AnimGraph
An animation graph turns gameplay values into a character's pose. Your game says "I'm moving at this speed" or "start waving"; the graph decides which clips to play and how to blend them.
AnimGraph (AG2) uses .ag files. This guide covers the new system, not the legacy .vanmgrph editor.
How a graph works
The simplest graph plays one animation:
Animation Clip (idle) ---> Graph Output
An Animation Clip produces a pose: the positions and rotations of the character's bones at that moment. Graph Output is the pose you want the character to use.
Other nodes can blend poses, choose between them, or adjust individual bones before the result reaches the output. Parameters carry values such as speed, grounded state, or an aiming target into these decisions.
There are two kinds of connections to recognize:
| Connection | What it carries | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Pose | An animation result | A walk clip feeding a blend |
| Value | A number, bool, ID, vector, target, or mask | A speed parameter controlling that blend |
Unlike ActionGraph, pose connections are not execution signals. You are describing how to produce a pose, not a sequence of commands. A clip in an inactive state does not keep playing in the background independently.
Which node should I use?
| I want to... | Start with |
|---|---|
| Play an animation | Animation Clip |
| Blend idle, walk, and run from speed | Blend 1D |
| Blend movement from two values, such as forward and sideways speed | Blend 2D |
| Change behavior while playing, such as idle to wave | State Machine |
| Pick a variation once when entering a branch | Selector |
| Add a pose over another pose | Local Layer and Layer Blend |
| Play an action layer with its own states | State Machine Layer and Layer Blend |
| Restrict a layer to part of the body | Bone Mask |
| Share one graph structure across character-specific animation setups | Variations |
| Reuse an authored graph driven by parent parameters | Internal Graph |
| Let items supply custom holds or actions at runtime | External Graph |
A Selector chooses on entry, not continuously. If changing a parameter should switch the animation immediately, use a state machine or a blend instead.
For the full list, see Node Reference: editor node names, what each one does, and the important restrictions.
Learn by building
Start with your first graph, then extend it:
- Blend movement from one speed value.
- Add states and transitions to play a wave and return.
- Use layers and masks to wave while the legs keep moving.
Skeletons and clips explains asset preparation. Parameters and code connects the graph to your game.
Animation Events explains typed callbacks, ID markers, foot phases, native events, and graph events, with clip-authoring steps and a C# receiver.
Variations let one graph serve a family of characters or items, with inherited animation data and targeted overrides.
Internal Graphs explains reusable child assets, parameter passing, and shared locomotion. External Graphs shows how to extend a main character graph with custom item hold types, draw-to-hold sequences, and runtime-selected actions, using either the editor or C#.
Want to construct graphs in C#? Runtime Graph Builder covers clips, blends, states, layers, procedural animation, and runtime-selected actions.
Coming from the old editor? Moving from AG1 maps the old workflow to the new one.