How to Animate and Create Motions for Models in Roblox Studio

Animating models in Roblox Studio allows you to bring your creations to life by adding custom motions and interactions. As an experienced Roblox developer with over 5 years of experience, I will guide you through the key steps for animating models using plugins, the built-in animation editor, and scripts.

Getting Set Up

Before you can start animating, you need to install some essential plugins:

  • Moon Animator – Allows animating any model with complex motions
  • Animation Editor – Roblox’s built-in animation plugin

You also need a model rigged and ready for animating. I recommend separating parts that will move independently to make animating easier.

Using Moon Animator

Moon Animator is extremely powerful and lets you animate literally anything in Roblox Studio. Here’s how to use it:

  1. Choose a base part and move it to animate the whole model
  2. Use the timeline and keyframes to set poses
  3. Add tweens between keyframes to smooth motions
  4. Export the animation and save the ID
  5. Script the animation into your game

With Moon Animator you can animate complex motions like spinning gears or moving platforms. You can also create cutscenes with multiple animated models.

Using the Animation Editor

Roblox Studio has a built-in Animation Editor for more basic animations:

  1. Click on the model to open the Animation Editor
  2. Create a new animation
  3. Set keyframes along the timeline for poses
  4. Adjust the curves between keyframes
  5. Export animation when finished

The Animation Editor works well for animating humanoid characters and simpler motions.

Scripting Animations

To play animations in your game, they need to be scripted to run when triggered. Here is sample code:

animation = game.Workspace.Model.Animation
script.Parent.Clicked:Connect(function()
   animation:Play() 
end)

This plays the animation when the model is clicked. You can trigger animations on player interactions, time intervals, movement, or any game event.

Tips for Better Animations

Here are some tips from my experience for creating smooth, natural animations in Roblox:

  • Use enough keyframes for complex motions
  • Pay attention to acceleration and easing
  • Add subtle secondary motions
  • Animating in parts makes combining motions easier
  • Use the Graph Editor for precise timing

Take the time to polish your animations, as quality motions really bring models to life!

Conclusion

I hope this guide gives you a solid foundation for animating models in Roblox Studio. Moon Animator and the Animation Editor provide powerful tools for all skill levels. Mastering animations will let you create more immersive, interactive game worlds and stand out from other developers.

Let me know if you have any other questions! I’m always happy to help other Roblox creators bring their visions to life.