Introducing Timeline

Objective: Discuss what Timeline is and go over its tools

Timeline is a nonlinear editor that can be used to create multiple animation scenes in your game. Timeline is in the same package as Cinemachine but can be used independently, and makes the animation process less cumbersome than using the Animator for everything.

To open Timeline, go to Window → Sequencing → Timeline.

Before I click Create, I will create an empty gameObject and call it Timeline_01. Just like we do for animations, I will hover over the Timeline_01 gameObject and then I will click Create on Timeline.

• Side Note: It’s important to note that you DO NOT want to have your timeline be the parent object. If you do plan on having a parent object to make your timeline objects neater, than create an empty game object to place your timelines within.

It is useful to create a folder in your project that will easily identify your timeline creations. I will call my Folder “Directors.

Now, you will see the Timeline playable in your projects folder.

You will also notice the Playable Director in the Inspector.

This Timeline_01 includes the entire timeline animation that we will create on this one Timeline.

Then, we have the Update Method.

DSP Clock deals with the playback speed of an audio source.
Game Time would be used in a normal circumstance and Unscaled Game Time would be used if, for example, we have a moment in the game where the speed is changed and either slowed down or sped up, the Unscaled Game Time would make sure the director is not affected by this speed change.

Then, we have the Wrap Mode. If we chose Hold, the timeline sequence would simply hold the animation at the end. Using Loop will continue to loop the timeline sequence. Choosing None will simply end the timeline.

The Initial Time can be used when we want to wait a period of time after enabling the Director before playing the sequence.

Next, within the Timeline Editor, there are a couple things I want to point out.

If we click on the “+” symbol, it will take us to the specific type of track we will be using.

We also have different modes we can be in when creating our sequence.

The Mix Mode will simply place your animations and blend them in with the other animations in this timeline. The Ripple Mode will place your animation in there, and push the other animations over. The Replace Mode will do exactly that, it will cut the animation and place your new animation over it.

This was a simple introduction to Timeline. On my next articles, we will be diving deeper.