Hey guys, it’s been a while since Moon Animator 2 was released separately by @xsixx, and I’ve seen in the comments complaining about the interface or whatever. I’ve decided to make a tutorial unofficially for DevForum members, just like you. Although English wasn’t my first language since I lived in the Philippines, please excuse my grammar. Thank you.
Moon Animator Lessons:
Before you can do, feel free to view my lessons for you.
Lesson 1: Getting Started
There are four options you wanna start.
1. Moon Animator
It is the main option of a Moon Animator and it is mostly used to customizing tracks, animating using keyframe and lots more.
Add Item - Represents adding items, unlimited item tracks.
Animation Settings - Can be used for extending the timeline size and on loop.
Edit Item - Customizing property settings from the track.
Toggle Animation - Toggling on or off the selected tracks.
Collapse/Expand all items - To minimize or maximize tracks in the timeline.
Group/Ungroup Selected Keyframes - To merge two keyframes into one and it’s used for pausing.
Mirror - Used to mirroring keyframes and it’s useful for walking, left/right-handed actions and much more.
Looper - Used to easily animate walk cycles and to loop every keyframe infinitely.
Time Stretch - To make animations slower or faster, also useful in case you have an older PC, then speed up using VirtualDub or Avidemux.
Wiggler - To make two keyframes vibrate based on waves.
2. File Explorer
File Explorer is also the second option of a Moon Animator and it is used to navigate and manage the ‘.xsixx’ files and folders.
3. Character Inserter
Character Inserter is the third option and used to insert any character you want.
4. Easy Weld
Easy Weld is a tool used to clean up complex models, weld them and rig them to make them usable in animations. It is recommended to use a RigEdit. More information on a tweet.
Lesson 2: Animating
Part 1: Installing
Method 1: Browsers
If you’re using a browser, simply install the new version of Moon plugin.
Click the “Open Roblox” button, and wait until the Studio pops up.
Method 2: Studio
In Studio, choose the plugins category.
Find the moon animator title until you see it, and then finally install it.
NOTE: I already installed it BTW.
Part 2: Character Insert
To insert a character, first head up to the Plugins tab, second, click the Character Inserter button, and third, just insert a character (Gotta pick R6 version BTW).
Finally, drag them into the baseplate properly.
Part 3: Creating Project
To create your project in Moon 2, head up to Moon Animator (1), open the File menu (2), create your new animations (3), make an appropriate name you want, and then confirm it (4).
Part 4: Adding Items
To add an item, click the ‘+’ button, select a model, and then click OK. Note, these steps were pointed at first before you start thinking.
Part 5: Animating
To make it simple, let’s start rotating the head. First, select the head in the timeline, second, drag the rotation, and let the auto-keyframing do the rest while adding a keyframe manually for pausing (Press Numpad + or = key first BTW).
Not my best recording is it.To reset any movements, just press G. Although it looks choppy as an example, I’ll give you some info about easing later.
Part 7: CFrame
CFrame is a very important feature to manipulate objects into movements based on data. When it comes to squash and stretch and filmmaking, it can also be used for machinimas, fake physics, sword slashes, fighting animation and more.
To animate CFrame in Moon, select the part in Explorer window, choose some Studio tools, select the properties panel in the timeline, then keyframe it manually since CFrame in Moon doesn’t have auto-keyframing.
NOTE: CFrame requires scripts to make it work, not exporting like Motor6D. We’ll hope that Roblox will revamp the CFrame system in 2025+.
You can even rotate the part, then keyframe it again.
Part 8: AttachToPart
This feature is a great tool for filmmaking somehow, so I’m not sure if AttachToPart works on gameplay. More information here.
For first-person, make sure that none of the faces isn’t covered by masks or otherwise, transparent it. Press 7 to edit the keyframe in AttachToPart and head up to the Values, then set the head to confirm it.
Part 9: Easing
Slow in or slow out, or simply called Easing, is an important part of the animation, it makes the entire animation look smooth and lifelike. To do this, select the keyframe, choose any easing types you want, and then confirm it.
Same goes to CFrame as well
Lesson 3: Tips
I’m going to give you some tips for beginners who were new to this.
1. Avoid Too Much Linear
That’s why we have slow in and slow out, no exceptions, this led to poor timing. I’ve seen some newbies’ animations in Moon looked too linear at some point on YouTube unless you want to experiment with these and remember, practice makes perfect.
2. Use Linear If Necessary
I’ve seen some of their animations in Moon looked great using almost all linear, for example, arcs, fake physics and ragdolls, and more. Do this by spamming linear at 3-10 frames per second to look like if someone is using a graph editor.
3. Use Lower FOV (Field of View) For Scenes
This tip may be helpful sometimes because some newbies would’ve barely known how to lower down the FOV if there’s no impact on the camera scenes such as a restaurant, Slice of Life, etc., and even game cutscenes unless it is necessary.
To do this, edit the keyframe, then set the FOV value to 20-50. Focus on the staging guys.
4. Use Proper Pose References For R6
Everyone loved to use pose references to make their game animations look easy to complex, but there is one problem for beginners. Since R6 has some limitations, there are a few common mistakes below.
Example: Waving
See any difference? I hope so. Doing this is such an awkward in public like this. Think about the hands.
Example: Sword Idle
As for R6 beginners, don’t move an arm too high, cause when you do, it looks like when someone is lifting a sword than the proper idle.
This has been fixed by moving down the part. No need to bend an R6 physically.
It is recommended to use an outfit template or 2.0 package.
Moon Animator Examples
Here are a few examples below, credit to everyone.
If you’re interested in animating, I would recommend checking xSIXx on Twitter and reading The 12 Principles of Animations for more information. I would also recommend watching rigging tutorials on YouTube. Thanks for the tutorial guys.
, all dummy has to be named differently, and now there’s tonssss of new buttons that I- sigh… I would revert back to the old version if I could.
!!!