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Greetings,

I'm working on an animation with multiple objects (150 spheres). I've animated the spheres and would like to make them follow a path without altering the previous location keyframes.

I've attempted to add a Follow Path constraint on 1 sphere with the Nurbs Path as target so I could then keyframe the offset, and also messed with the settings, but since the object is not at the (0, 0, 0) position - because it has been animated already - the Follow Path constraint does not work properly (check attached images).

Selected sphere, you can see it has been animated previously

Sphere is not on right position when Follow Path constraint is added

I was wondering if it is possible, or what is the best way I could make an object that has been animated and is not at the original position (0, 0, 0) follow a path, as described? Is it possible to repeat this process with all 150 spheres (following the same Nurbs Path)?

For reference, this is what I intend to do: spheres following path

I've looked at different threads and docs on this matter, but I can't find any solution to my specific problem and I'm still a beginner.

Your help and time will be deeply appreciated!

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2 Answers 2

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After you keyframed the location of your object as you wish, move the object to the beginning of your path, keyframe the location and follow path influence to 1. On the next keyframe set and keyframe influence to 1 and offset to 1, and location to 0,0,0 like this:

enter image description here

Then on a later keyframe and set offset to 0. (of course depending on your settings you might have to set offset to 0 at start and to 1 at the end)

result:

enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ This worked perfectly. Thank you! $\endgroup$
    – Johnny R.
    May 8, 2022 at 22:58
  • $\begingroup$ You are welcome $\endgroup$
    – Chris
    May 9, 2022 at 15:59
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If first up you parent the spheres to an Empty, so they can all be moved as a group, then parent that parent to another Empty that's the path follower, when the path follower is working as it should, all spheres would follow it's travels and retain their animations, but obviously not on the path proper. There's no reason you can't animate/keyframe the spheres' parent so it or one of the spheres is at the path's starting point if that's also desired.

More detail and Blend file if you wish. Just leave a comment.

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