When working on molecular presentations, one common challenge faced by modelers is managing visual complexity. Scenes often involve dozens to hundreds of molecular entities, and many of them are not necessary to show simultaneously. Having too much on screen not only distracts the viewer, but it can also obscure key mechanisms or intended focus areas. This is especially true when creating animations for educational videos or presentations.
One of the simplest yet most effective ways to address visual clutter in animations is to control the visibility of molecular nodes—precisely what the Hide animation effect in SAMSON was designed for.
What is the Hide Animation?
The Hide animation makes selected nodes disappear at a specified keyframe and keeps them hidden until the end keyframe. This change is made by manipulating the visibility of the nodes—not their transparency. As a result, the hidden nodes are completely out of the scene, eliminating any interference with what’s actually important.
The Hide effect combines the functionality of the Shown and Hidden animations in one streamlined process. It saves time, reduces complexity in animation setup, and makes your results easier to interpret.
Getting Started: How to Hide Elements
To apply the Hide animation, start by selecting the molecular nodes that you want to disappear from your scene—for example, solvent molecules, co-factors, side chains, or even entire subunits.
Then:
- Open the Animator in SAMSON.
- Double-click on the Hide effect in the Animation panel.
The Hide animation creates three keyframes:
- Between keyframes 1 and 2, the selected nodes remain visible.
- At keyframe 2, they disappear from view.
- Between keyframes 2 and 3, they stay hidden.
By adjusting the position of these keyframes, you can precisely control when a node leaves the viewer’s field of vision. This is helpful for storytelling—for instance, focusing on a ligand binding site after removing surrounding residues.
Tips for Smoother Visuals
If you want the transition to look more natural, modify the interpolation using SAMSON’s easing curve. This ensures that the disappearance of elements doesn’t feel abrupt and aligns better with the pace of your animations.
It’s worth noting you can always reposition the keyframes after inserting the Hide effect, so don’t worry about getting the timing perfect on your first go.
When to Use It
Use the Hide animation when your molecular story benefits from gradually reducing scene complexity. This is especially useful for presentations aimed at teaching mechanisms, reactions, or structural changes where focus is critical. It can also make your animations significantly clearer for non-specialist audiences.
To learn more, visit the original documentation page: https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/animations/hide/
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.