to show the docked arrangement first, then let the components move apart, and pause on a clear view. This gives viewers time to connect the initial arrangement with the separated view. The keyframes make the timing adjustable, while the Inspector and easing curve provide controls over the movement and its interpolation.

For details on adding and adjusting the effect, see the Undock animation documentation.

Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.