Creating presentations with molecular animations often involves showing complex processes in a clear, structured way. However, without control over the flow, animations can feel like watch-and-hope events. One common challenge molecular modelers face is how to build multi-part animations that resemble slide transitions in traditional presentations. Fortunately, SAMSON offers a powerful yet underused tool: the Stop animation effect.
This brief guide introduces how the Stop animation can enhance communication during scientific presentations by providing intentional pauses. It’s especially useful when converting continuous molecular simulations into clear, staged explanations—just like slides in a talk, but dynamic.
What is the Stop Animation in SAMSON?
The Stop animation is a control point you place in your animation timeline in SAMSON’s Animator. When your animation reaches this keyframe, it will pause.
To continue after the Stop, you simply press the Space key or click the Play button in the Animator’s controls. This makes it easy to present an animation incrementally, responding to questions or adjusting the pacing based on your audience.
Why It Matters
This small feature can make a big difference when explaining intricate molecular behaviors, reaction pathways, or structural changes. Without breaks, viewers may miss critical transitions or steps. The Stop animation helps prevent this by giving you precise control over scene changes.
Imagine you’re presenting a molecular docking process. You might want to:
- Start with a global view of the molecule.
- Zoom into the active site—pause the animation to explain interactions.
- Continue with the binding animation—pause again to show how the ligand adapts.
Each of these stages becomes easier to follow with well-placed Stop animations acting like chapter breaks.
How to Add a Stop Keyframe
Follow these simple steps:
- Open the Animator window in SAMSON.
- Navigate to the Animation panel.
- Double-click Stop from the list of animation effects.
- A keyframe will be placed at the current frame. You can drag and move it as needed.
Tip
You can reposition keyframes at any time, allowing you to adjust the timing as your presentation evolves.
Use Cases Beyond Slides
Apart from presentation control, Stop animations also come in handy for:
- Creating video animations with post-editing markers.
- Isolating critical moments in multi-step simulations.
- Scripted lectures where viewer interaction is encouraged.
Supporting Interactive and Engaging Storytelling
In many ways, using the Stop animation is like giving your simulations a built-in pause button, making your storytelling more interactive and digestible. For students, colleagues, or live audiences at conferences, this means clearer explanations and fewer rewind requests.
Learn more about the Stop animation in the official documentation: https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/animations/stop/
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.