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☀️ Animator As Code V1

🌊 Any Platform

I am releasing Animator As Code V1.

Starting from V1.1.0, all Animator As Code V1 packages are leaving Alpha/Beta.

Animator As Code V1 can now be safely used in public projects that wish to do so.

Compatibility with projects that contain Animator As Code V0​

Animator As Code V1 is designed to be installed even in projects that already have Animator As Code V0.

Animator As Code V0 will not be overwritten by Animator As Code V1. Both installations will act as separate, non-conflicting installs. Projects like FaceEmo will continue to function properly.

In fact Animator As Code V1 has already been extensively used in my own tools (Prefabulous, ComboGestureExpressions, Vixen).

There is no real need to migrate between V0 and V1, if V0 already provides all the functionality you need in your project.

If you choose to migrate, V0 and V1 are almost identical.

Features in V1 compared to V0​

Sub-State Machines​

  • Pull major contributions from @galister which:
    • Adds support for sub-state machines, which is important because it enables the creation of states that evaluate multiple transitions within one frame, which is not possible to do without sub-state machines (with one exception).
      • This trait is already extensively used in ComboGestureExpressions V2 and above.
    • Share functionality of state and sub-state machines.
    • Share functionality of Int and Float parameters together.
// When using Sub-State Machines, the Sub-State Machine will evaluate all transitions until
// it resolves a destination state within one single frame.
// This means it can traverse multiple transition conditions at once, no matter how nested
// the Sub-State Machine is.
//
// This is not doable with just states, so Sub-State Machines have a functional value beyond mere organization.
var a = layer.IntParameter("IntA");
var b = layer.IntParameter("IntB");
var rootSsm = layer.NewSubStateMachine("UsingNestedSubStateMachines");
for (var i = 0; i < 16; i++)
{
    // A Sub-State Machine can have other Sub-State Machines created inside them.
    // TransitionsFromEntry creates a transition between `subSsm` and the Entry node of the Sub-State Machine it belongs in.
    // Exits creates a transition between `subSsm` and the Exit node.
    
    var subSsm = rootSsm.NewSubStateMachine($"A = {i}");
    subSsm.TransitionsFromEntry().When(a.IsEqualTo(i));
    subSsm.Exits();

    for (var j = 0; j < 16; j++)
    {
        var state = subSsm.NewState($"A = {i} and B = {j}");
        state.TransitionsFromEntry().When(b.IsEqualTo(j));
        state.Exits()
            .When(a.IsNotEqualTo(i))
            .Or()
            .When(b.IsNotEqualTo(j));
    }
}

// This creates a transition between the Sub-State Machine and itself.
// When that Sub-State Machine exits, it will re-enter itself.
rootSsm.Restarts();

Packaging, Non-VRChat projects, and non-destructive​

  • Make it usable in non-VRChat avatar projects.
    • VRChat-related functionality is now exposed as extension functions in a separate package.
    • Also, separate destructive functions and non-destructive functions.
    • Since this no longer requires a VRChat project, this also means it may now be usable in VRChat world projects.
// Animator As Code V1 no longer requires VRChat (compared to V0).
// VRChat-specific functions have been moved to extension methods.
// If you want to use VRChat Avatars functionality, add the `Animator As Code V1 - VRChat` package, and do the following:
//
// Add the following import, which contains extension methods:
using AnimatorAsCode.V1.VRC;

// To access VRChat parameters, use the following extension method:
var vrcAv3 = layer.Av3();
// To access VRChat assets, use the following extension method:
var vrcAssets = aac.VrcAssets();

layer.NewState("UsingVRChat")
    .WithAnimation(vrcAssets.ProxyForGesture(AacAv3.Av3Gesture.HandOpen, false))
    // VRChat State Behaviours are created through extension methods located in namespace `AnimatorAsCode.V1.VRC`
    .TrackingAnimates(AacAv3.Av3TrackingElement.RightHand)
    .Driving(driver => driver.Sets(layer.BoolParameter("A"), true))
    .TransitionsFromEntry()
    .When(vrcAv3.GestureRight.IsEqualTo(AacAv3.Av3Gesture.HandOpen));
  • Make it more usable in non-destructive components.
    • It is already in use in Prefabulous and Vixen.
  • Move to packages, for distribution using VCC (and now, ALCOM).

BlendTrees​

layer.NewState("BlendTrees").WithAnimation(aac.NewBlendTree()
    .FreeformDirectional2D(layer.FloatParameter("X"), layer.FloatParameter("Y"))
    .WithAnimation(aac.NewClip("Center"), 0, 0)
    .WithAnimation(aac.NewClip("Up"), Vector2.up)
    .WithAnimation(aac.NewClip("Right"), 1, 0)
    .WithAnimation(aac.NewClip("Down"), 0, -1)
    .WithAnimation(aac.NewClip("Left"), -1, 0)
);
var one = layer.FloatParameter("One");
layer.OverrideValue(one, 1f);
layer.NewState("Direct BlendTree").WithAnimation(aac.NewBlendTree()
    .Direct()
    .WithAnimation(aac.NewClip("DrivenByA"), layer.FloatParameter("A"))
    .WithAnimation(aac.NewClip("AlwaysOn"), one)
    .WithAnimation(aac.NewBlendTree().Simple1D(layer.FloatParameter("B"))
            // In Animator As Code, it is safe to declare points in a Simple1D blend tree in a different order (i.e. 0, 1, -1).
            // (In native blend trees, it would not have been safe to do so)
            .WithAnimation(aac.NewClip("Zero"), 0)
            .WithAnimation(aac.NewClip("Positive"), 1)
            .WithAnimation(aac.NewClip("Negative"), -1)
        , one)
);

Create Animator Controllers​

  • Create new Animator Controllers. This is made specifically for non-destructive workflows, where additional features are built separately, and then merged by a framework (i.e. Modular Avatar Merge Animator, or VRCFury Full Controller).
  • Animator As Code V1 has a separate package specifically to create Modular Avatar components, see the section later on this page.
// When creating a new controller, the ContainerMode of the configuration usually needs to be
// set to either `Container.OnlyWhenPersistenceRequired` or `Container.Everything`.
//
// This is because it is not possible to add state behaviours to states unless the Animator Controller
// is already persisted in the asset database.
var controller = aac.NewAnimatorController();
var fx = controller.NewLayer();

VRChat-specific features​

AnimatorPlayAudio​

AudioSource source = MyAudioSource(); // This can be a string instead.
AudioClip[] clips = MyAudioClips();
layer.NewState("UsingAudio")
    .Audio(source, audio =>
    {
        // Get the PlayAudio object if there's a need to edit it directly.
        VRCAnimatorPlayAudio vrcAnimatorPlayAudio = audio.PlayAudio;

        // By default, a PlayAudio created through AAC does nothing (unlike a manually created behaviour)
        // so you need to invoke anything that is relevant.
        audio
            .SelectsClip(VRC_AnimatorPlayAudio.Order.Random, clips)
            .SetsLooping()
            .RandomizesPitch(0.8f, 1.2f)
            .RandomizesVolume(0.5f, 1f)
            // "Replays" means Stop and Play.
            // "StartsPlaying" means just Play.
            // "StopsPlaying" means just Stop.
            // To do neither Stop nor Play, don't invoke anything.
            .StartsPlayingOnEnter()
            .StopsPlayingOnExit();
    });

Prettier Parameter Drivers​

  • As VRCAvatarParameterDriver has evolved over the years, there is now a dedicated AacFlState.Driving(...) function, which takes a lambda expression as a parameter.
  • If you invoke AacFlState.Driving(...) multiple times, it will create multiple VRCAvatarParameterDriver behaviours on the same state. One may be local, the other not.
layer.NewState("UsingDrivers").Driving(driver => driver
    .Copies(layer.FloatParameter("CopySource"), layer.FloatParameter("CopyDestination"))
    .Sets(layer.FloatParameter("Set"), 2.3f)
    .Increases(layer.FloatParameter("IncreaseBy2"), 2f)
    .Decreases(layer.FloatParameter("DecreaseBy3"), 3f)
    .Randomizes(layer.FloatParameter("Randomizes"), 0f, 100f)
    .Randomizes(layer.BoolParameter("RandomizesBool"), 0.25f) // 25% chance of being true.
    .Remaps(layer.FloatParameter("RemapsSource"), 0f, 2f, layer.FloatParameter("RemapsDestination"), 2f, 4f)
// This creates a second VRCAvatarParameterDriver in the same state.
).Driving(driver => driver
    .Sets(layer.FloatParameter("SecondDriver"), 100f)
    .Locally() // Only this second VRCAvatarParameterDriver is local.
);

Integration with Modular Avatar (MaAc)​

Using the Animator As Code V1 - Modular Avatar functions, it can create Modular Avatar components.

  • Newly created Animator Controllers can be assigned into a new Modular Avatar Merge Animator.
  • Synced Bool parameters (1 bit) can be created using the same Float parameters objects used in Animator As Code, through Modular Avatar Parameters.
var ctrl = aac.NewAnimatorController();
var fx = ctrl.NewLayer();

var toggleFloatParameter = fx.FloatParameter("MyToggle");

fx.NewState("BlendTree")
    .WithAnimation(aac.NewBlendTree().Simple1D(toggleFloatParameter)
        .WithAnimation(aac.NewClip().Toggling(myObject, false), 0)
        .WithAnimation(aac.NewClip().Toggling(myObject, true), 1)
    )
    .WithWriteDefaultsSetTo(true);

// Create a new object in the scene. We will add Modular Avatar components inside it.
var modularAvatar = MaAc.Create(holder);

// By creating a Modular Avatar Merge Animator component,
// our animator controller will be added to the avatar's FX layer.
modularAvatar.NewMergeAnimator(ctrl, VRCAvatarDescriptor.AnimLayerType.FX);

// We use a float in the animator blend tree, but we declare it as a bool
// so that it takes 1 bit in the expression parameters.
// By default, it is saved and synced.
modularAvatar.NewBoolToFloatParameter(toggleFloatParameter).WithDefaultValue(true);

Examples updated with NDMF integration​

The documentation includes an example on how to integrate with Non-Destructive Modular Framework using a plugin.

Changes in V1.1.0 compared to V1.0.99xx​

Animator As Code V1.1.0 contains breaking changes compared to Animator As Code (Alpha) V1.0.99xx.

This list does not contain the breaking changes between V0 and V1, please see the migration guide for this.

Compared to 1.0.99xx:

  • Commit breaking changes to fix inconsistencies in the API:
    • ⚡ (BREAKING) AacFlController.AnimatorController is no longer settable.
    • ⚡ (BREAKING) Replace public readonly fields with get-only properties.
    • ⚡ (BREAKING) Rename AacFlSettingObjectReferenceKeyframes to AacFlSettingKeyframesObjectReference.
    • ⚡ (BREAKING) Make constructors non-public.
      • WARNING: The AacFlSettingKeyframes constructor will be made private/internal in V1.2.0.
      • For compatibility reasons it remains public for the duration of V1.1.x.
  • Fix inconsistencies in the API:
    • Rename AacFlState.WithMotionTime to AacFlState.MotionTime.
    • Rename *Percent to *Normalized.
    • Add additional single-valued and array overloads.
    • Make Component[] methods null-element safe.
    • Add AacFlSettingCurveObjectReference.WithUnit to be on-par with AacFlSettingCurve.
    • Add AacFlSettingCurveColor.WithUnit to be on-par with AacFlSettingCurve.
  • Inline documentation pass.
  • Update LICENSE: Add galister for major contributions.
  • Accomodate new VRCAnimatorPlayAudio requirements:
    • Nodes need to know the Animator Root, so that relative paths can be resolved during the creation of State behaviours (i.e. Relative path of an AudioSource).
    • Nodes need to have the ability to create a New Behaviour, even if one already exists.
  • Functional fixes:
    • Fix AacFlState.WithCycleOffset(AacFlFloatParameter floatParam) now correctly enables the parameter.
    • Fix Any state transitions will be created from SSMs:
      • Due to an implementation error, creating Any state transitions previously did not have any effect in the graph.
      • This now creates Any state from the root machine.
      • Sub-state machines "cannot" have Any state transitions created directly from them.
      • Internally, Any always comes from the root state machine, but visually in the graph, it will come from the sub-state machine.
    • Make sure State and SSM names don't contain a period '.':
      • If the name of a state contains a period ".", it can cause the animator to misbehave, so sanitize it.
      • Transitions would not work properly during the runtime execution of the animator.
      • Apparently this is because sub state machines internally use the dot as a separator.
      • Sanitize the name so that menu state names such as "J. Inner" don't mess things up.
    • Fix calling Or() after TransitionsFromEntry().When(...) no longer fails:
      • Calling Or() after TransitionsFromEntry().When(...) used to fail due to an unexpected internal state.
      • This was due to the implicit conversion operator, which converted a null AnimationState to a AacTransitionEndpoint containing null in it.
      • Fix this by returning null in the implicit conversion operators.
  • Add AacAccessorForExtensions:
    • Add static class AacAccessorForExtensions:
      • Provides methods for use by extension functions, exposing methods departing from normal fluent interface usage.
    • Prepare to make methods marked "Not for public use" private starting from V1.2.0.
    • Due to their active use in other packages, it is not immediately private.

Other notes:

  • Generated assets will now be created with the following prefix: "zAutogenerated/", which may group the animations together in some editor views.
    • This change is a derivative of a suggestion by nullstalgia in the CGE repository.

Future breaking changes in V1.2.0​

  • The AacFlSettingKeyframes constructor will be made private/internal in V1.2.0.
    • For compatibility reasons it remains public for the duration of V1.1.x.
    • It is already marked as obsolete in V1.1.x.
  • The methods AacFlBase.InternalConfiguration and AacFlBase.InternalDoCreateLayer will be made private/internal in V1.2.0.
    • For compatibility reasons it remains public for the duration of V1.1.x.
    • It is already marked as obsolete in V1.1.x.
    • The class AacAccessorForExtensions replaces it.

These are likely going to be the last breaking change in V1's lifetime.