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I have a curve, and a sphere with an array modifier and a curve modifier. I want to be able to have the array animate around the curve. I am currently using the Follow Path constraint... and it doesn't seem to allow me to do this option. I watch the blue line loop along the curve, but the array isn't moving.

Is achieving what I want not possible with this method? If so, how could I go about getting the result I am looking for?

I am planning on using hooks on the controls of the curve to animate the form of the curve concurrently with the array animating across the curve, so I cannot simply "rotate" the entire curve.

Viewport & Sphere Modifiers, Constraint

I do notice the constraint ID is highlighted red. When I choose different 'Forward' & 'Up' options the array will animate but it gets all distorted. I was careful about leaving objects' origin both on (0,0,0) and applied some transformations to my objects (rotation on the curve; scale on the sphere), enough to make the curve modifier look nice (what you see in the image is desired)... but I must be missing something when it comes to the actual animation.

Curve Animation Properties

I have applied the animation to the curve and have tried manually scrubbing the evaluation time in the path animation in the object data properties... nothing.

EDIT: clarification, wording, extra picture.

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  • $\begingroup$ if your goal is to move the sphere along the curve, why don't you simply move it on the good axis (X, Y or Z)? If you give it Follow Path I guess it doesn't move straight anymore and it won't follow the curve correctly $\endgroup$
    – moonboots
    Feb 5, 2022 at 5:48
  • $\begingroup$ That worked. That's a little embarassing, I was watching different videos that applied different techniques and totally overthought/overcooked this. $\endgroup$
    – Paniom
    Feb 5, 2022 at 5:53

1 Answer 1

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You don't need to follow path at all to follow the curve. It's already following the curve, via the curve modifier.

Simply move your object in local space in the curve modifier's deformation axis-- shown in the curve modifier, X for you, which is the default.

This will work fine with a hook-deformed curve (or a curve deformed in any number of other ways, so long as the deformation modifiers are set to act on the spline.)

There are times when you want something to both be a curve and follow a path, and that is possible, but this isn't one of those times.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thank you... after reading moonboots's comment I realized what I was doing and why it wouldn't have made sense. I'd be curious to see an implementation of both that has a desirable effect. $\endgroup$
    – Paniom
    Feb 5, 2022 at 5:55
  • $\begingroup$ Imagine tank treads-- an array on a curve-- following path defined by the motion of the tank over the ground. $\endgroup$
    – Nathan
    Feb 5, 2022 at 6:05

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