Hytale Animation

Create animations for characters, mobs, and objects using Blockbench.

Tools Required

1. Blockbench - blockbench.net
2. Hytale Blockbench Plugin - File → Plugins → Search "hytale"
3. (Optional) BlockbenchMCP - For AI-assisted animation (see blockbench-mcp skill)

Animation Basics

Keyframe Animation

Animations in Hytale use keyframe interpolation:

• Set key poses at specific times
• Engine interpolates between them
• Supports position, rotation, and scale

Animation Timeline

Frame 0     Frame 10    Frame 20    Frame 30
   |           |           |           |
   ▼           ▼           ▼           ▼
[Idle]  →  [Arm Up]  →  [Strike]  →  [Idle]

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Creating Animations in Blockbench

Step 1: Open Your Model

1. Open Blockbench with Hytale plugin
2. Load or create your model
3. Ensure bones are properly named (see hytale-model-creator)

Step 2: Open Animation Panel

1. View → Animation Mode (or press Ctrl+A)
2. Animation panel appears at bottom

Step 3: Create New Animation

1. Click "+" in Animations panel
2. Name your animation (e.g., walk, attack, idle)
3. Set animation properties:
   • Length: Duration in seconds
   • Loop: Whether it repeats
   • Override: Priority over other animations

Step 4: Add Keyframes

1. Select a bone in the outliner
2. Move timeline to desired frame
3. Transform the bone (rotate, move, scale)
4. Click "+" next to transform type to add keyframe

Step 5: Refine and Preview

1. Press Play to preview
2. Adjust timing and poses
3. Add easing for smoother motion

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Animation Types

Idle Animation

• Subtle breathing motion
• Slight swaying
• Loop seamlessly
• Duration: 2-4 seconds

Keyframes:
0s: Base pose
1s: Slight breath in (chest up, arms out slightly)
2s: Base pose (loops back)

Walk Cycle

• Alternating legs
• Arm swing opposite to legs
• Head bob
• Duration: ~1 second per cycle

Keyframes:
0.00s: Right foot forward, left arm forward
0.25s: Passing position (legs together)
0.50s: Left foot forward, right arm forward
0.75s: Passing position
1.00s: Back to start (loops)

Attack Animation

• Wind-up, strike, recovery
• No loop (plays once)
• Duration: 0.5-1 second

Keyframes:
0.00s: Idle pose
0.15s: Wind-up (arm back)
0.25s: Strike (arm forward, maximum extension)
0.40s: Follow-through
0.60s: Return to idle

Jump Animation

• Anticipation, jump, landing
• Triggered by game events

Keyframes:
0.00s: Crouch (anticipation)
0.10s: Launch (extended)
0.30s: Apex (relaxed pose)
0.50s: Landing (crouch)
0.70s: Return to idle

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Bone Hierarchy for Animation

Use consistent naming for Hytale's animation system:

root
├── body
│   ├── head
│   │   ├── jaw (for talking)
│   │   └── eyes (for blinking)
│   ├── arm_right
│   │   ├── forearm_right
│   │   └── hand_right
│   ├── arm_left
│   │   ├── forearm_left
│   │   └── hand_left
│   └── waist
│       ├── leg_right
│       │   ├── shin_right
│       │   └── foot_right
│       └── leg_left
│           ├── shin_left
│           └── foot_left

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Easing Functions

Control how keyframes interpolate:

Easing	Effect	Use For
Linear	Constant speed	Mechanical motion
Ease In	Slow start	Beginning actions
Ease Out	Slow end	Landing, stopping
Ease In-Out	Slow both ends	Natural motion
Bounce	Bouncy end	Cartoony effects

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Animation States

Games often use state machines for animations:

         ┌─────────────┐
         │    Idle     │◄────────────┐
         └──────┬──────┘             │
                │ (move input)       │ (stop)
                ▼                    │
         ┌─────────────┐             │
         │    Walk     │─────────────┘
         └──────┬──────┘
                │ (attack)
                ▼
         ┌─────────────┐
         │   Attack    │───► (returns to previous)
         └─────────────┘

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Best Practices

Do

Practice	Why
Start with key poses	Foundation first
Use reference videos	Natural motion
Exaggerate slightly	Reads better in-game
Test in-game early	Catches issues
Keep loops seamless	No jarring transitions

Don't

Mistake	Why Bad
Too many keyframes	Hard to edit
Robotic motion	Looks unnatural
Forget anticipation	Actions feel sudden
Ignore secondary motion	Feels stiff

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Export Settings

When exporting from Blockbench:

1. File → Export → Hytale Animation
2. Output: .blockyanim file
3. Place in: Common/Animations/ folder in your Pack

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Animation in Plugins

Trigger animations from Java plugins:

// Play animation on entity
entity.playAnimation("attack");

// Play with options
entity.playAnimation("walk", AnimationOptions.builder()
    .loop(true)
    .blendTime(0.2f)
    .build());

// Stop animation
entity.stopAnimation("walk");

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Quick Reference

Animation	Duration	Loop	Notes
Idle	2-4s	Yes	Subtle movement
Walk	0.8-1.2s	Yes	Cycle per step
Run	0.4-0.6s	Yes	Faster cycle
Attack	0.3-0.8s	No	Once per action
Jump	0.5-1s	No	Triggered
Death	1-2s	No	Final pose

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Resources

• Model Creation: See hytale-model-creator skill
• AI Animation Help: See blockbench-mcp skill
• Official Examples: Hytale Model Examples ZIP