animation-workflow

name	animation-workflow
description	Use when setting up animation in the Unity Editor using MCP tools — creating AnimatorControllers, configuring states and transitions, assigning clips, and editing clip import settings.

Animation Workflow with MCP Tools

Efficient tool sequences for animation setup.

GOAL: Create an Animator Controller from Scratch

Approach:

1. Create the controller with all parameters, states, and transitions in one call.
2. Assign clips to states.
3. Assign controller to GameObject.

Tool sequence:

• animation_create_controller — single batch call creates the full state machine:
  • Parameters (bool, float, int, trigger)
  • States with motion clip references
  • Transitions with conditions
• animation_assign_clip — assign AnimationClip assets to states (if not set during creation).
• animation_assign_controller — apply controller to a GameObject (adds Animator if missing).

Common mistakes:

• Creating empty controller then adding states one by one (inefficient — use the batch call).
• Forgetting to set a default state (first state added is default).
• Not creating parameters before referencing them in transition conditions.

GOAL: Edit an Existing Controller

Approach:

1. Inspect current state.
2. Batch add/remove operations.

Tool sequence:

• animation_get_controller — inspect parameters, states, transitions, layers.
• animation_edit_controller — batch modify: add/remove parameters, states, transitions.

Common mistakes:

• Removing a state that other transitions reference (leaves dangling transitions).
• Adding duplicate parameter names (will error).

GOAL: Configure Animation Clip Import Settings

When to use: Setting loop behavior, frame ranges on FBX/model animation clips.

Tool sequence:

• asset_get_import_settings — read current clip settings on the model.
• asset_set_clip_import_settings — set loopTime, loopPose, start/end frames per clip.

Common mistakes:

• Setting loop on the wrong clip name (FBX can have multiple clips — check names first).
• Forgetting that import setting changes require reimport (the tool handles this automatically).

GOAL: Set Up a Character with Animations

Full workflow example:

1. animation_create_controller — create controller:

   • Parameters: Speed (float), IsJumping (bool), Attack (trigger)
   • States: Idle (default), Walk, Run, Jump, Attack
   • Transitions: Idle→Walk (Speed > 0.1), Walk→Run (Speed > 0.5), Any→Jump (IsJumping), Any→Attack (Attack trigger)

2. animation_assign_clip — assign clips:

   • Idle state ← "Assets/Animations/Idle.anim"
   • Walk state ← "Assets/Animations/Walk.anim"
   • etc.

3. asset_set_clip_import_settings — configure clips:

   • Idle: loopTime = true
   • Walk: loopTime = true
   • Attack: loopTime = false

4. animation_assign_controller — assign to character GameObject.

5. component_set_property on Animator — set applyRootMotion if needed.

GOAL: Inspect Animation State

Tool sequence:

• animation_get_controller — returns full state machine: all parameters (name, type, default value), all states (name, motion clip, speed), all transitions (source, destination, conditions, duration), all layers.

Use for: Understanding existing animation before modifying, verifying setup is correct after changes.

Related Skills

• uniclaude:unity-architect — when to use animation (state machine for character vs simple playback)
• uniclaude:component-design — Animator component lifecycle, event communication from animation