procedural-animation

Implements runtime bone modification for head look-at, foot IK, additive lean, and ragdoll in Summer Engine.

66|4|Updated Feb 26, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/SummerEngine/summer --skill procedural-animation-summerengine
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: procedural-animation
Source: https://github.com/SummerEngine/summer/tree/main/library/skills/procedural-animation
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/SummerEngine/summer --skill procedural-animation-summerengine

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Characters animated only with baked clips look stiff: feet float over slopes, NPCs stare dead-eyed past the player, hands clip through weapon grips, and deaths lack physical weight. This Skill provides code-and-modifier recipes that layer runtime bone control on top of existing animation clips in Summer Engine. ## Core Features & Use Cases - SkeletonModifier3D recipes: Head and spine look-at chains with angle limits, two-bone foot IK driven by raycasts for slopes and stairs, and hand-to-prop IK for weapon grips. - Additive AnimationTree layers: Blend delta-authored clips (turn lean, aim offset, breathing) on top of locomotion via AnimationNodeAdd2 driven from script. - Ragdoll on death: Hand the skeleton off to PhysicalBoneSimulator3D with directional impulse for convincing death reactions. - Use Case: An NPC's feet clip into a staircase and its head never tracks the player during dialogue. Apply the foot IK raycast recipe to plant feet on each step and add a LookAtModifier3D chain across spine and head with distance-based influence fade so the NPC makes natural eye contact only when the player is near. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to add a head look-at modifier and foot IK to your NPC character so it tracks the player and plants its feet on uneven terrain.

Frequently Asked Questions about procedural-animation

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I make an NPC head look at the player in Summer Engine?

Add a LookAtModifier3D as a child of the character's Skeleton3D, set bone_name to Head, and enable use_angle_limitation with primary_limit_angle around 1.4 radians. Drive the target_node from script each frame and fade influence to zero past about 8 meters.

How to implement foot IK on uneven terrain in a 3D game?

Use SkeletonIK3D on each leg chain with a RayCast3D casting downward from the foot bone. When the ray hits ground above the foot, move the IK target to the collision point and call ik.start(). Only lift feet, never push them into the ground, to avoid breaking knee bends.

Why does LookAtModifier3D rotate the head 180 degrees?

The use_angle_limitation property defaults to false and primary_limit_angle defaults to 2π, so nothing clamps the rotation. Enable use_angle_limitation and set primary_limit_angle to about 1.4 radians (80 degrees) for a head-only modifier.

When should I not use procedural animation on characters?

Skip it when the baked clip already covers the motion, when the character is beyond LOD distance (disable modifiers past 15 meters), and for facial animation, which uses BlendShapes instead of bones. Procedural modifiers also require base clips; they stack incorrectly on a raw T-pose.

How do I add ragdoll physics when a character dies?

Create PhysicalBone3D children via the Skeleton3D context menu's Create Physical Skeleton option, then on death deactivate the AnimationTree and call physical_bones_start_simulation(). Apply a directional impulse to the pelvis PhysicalBone3D so the body falls convincingly instead of collapsing straight down.

Why does my additive animation layer double the character pose?

The additive clip was not authored as a delta from the base pose, so it stacks a full pose on top of locomotion. Re-export the clip from Blender using Pose Mode with bake additive so it stores only the offset.