When presenting complex molecular systems, timing and clarity matter. Whether you’re giving a seminar, teaching molecular modeling concepts, or creating video tutorials, being able to pause and explain specific moments in your molecular animations is crucial. This is where SAMSON’s Stop animation comes in handy.
Many users express the common pain of not being able to go through molecular animations step-by-step, especially when explaining transitions or highlighting structural features. By default, animations tend to run continuously, making it difficult to comment on key frames, respond to questions, or let concepts sink in. If you’ve experienced this, the Stop animation might be exactly what you need.
What Exactly Is the ‘Stop’ Animation?
In SAMSON, the ‘Stop’ animation is designed to halt the presentation at a given frame. The presentation only resumes when you hit the Space bar or click the Play button in the Animator controls. This gives you time to describe the current structure, answer questions, or simply regroup before proceeding to the next structural change or molecular event.
How to Add a Stop Animation
Adding a Stop animation effect is straightforward:
- Open the Animation panel in the Animator.
- Double-click the Stop animation effect.
- A keyframe will be inserted at the current frame—just move it to a different frame if needed.
This action marks that frame as a ‘pause point’ in your presentation, letting you walk your audience through the structural details at that moment.
Tip: Use ‘Stop’ to Create Slide-Like Experiences
When used creatively, Stop animations effectively divide your movie into “slides.” You can align structural changes and annotations right before each Stop keyframe, making your animation feel more like a prepared slide presentation than a continuous movie. This is especially helpful in educational settings where viewers might need a moment to digest structural changes at each stage.
Can I Adjust It Later?
Absolutely. You can always move the Stop keyframe to a different time in your Animator timeline. This makes it easy to tweak the pacing of your animation after reviewing your overall presentation flow.
By using Stop animations strategically, you bring more control and clarity to your scientific storytelling.
To learn more about how to use the Stop animation effect, visit the official documentation page: Stop Animation — SAMSON Documentation
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.