Instances: start, speed and play mode
Give every copy its own clock: when it starts, how fast it plays, and whether it plays once, loops or holds.
Each instance plays the component on its own clock. That's what makes components good for staggered lists, particles and looping details: one component, many timings. Select an instance to see its settings in the inspector's Instance section.
| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Main | The component this instance shows. Pick another one to swap it; place, timing and motion are kept | The component it was made from |
| Start | When the component's clock starts, in seconds. Playhead sets it to the playhead | 0 s (or the first keyframe when created) |
| Speed | A multiplier: 2× plays twice as fast, 0.5× at half speed | 1× |
| Play | Once, Loop or Hold | Once (or Loop if the component loops) |
| Frame | With Hold: the component time to freeze on, in seconds | 0 s |
| Variants | A menu per variant set, then Transition (how switches tween) and Switch at playhead. See Animated variant switches | The set's default value; Default transition |
| Play mode | Before Start | After Start |
|---|---|---|
| Once | Shows the first frame | Plays once, then holds the last frame |
| Loop | Shows the first frame | Repeats every duration ÷ speed seconds |
| Hold | Shows the Frame | Shows the Frame |
Timing in the timeline
An instance has one clip in the timeline, with ◆ and the component's name on its lane. Its tooltip shows start, length and speed. Drag the clip to move the component's clock; right-click for Move Start to Playhead. Double-click the lane or clip to open the component.
Staggering instances
- Select the instances in order.
- Type a Start for each (0, 0.06, 0.12 …), or ask the AI “stagger these by 60 ms”.
- Play. Stagger and retime work on instance clocks, so the component itself stays untouched.
Instances also have the usual layer properties: move, scale, rotate, fade and keyframe them like any layer. That motion applies on top of the component's own animation.