The animation feature allows you to upload animated 3D files and have them play on Sketchfab. For information on editing and managing animation settings after uploading, see Animation Settings.
Uploading animation files
Uploading animated 3D files isn’t different from uploading regular 3D files. If you need help exporting animation, refer to Exporting, or check your software documentation.
We support:
- Solid animation: translation, scale, rotation
- Skeleton-based animation: model rigged with bones
- Morph targets: transformed vertices
Exporting
In general, you can export your scene as FBX with baked animations (or BLEND for Blender). However, FBX export options will be different across software. Here are some software-specific tutorials from our community:
For more, check out the Animation Forum Thread.
Viewing animated 3D models
If a model has animations, you can see the animation icon in the top-right corner of each model in the gallery page:
When viewing the model page or embedded model, you will see a timeline and animation menus.
For details, see Interface and Options.
Editing animated 3D models
You cannot edit or create animations on Sketchfab, but you can edit some animation properties. See Animation Settings.
Annotations + Animation
Annotations are compatible with animations. They will stick to and follow the model.
Multi-FBX Support
We also support the usecase where a scene is split into several FBX files where one file contains the model and the others define animations.
The feature is enabled after a .zip/.rar/.7z upload when the archive has the following structure:
[filename].zip:
- [file_with_model].fbx
- animations/
- [file_with_animation_1].fbx
- [file_with_animation_2].fbx
...
There is no restriction on the animation filenames, but the filename will define the animation name on Sketchfab. They can be renamed in 3D Settings later.
Timeframe (Stop Motion)
It's possible to use multiple model files to create a stop motion animation. You just need to include all the models and a special "sketchfab.timeframe" text file.
For a more detailed tutorial, visit the blog.
In this example, there are 3 models:
- sphere.obj
- cube.obj
- cylinder.obj
Duration
Specify a duration (in seconds) for each model, in order:
0.5 sphere.obj 0.5 cube.obj 0.5 cylinder.obj
You can download this example file here, and open it in any plain text editor.
Upload them all together, and here's the result:
Composition
You can combine multiple files in a single frame using syntax like this:
0.5 sphere.obj+cube.obj
Transformation
You can perform translation, rotation, and scale transformations objects using syntax like this:
0.5 model.obj@t=tx,ty,tz@r=rx,ry,rz@s=sx,sy,sz
- @t= to specify a translation followed by the vector components separated by commas, with no extra space
- @r= to specify a rotation followed by rotation angles (in degrees)
- @s= to specify a scale followed by either a single value for uniform scale or a scale vector
- @m=m1,m2,...,m16 to specific a full 4x4 matrix transform
Limitations
- All of the models must be loaded in the same scene simultaneously, so it can hurt performance if you have many frames with complex models.
- You can use any combination of supported formats, but materials may not be processed correctly if they are not all the same.
- Blender, KSP, Minecraft, and Valve formats are not supported in timeframes.
Comments
45 comments
Animations on Sketchfab? Now that sounds incredible. Can't wait to make some character animations to show off on Sketchfab!
awesome news, thanks sketchfab for make it happen! :)
It's awesome, but please add animated material, so we can make FXs and a lot of different stuff ;)
ok just to verify, you can upload multiple fbxs into a zip file and it will read them as the same animations yes?
@MindChamber - Not yet, but it's something we're looking into. For now, all the animations and model data need to be in a single FBX file.
@paulco - Thanks for the feedback. Those are definitely things we'd like to see in the future too :)
@James ok np, still a great feature as is. I noticed the animation menu,and i got excited! .How exactly do I set up the data for the fbx? All my animations for example on my PBOT model are in a single timeline..is there a way in 3dmax to export the fbx with the proper frame data so sketchfab can recognize the different animations?
@MindChamber - I don't know the precise details, but there are a few discussions happening on the forum that might be helpful:
http://forum.sketchfab.com/t/sketchfab-animation-wiki-add-your-knowledge/3458
http://forum.sketchfab.com/t/multi-fbx-animation-takes-export-3dsmax/3304
Need !
do I need to "go pro" to be accepted as a beta tester?
@jetbunny2000 - nope, it's open to everyone.
good afternoon
days ago I am trying to climb a lively model. It is only 2.5 mb and always get the error as shown in the attachment.
I have read the help on formats and followed the instructions . I appreciate any information and / or assistance
Thank you
@pixol3d - I don't see any attachment. Can you email me? support@sketchfab.com
Thanks!
@James, hello , send email to Mr. BART , it is a test because we are very interested to have this service . In the mail attached zip file with the animated gif FBX model and the same . Thousand thanks.
I have three options on the animation menu. (0 no animation, 1 take 001, 2 mixamo.com) I have to change the option from 1 to 2 every single time I view it. How can I set my model always on 2 mixamo.com?
@eleo7979 - When animation comes out of beta (next month) you'll have options to delete, rename, and re-order animations. Until then, sorry for the inconvenience!
Hey, cau u add vertex animation support. It would be very helpfull for cloth animations.
@bennyd006 - We just released morph target support, which is per-vertex animation.
@James - We can give keyframes to vertices in 3dsmax, without using morph targets. Can those type of animation support be available in sketchfab?
@bennyd006 - Yes, you can do that in 3ds Max, but it's not supported/exported in FBX. An alternative is the Point Cache technique, which records vertex positions in a specific file attached to the FBX. However, we don't support Point Cache yet.
i love this websyite
@cvb343 - Thanks!!
What do you do on this
Hi, can the timeline be hidden when embed on websites? if not, can the color and styles be modified?
Hmm, rearranging the animations playing order doesn't seem to work. I just resets itself, even if you save. Or is it just me?
@spursgdp - Business accounts can hide all the controls with the ?ui_controls=0 parameter, but at the moment it's all or nothing.
@kubold - I'm investigating.
Can somebody tell me?
It is possible to make animation with 2+ textures on 1 object? I mean switching textures after some second?
P.S Without rigging
@axe163 - You could use the Timeframe feature (see above in this article) to switch between two models with different textures. You could also use solid animation to make two objects scale between 1 and 0 to hide/show them.
Otherwise, we don't support animated textures yet.
It is said here that Sketchfab doesn't support Point Cache, but obviously this guy did it :
https://sketchfab.com/models/728998373c2d467eba571a0075472351
A tutorial about importing mdd or other point cache formats (pc2, etc) would really be welcome.
@hansolocambo The animation is probably baked into keyframes. I'm afraid I don't know much about it...
Please sign in to leave a comment.