Apple Motion 2 Getting Started - Manual (Page 84)

84 Chapter 2 The Playground
Using Parameter Behaviors
Parameter behaviors are very different from the other behavior categories—they are
applied in a different manner, and can be applied to nearly any parameter of an object.
The Basic Motion, Simulation, Text Animation, or Text Sequence behaviors affect
specific object parameters (determined by the behavior). For example, Throw only
affects the Position parameters of an object. A Parameter behavior can be applied to
nearly any of the parameters available for an object, such as X or Y Position, Opacity,
Rotation, Blend Mode, and so on. For example, you can apply the Randomize
parameter behavior to the Position of an object so that it jitters nervously onscreen.
Parameter behaviors can also be applied to the parameters of filters, as well as objects
belonging to particle effects. For even more variation, Parameter behaviors can be
applied to the parameters of applied behaviors. Wow. For example, the following
images show changes to the behavior animation path of an object when a Parameter
behavior is applied to a parameter of a Simulation behavior.
Behaviors vs. Keyframes
Behaviors do not add keyframes to object parameters. Instead, a behavior
automatically generates a range of values that are applied to an object’s parameters,
which animate the object over the duration of that behavior. With the exception of
the Text Sequence behaviors, the duration of a behavior is the length of the object to
which it is applied.
Keyframes, however, apply specific values directly to a parameter. An animated object
has at least two keyframes for a parameter, such as Rotation, at different points in
time in a project. A keyframe is a point in time that records any change in the value of
a parameter. The animation is created by these changes in parameter values, and can
be edited in the Keyframe Editor.
By design, behaviors are most useful for creating generalized, fluid motion effects, or
very complex animations. Keyframing gives you the ability to set precise parameter
values at specific frames. For example, for a project that requires the characters of a
text title to start with a Tracking value at frame 1 and end with a Tracking value of 100
at frame 60, you would keyframe the Tracking values at the specific frames.
You can also combine keyframes and behaviors. For more information, see Chapter 5,
“Using Behaviors,” in Motion Help. For more information on keyframing, see “
Using
Keyframes in Motion ” on page 103.
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