[21/50] Custom animation montage notifies in Unreal

On import of animations, say, from an FBX file, the engine creates an Animation Sequence which is a standalone record of an animation against a pre-defined Skeletal Mesh.

Animation Montage allow us to combine multiple animations into a single asset that can be controlled from Blueprints or independently too. Furthermore, there can be logical operations defining the relationship between various sequences that are combined within a montage.

Once a montage is created, we have different tracks and slots where the individual animation sequences can be placed along the timeline track.

Animation Montages (like sequences) allows us to trigger notifications when the animation reaches specific frames. These notifications can later be handled by the associated Animation Blueprint to activate further game logic.

The engine provides pre-built notifications to Play Sounds, Niagara Particle Effects, Gameplay Cue among others in addition to the ability to define custom notifications.

To define a custom notification, we right click on the notifies track on the Animation Montage timeline, select "Add Notifiy" followed by "New Notify" which will activate a pop-up asking for a name for the new custom notification.

Once a new notification is created, we can place it around anywhere on the timeline track by dragging it. The same notification can also be triggered multiple times. Previously, created custom notifications can be accessed from the "Skeleton Notifies" section in the same right-click menu of the timeline.