When preparing molecular presentations, one of the most common challenges is getting viewers to intuitively grasp the spatial structure of molecular systems. Static images or models can fall short — especially when trying to convey subtle 3D features like binding pockets, spatial conformations, or protein domains.
This is where animation becomes a powerful tool, and among the subtle yet effective motion techniques, SAMSON’s Rock animation stands out. It adds just enough movement to draw attention to the geometry of a molecular structure, without distracting from the main message.
What Is the Rock Animation?
The Rock animation in SAMSON applies a back-and-forth rotational motion to a selected group of particles, pivoting around the geometric center of those particles. The motion occurs along a vector aligned with the global Z-axis, making it especially intuitive when you’re dealing with vertically-oriented systems like membrane proteins or helices.
This subtle oscillating motion can dramatically improve depth perception during presentations, particularly when showcasing molecules embedded in larger assemblies or buried in dense environments.
How to Add the Rock Animation
To apply this animation in your SAMSON workspace:
- Select the particles you want to animate. This could be a protein chain, ligand, or any molecular group you’re working on. If you need help selecting particles, refer to this guide.
- Then, head to the Animation panel inside the Animator in SAMSON and double-click on the Rock effect.
- The selected group will now perform a rocking motion between two keyframes.
- Adjust the keyframes as necessary to control the duration and timing of the rocking motion.
Why Use It?
The rocking effect is extremely useful when you’re preparing instructional videos, showcasing models to collaborators, or simply trying to visualize if a specific ligand orientation could allow better binding. It adds movement without introducing too much noise, helping to visually decouple components in crowded molecular environments.
It’s also lighter to compute than full-on molecular dynamics simulations, making it ideal for quick setup interactive presentations.
Customizing the Motion
You’re not stuck with the default behavior. The Rock effect supports easing curves, allowing you to change how smoothly the back-and-forth motion transitions. By editing the Easing curve, you can create motion that accelerates and decelerates, giving your animation a more natural, physical look — useful, for example, when mimicking breathing-like dynamics.
Try It Yourself
If you’d like to test the effect before applying it to your project, there’s a public document available on SAMSON Connect with the Rock animation already configured: 2BRD – Rock animation. It’s a quick way to explore how the motion looks in context.
Final Thoughts
The Rock animation might be simple, but it’s surprisingly effective in making your molecular models feel more engaging and easier to interpret. If you’re already using SAMSON for visual communication or molecular presentations, it’s worth giving the Rock animation a spin.
To learn more about how this effect works and explore related motion features in SAMSON, visit the official documentation page: https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/animations/rock/
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.