A molecular structure can be difficult to interpret from a single still image. When a group of particles is viewed from only one angle, its spatial arrangement may be less clear to someone seeing it for the first time. A short, controlled movement can help viewers follow the structure’s orientation without requiring them to inspect a sequence of manually captured screenshots.
In SAMSON, the Rock animation moves a selected group of particles back and forth around its geometric center. The movement takes place around a vector that passes through the group’s centroid and is collinear with the Z-axis. This makes Rock useful when you want to add a simple, repeatable change in orientation to a molecular presentation.
Set up the movement
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Select the particles. Choose the group you want to animate. The animation applies to the selected group, so take a moment to check that the selection matches the part of the structure you want viewers to focus on.
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Add Rock. In the Animator’s Animation panel, double-click the Rock animation effect. The selected group will perform the movement between the animation’s two keyframes.
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Position the keyframes. Move the keyframes as needed to set where the movement occurs in your presentation. You can adjust their positions after adding the animation, so you do not have to get the timing right on the first try.
Use the motion to support the explanation
Before adding an animation, decide what you want a viewer to notice. If your point is the overall orientation of a particle group, Rock can provide a changing view of that group. If the movement draws attention away from the feature you are explaining, try adjusting when the animation occurs by moving its keyframes. A useful presentation is not necessarily one with constant motion; the movement should help the audience follow the structure.
It can also help to preview the animation in the context of the rest of your presentation. Check that the selected group is the intended one, that the motion occurs at the right point, and that the changing orientation supports your explanation. These are presentation choices rather than additional animation settings, but they can make a movement easier to understand.
Refine the transition
If the way the animation changes between frames does not suit your presentation, adjust its easing curve. The easing curve controls how parameters are interpolated between frames. You can use this setting to refine the transition while keeping the same basic Rock movement.
For a concrete example, see 2BRD – Rock animation on SAMSON Connect. To learn more about adding and adjusting the effect, visit the Rock animation documentation.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.