animation-player-tree-integration-contract

Animation state drift occurs when multiple sources drive transitions simultaneously. Establishing a single authoritative gameplay logic source for animation playback prevents desynchronization and unintended side effects.

To prevent double-triggering animations, decouple gameplay state changes from animation callbacks. Use animation events strictly for notification rather than logic execution to ensure actions fire exactly once.

The best synchronization method is defining integration contracts that select a single transition driver. Distinguish between clip-driven and graph-driven control to enforce a single source of truth.

Debug timing mismatches by auditing transition drivers and externalizing tuning values. Verify that animation events handle notifications while gameplay logic retains authoritative state control.

Blend tree parameters should not drive gameplay state directly. Authoritative gameplay logic must remain the single source of truth, using blend parameters only for visual representation.

You need an integration contract when synchronizing animation playback with gameplay state transitions. It prevents double-triggering and state drift by enforcing rules for selecting transition drivers.