Action Blocks

Action Blocks is a Blender animation construction tool for creating complex actions from simpler actions. It can be used create sequences that reuse actions such as walking loops and apply root motion, repeats or layered animations. Quickly create variations, block out animations, game cinematics, background assets, instructional videos and animatics using animation and mocap libraries as Mixamo or your own Action assets.

The output Actions can be used like any other Action, with no resampling. This means after building an Action, you can adjust keyframes with ease. Use the NLA editor for composing and re-timing even larger sequences. This addon is not required for distributed rendering or file sharing.

Make the Most of Actions

Simply add Action nodes using your own simple actions, connect them in sequence. Use repeat, scale, trim, blend parameters as well as Spacer nodes and Mix nodes to create a final output action. This work flow offers the benefit of a non-destructive and iterative approach to animation.

Apply Root Motion

Assign a Root target and transforms to be calculated for Root Motion.

Make Multi-Layered Animation

Use Mix nodes to combine, replace or extend animation keyframes.

Shape Key support

Shape Key animations can also be constructed to create full dialogs. No more copying and pasting poses and shifting blocks of keyframes around.

Ready to use, no baking required

Animations are ready to be used in other software without resampling. Original keyframe data such as curve handles are preserved where possible.

Not Just Characters

Animate objects and share timing of multiple node chains.

Plus: Optionally set-up Actor objects for easy selection of target objects and editing of Actions. Actors can be transferred from the (Other Realms) Shot Manager addon.

NLA Feature Comparison