> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.atlas.design/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.atlas.design/atlas-ai-studio-overview/node-index/mesh-nodes/animation-nodes.md).
# Animation Nodes
Animation Nodes are the bridge between generated 3D character meshes and game-ready animated assets. They handle rigging (applying a skeleton to a static mesh), retargeting (mapping animation data onto the rigged skeleton), and full character pipelines that automate the entire concept-art-to-animated-NPC sequence.
## When to use animation nodes
* **Generate playable NPCs from concept art.** Use the Character Workflow node to chain Split Character Sheet → Multi-View to 3D → Rig Humanoid Mesh → Retarget into one automated pipeline. Single-shot from drawing to animated character.
* **Bring AI-generated humanoid characters into a game engine.** Use Rig Humanoid Mesh followed by Animate Rigged Model to skeleton + animate a generated mesh ready for Unity or Unreal import.
* **Retarget Mixamo animations.** Pair Input Mixamo Animation with the retargeting nodes to apply Mixamo's motion library onto generated characters without manual rigging.
* **Smart-place props on characters.** Use Smart Mesh Alignment with natural-language instructions to attach weapons, accessories, or environmental objects to character rigs without manual transform math.
* **Rig and animate Tripo-generated characters.** Tripo-specific rigging and animation nodes are tuned for Tripo's mesh topology.
### Character Workflow
A composite workflow that converts a multi-view character drawing into a rigged, animated 3D mesh ready for game integration. The pipeline chains Split Character Sheet, Multi-View to 3D, Rig Humanoid Mesh, Retarget Rigged Mesh, and Retarget Mixamo Animation into a single automated process.
* **Input**: A character sheet image showing front, side, and back views of a character design.
* **Split Character Sheet**: Automatically extracts individual orthographic views from the input sheet.
* **Multi-View to 3D**: Generates a 3D mesh by interpreting the separated views.
* **Rig Humanoid Mesh**: Applies a skeleton armature suitable for humanoid characters.
* **Retarget Rigged Mesh**: Adjusts the rig to a T-pose or reference pose.
* **Retarget Mixamo Animation**: Maps animation clips (e.g., from Mixamo) onto the generated rig.
* **Output**: A fully rigged, animated character mesh exported in standard 3D formats.
Useful for rapid prototyping of NPC models, testing character designs in-engine, and generating background characters from concept art.
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Smart Mesh Alignment
Automatically positions and rotates one 3D mesh onto another using natural language instructions. Functions as an AI-powered spatial alignment tool that interprets placement intent without manual transform adjustments.
* **Mesh to Align**: The 3D object to be repositioned—props, accessories, attachments, or environmental details.
* **Anchor Mesh**: The reference geometry that defines the target location and orientation.
* **Text Instruction**: Natural language description of the desired placement (e.g., "place on top of the table," "attach to the character's right hand").
* **Automatic Transform**: Calculates position and rotation based on the instruction and anchor geometry, interpreting spatial relationships like "above," "inside," or "next to."
* **Output**: The aligned mesh with updated transform data, ready for scene composition or further editing.
Useful for rapidly attaching weapons to character rigs, positioning props in environment layouts, snapping accessories to vehicle models, and assembling modular level pieces from text descriptions.
### Animate Nodes
A pair of connected nodes that rig and animate AI-generated humanoid meshes. The Rig Humanoid Mesh node applies a skeletal armature to a 3D character model, while the Animate Rigged Mesh node applies preset animation clips to the rigged result.
* **Rig Humanoid Mesh Input**: Accepts a 3D human mesh, with optional texture image and character height parameters for scale calibration.
* **Skeleton Generation**: Automatically places a humanoid bone hierarchy (spine, limbs, head) based on mesh topology.
* **Animate Rigged Mesh**: Takes the rigged output and applies selectable animation presets (walk, run, idle, combat, etc.).
* **Animation Selection**: Provides a dropdown or picker interface for choosing from built-in motion clips.
* **Output**: A rigged and animated 3D character ready for export in standard formats (FBX, GLB).
* **Pipeline Position**: Typically follows mesh generation nodes and precedes export or retargeting stages.
Useful for quickly animating procedurally generated NPCs, testing character proportions with motion, and prototyping dialogue or cutscene performances.
### Tripo Mesh Nodes
A paired set of nodes designed to rig and animate 3D character meshes generated by Tripo workflows. The Rig Tripo Mesh node applies a skeletal armature to the model, while the Animate Tripo Mesh node attaches preset animation clips to the rigged character.
* **Rig Tripo Mesh**: Accepts a Tripo-generated mesh and applies a skeleton with bone hierarchy and automatic weight painting.
* **Multi-Creature Support**: Auto-detects or configures skeletons for **Bipeds** (humans), **Quadrupeds** (four-legged animals), **Hexapods/Octopods** (insects/spiders), **Serpentine** (snakes), **Avians** (birds), and **Aquatics** (fish).
* **Animate Tripo Mesh**: Takes the rigged output and applies preset animation clips such as idle, walk, or combat cycles.
* **Sequential Workflow**: The rig node must precede the animation node in the pipeline; animations require an existing skeleton structure.
* **Preview Support**: Both nodes provide real-time viewport preview of the rigged mesh and active animation playback.
* **Export Ready**: Output includes both geometry and animation data in standard 3D formats for engine integration.
Useful for rapidly prototyping animated NPCs, testing character movement systems, and generating background characters from Tripo-created models.
### Tripo Mesh Workflow
A composite workflow that processes Tripo-generated 3D meshes through rigging and animation stages to produce game-ready animated characters. The pipeline integrates mesh preparation, skeletal rigging, and animation retargeting into a single automated sequence.
* **Input**: A 3D mesh of a character preferably in T-pose or A-pose, typically from text or image prompts.
* **Rig Tripo Mesh**: Applies a skeletal armature to the input mesh, automatically detecting joint positions and assigning bone weights.
* **Animate Tripo Mesh**: Retargets animation clips onto the rigged character, adjusting for the specific bone structure and proportions.
* **Animation Library**: Supports standard animation types including locomotion cycles, idle poses, and action sequences.
* **Bone Mapping**: Automatically maps generic animation data to the Tripo mesh's unique skeleton hierarchy.
* **Output**: An animated 3D character with embedded skeleton and animation data, ready for export.
Useful for rapidly prototyping animated NPCs from text descriptions, testing character concepts with motion, and generating background characters with basic animation cycles.
## Common pitfalls
* **Skipping the height parameter on Rig Humanoid Mesh.** Without an accurate character height value, joint positions are misscaled and the applied animation looks off.
* **Rigging a mesh in an action or dynamic pose.** Skeleton placement is derived from mesh topology, so non-standard poses cause joint placement errors. Regenerate the source mesh in T-pose or A-pose before rigging.
* **Running Animate Tripo Mesh before Rig Tripo Mesh.** Animation nodes attach clips to an existing skeleton, so the rig node must run first; reversing the order leaves nothing for the animation to bind to.
## Related nodes
* [Mesh Nodes](/atlas-ai-studio-overview/node-index/mesh-nodes.md) — upstream generation, transformation, and optimization nodes that produce the meshes fed into animation workflows.
* [Input Nodes](/atlas-ai-studio-overview/node-index/input-nodes.md) — Input Mixamo Animation supplies external animation clips for Retarget Mixamo Animation to map onto generated characters.
* [Image Nodes](/atlas-ai-studio-overview/node-index/image-nodes.md) — generate or refine the character art that feeds Split Character Sheet and Multi-View to 3D inside the Character Workflow.
* [Utility Nodes](/atlas-ai-studio-overview/node-index/utility-nodes.md) — Split Character Sheet prepares multi-view character sheets for 3D generation; LLM nodes can parametrize animation selection from text.
* [3D Generation Best Practices](/atlas-ai-studio-overview/node-index/mesh-nodes/3d-generation-best-practices.md) — backend and input-prep guidance affecting the starting mesh an animation workflow receives.
## Frequently asked questions
**Can I animate non-humanoid characters?**
Yes. While Rig Humanoid Mesh expects humanoid topology, Rig Tripo Mesh can be used for different creatures like **Quadrupeds** (four-legged animals), **Hexapods/Octopods** (insects/spiders), **Serpentine** (snakes), **Avians** (birds), and **Aquatics** (fish).
**What animation clips can I apply?**
Animate Rigged Mesh applies selectable preset clips from a built-in library covering locomotion (walk, run), idle poses, and combat cycles. For Mixamo clips, supply an FBX through Input Mixamo Animation and let Retarget Mixamo Animation map it onto the rigged character.
**Can I use custom keyframe animation?**
The animation nodes are preset-driven. Author custom keyframe animation in external tools and bring it in through Input Mixamo Animation for retargeting.
**What format does the rigged, animated character export in?**
FBX and GLB. The export includes vertex geometry, UV mapping, material assignments, the humanoid skeleton with joint hierarchy and bone weights, and the retargeted animation data.
**Why does my character look distorted after rigging?**
The two usual causes are a source mesh that is not in a standard pose and an incorrect height value. Regenerate the mesh in T-pose or A-pose and set the Rig Humanoid Mesh character height to the intended in-game scale.
**Can Smart Mesh Alignment attach props to a specific bone?**
No. Smart Mesh Alignment positions and rotates one mesh onto an anchor mesh from a natural-language instruction and anchor geometry, interpreting relationships like "above," "inside," or "next to." It suits one-off placement during workflow design. For bone-specific socket attachment at runtime, use the engine's native socket system after import.
**How do I rig and animate a Tripo-generated mesh?**
Use the Tripo Mesh Nodes pair or the Tripo Mesh Workflow. Rig Tripo Mesh applies a humanoid skeleton with automatic weight painting, then Animate Tripo Mesh applies preset clips. The Tripo Mesh Workflow combines both stages into one automated sequence and maps generic animation data to the mesh's skeleton hierarchy.
**What does the Character Workflow produce from a character sheet?**
From a sheet showing front, side, and back views it produces a rigged, animated 3D mesh, chaining Split Character Sheet to extract the views, Multi-View to 3D for geometry, Rig Humanoid Mesh for the skeleton, Retarget Rigged Mesh to set a reference pose, and Retarget Mixamo Animation to map clips.
**What is the difference between Rig Humanoid Mesh and Rig Tripo Mesh?**
Rig Humanoid Mesh (Meshy Engine): Strictly for humans/bipeds (T-pose/A-pose) and includes built-in walking/running preview animations. Rig Tripo Mesh (Tripo Engine): For any creature shape (quadrupeds, birds, spiders, fish, snakes) as well as humans.
* **Use *****Rig Humanoid Mesh***** for**: Standard human characters, heroes, enemies, or humanoids.
* **Use *****Rig Tripo Mesh***** for**: Animals, monsters, monsters with wings, spiders, or any non-humanoid creatures.
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