Resolving the Issue with Camera and Animation Syncing

Identifying the Problem:

In the development of our game, an issue arose where the player's mesh and animations were not being properly updated when performing certain actions, such as jumping or adjusting the camera pitch. This discrepancy resulted in a jarring experience for players, affecting both gameplay and visual aesthetics. To create a more seamless experience, I dove into the Player's Script and Animations, identified the root cause, and implemented a solution that synchronized the player's animations with the camera updates.

Implementing the Solution:

When observing the player's actions, it became apparent that the AimOffset, was not being set until after the Camera Update had occurred. Consequently, this led to a misalignment between the player's mesh and animations when performing certain actions, such as aiming or jumping. To address the synchronization issue, I restructured the animation blueprint, using the player's pitch and the AimOffset. By setting the pitch before the animation update, I ensured that the player's animations would accurately reflect their current state, making the character's actions appear more natural.  I modified the Camera Update  to use the updated AimOffsetPitch value which led to a proper sync between the two. To address the jump animation issue, I implemented a blend between the IdleWalkRun Blend Space and the AimOffset pose which allowed for the player to jump and shoot without the animation bending the player's mesh and creating abnormal effects. After implementing these changes, the player is now able to jump and shoot with the animations being properly set as well as the camera being synced to the updated animations

Author: Kyle Worthington 
Date: 7/20/2023