Key Frames

Step Two: Introducing Key Frames, and How to Use the Animation Toolbar

A Little More Fun Material
A key frame basically lets you divide your animation into segments that you want to focus on. Without setting key frames, you can spin your text, rotate it, or whatever you want to do to it. However, Ulead COOL 3D would not "remember" that you did anything to a specific segment of animation; it would simply find the quickest way to get from point A to point B.

Before you go any further, play around with the Move Object and Rotate Object, pressing Play intermittently. This way you can see how this works (or in some cases, how it doesn't).

Let's get to know your soon-to-be best friend, Mr. Animation Toolbar:

		This field tells you which function you are viewing on your timeline.
		The animation timeline shows you where your key frames (both active and inactive ) are.
		The Add Key Frame and Subtract Key Frame Buttons (You have to guess which is which...and what they do.)
		The number of the current frame in your animation.
		The ping tool (plays animation back and forth); The loop tool (plays animation in a loop); the play button plays the animation.
		The first field is the total number of frames in your animation; the second is how many frames will play per second (fps).

Let's make this thing move.