Skip to main content
Flow Core Documentation
Menu

Flow Character

Character Control with Flow Character

Create a character that can move, face, enter animation States, play Gestures, and emit Markers.

Audience
Gameplay designers and developers
Time
20 minutes
Requires
A character model, Animator, and animation clips
Modules
Flow Character
On this page

Flow Character provides a configured surface for player and NPC movement, facing, animation layers, and graph-driven character behavior. Start with one character that moves and enters one base State before adding Gestures, Markers, or IK.

Create the character

  1. Use GameObject > Flow Core > Flow Player for a player-oriented object, or GameObject > Flow Core > Flow NPC for an NPC-oriented object.
  2. Assign or confirm the character model and Animator references.
  3. Review move speed, rotation speed, acceleration, deceleration, gravity, jump force, and movement permissions.
  4. Confirm the generated hierarchy and component references are valid before replacing models or bones.
Image 04_02_01Screenshot production note

此处插图应该是新建 Flow Player 后的 Hierarchy 与 Inspector 组合截图；保留 Flow Character 主组件、Animator/Model 引用和移动设置，并用编号标出角色运行所需的主要区域。

Add a sustained animation State

Create either:

  • Flow Core > Character > Locomotion State for idle, directional movement, and jump-phase animation; or
  • Flow Core > Character > Clip State for one sustained animation clip or pose layer.

Configure the required clips, then use Character Enter State in a graph to make that State active. Movement may be working while animation remains unchanged if no State is active.

Video · 0:51Zombie Walk StateWatch a sustained locomotion State drive a visible character result.

Open video in a new tab

Drive visible behavior from a graph

Choose one small behavior:

  1. Create or reuse a graph bound to the character’s runtime owner.
  2. Add a Trigger or Entry that you can activate reliably.
  3. Add Character Enter State for the base animation behavior.
  4. Add a movement Instruction such as Character Move Direction or Character Move To.
  5. Add facing through Character Face Direction or Character Face Target when required.
  6. Enter Play Mode and inspect movement, facing, grounding, and active State.
Image 04_02_02Screenshot production note

此处插图应该是角色 Flow Graph 中 Character Enter State、Character Move Direction 与 Character Face Direction 指令的截图；显示角色目标、State 资源和方向数据来源，并框选运行高亮。

Video · 2:02Flow Character and Flow InteractionSee character behavior and interaction routing cooperate in one observable slice.

Add only the correction layers you need

Flow Character IK is an animation-first correction surface. Establish authored animation before adding LookAt, hands, fingers, side avoidance, or feet plant. Graphs should provide runtime intent such as a target or weight; stable rig calibration belongs in the character setup.

Video · 0:30Character LookAt IKSee one configured LookAt chain aim toward a runtime target.

Verify the result

Common Mistakes

SymptomCheck
Character Instructions do nothingConfirm the target resolves to the intended Flow Character.
Movement works but animation does notConfirm a State is active and Animator clips are assigned.
Movement is blockedCheck Can Move, Can Jump, and active State or Gesture motor overrides.
The model deforms after replacementRecheck model, Animator, bone chains, axes, and calibration.
A graph becomes character-specific unexpectedlyKeep stable configuration on the character and pass runtime intent through typed values.

What You Built

You created a character runtime, activated animation through a reusable State asset, and used graph Instructions to express movement and facing intent. Continue with States, Gestures & Markers to add bounded actions and animation-timed events.