How can I create an animated map?

In this article, we will cover the basics of map animation in Mapcreator. 

Set up your workspace

Click the camera icon to open or close the animation mode.

Use the drag handles to adjust the balance between the map area and the timeline.

Use the timeline scale slider to view the whole sequence or zoom in for precise control.

Create keyframes

You can create keyframes and set their position on the timeline. The tool smoothly animates the transitions between the keyframes automatically.

There are two ways to create a keyframe:

• Click the "+ Keyframe" button to add a new keyframe at the current playhead position.
• Hover over the keyframe track where you want the keyframe and click the "+" button.

A keyframe captures the current map view. Just pan and zoom your map until it looks right, then click “+ Keyframe” or hit the “+” button on the keyframe track.

Edit keyframes and transitions

You can edit keyframes individually or select multiple keyframes to adjust them all at once. Hold Ctrl to pick keyframes one by one, or hold Shift to select all keyframes between the first and last one you click.

To edit a keyframe, click on it. In the right menu, you can delete, duplicate, or overwrite it. To overwrite, pan and zoom the map in the preview, then click “Overwrite”.

By default, transitions between keyframes use ease animation, but the transition type can be changed from the dropdown menu of each frame:

• Linear – moves to the next keyframe at a constant speed throughout the transition.
• Ease – starts quickly and then gradually slows down.
• None – keyframes switch instantly.

You can also move keyframes along the timeline and even rearrange their order.

PRO-TIPS

Fixate a keyframe

To fixate a keyframe, create a duplicate of it. If you want the frame to be fixated for 5 seconds, move the duplicate 5 seconds ahead.

If you want to fixate the first keyframe, position it away from the start of the video. For example, placing the first keyframe at 3 seconds will keep it fixed until that point.

Add keyframes in between

Now you can add keyframes between existing ones. For example, you can add a keyframe on the fly by clicking "+ Keyframe" during playback, or click directly on the keyframe track.

Replace a keyframe

To replace one keyframe with another, drag the new keyframe over the original one to overwrite it.