Wanting my Dash animation to Play when Dashing, but it only plays the first frame the whole time

Help Programming
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1

Godot Version
4.4.1

Question

I’m brand new to coding, and in my 2D Platformer I have a dash animation, but it only plays the first frame of it the whole time one holds the dash key and moves left or right. I want it to play the whole animation. Idk if this is an animation player or a coding problem, but it appears and plays normal in the animation player.

Here is the code for the player character and initializing the animations:
(((Tool-less refers to the character’s actions without any tools equipped)))

extends CharacterBody2D

@onready var animation = $AnimationPlayer
@onready var sprite = $Sprite2D

@export var jog_speed: float = 100.0
@export var dash_speed: float = 300.0
@export var jump_velocity: float = -400.0
@export var jump_time: float = 0.25
@export var gravity_force: float = 3.0

var gravity = ProjectSettings.get_setting(“physics/2d/default_gravity”)
var is_jumping : bool = false
var jump_timer : float = 0
var is_dashing = false

func _physics_process(delta: float) → void:
if Input.is_action_pressed(“Jog Left”):
sprite.scale.x = abs(sprite.scale.x) * -1
if Input.is_action_pressed(“Jog Right”):
sprite.scale.x = abs(sprite.scale.x)

# Add the gravity.
if not is_on_floor() and not is_jumping:
	velocity.y += gravity * gravity_force * delta
	


# Handle jump.
if Input.is_action_just_pressed("Jump") and is_on_floor():
	velocity.y = jump_velocity
	is_jumping = true
	
	
elif Input.is_action_just_pressed("Jump") and is_jumping:
	velocity.y = jump_velocity

if is_jumping and Input.is_action_pressed("Jump") and jump_timer < jump_time:
	jump_timer += delta
else:
	is_jumping = false
	jump_timer = 0


# Get the input direction and handle the movement/deceleration.
# As good practice, you should replace UI actions with custom gameplay actions.
var direction := Input.get_axis("Jog Left", "Jog Right")
if direction:
	velocity.x = direction * jog_speed
else:
	velocity.x = move_toward(velocity.x, 0, jog_speed)
	

if Input.is_action_pressed("Run"):
	if direction:
		velocity.x = direction * dash_speed
		
	else:
		velocity.x = move_toward(velocity.x, 0, dash_speed)
		


	
	

update_animation()
move_and_slide()

func update_animation():
if velocity.x != 0:
animation.play(“Jog - Tool-less”)
else:
animation.play(“Idle - Tool-less”)

if Input.is_action_pressed("Run") and velocity.x < 0:
	animation.play("Dash - Tool-less")
if Input.is_action_pressed("Run") and velocity.x > 0:
	animation.play("Dash - Tool-less")
	


if velocity.y < 0:
	animation.play("Jump - Tool-less")
2

Please post your code as pre-formatted text. You can do this by placing three backticks (```) before and after your code. This preserves indentation.

func update_animation():
	if velocity.x != 0:
		animation.play(“Jog - Tool-less”)
	else:
		animation.play(“Idle - Tool-less”)

	if Input.is_action_pressed("Run") and velocity.x < 0:
		animation.play("Dash - Tool-less")
	
	if Input.is_action_pressed("Run") and velocity.x > 0:
		animation.play("Dash - Tool-less")
		
	if velocity.y < 0:
		animation.play("Jump - Tool-less")

update_animation is called every time _physics_process is called. Godot calls _physics_process many times a second.

If the Run button is held when update_animation is called, the first condition that is checked is whether the velocity is unequal to zero. This is the case, so the animation "Jog - Tool-less" is set. The remaining conditions are then checked from top to bottom.

The dash animation is set in one of the subsequent conditional checks. However, update_animation is called again shortly after the function is exited, and so the animation is first set to Jog - Tool-less again. This is why you only see one frame of the dash animation.

3

So if I’m getting what you’re saying correctly, I need to change the code for the “Dash - Tool-less” animation to be called? Or do I need to change the order of the play animation codes?
Sorry, but I’m new to all of this so I’m a bit confused by the wording

4

I believe @TokyoFunkScene has identified two problems that you need to address.

The first is that you are setting a new animation every frame. That is preventing the last animation you call from completing. This is why you are only seeing the first frame. You can use AnimationPayer.is_playing() to wait for the animation to complete.

is_playing method

The second issue is in your logic. You play two different animations when velocity.x is not zero. Something like this will fix that problem:

if velocity.x != 0:
  if Input.is_action_pressed("Run"): 
    animation.play("Dash - Tool-less")
  else:
    animation.play(“Jog - Tool-less”)

Fair warning - comparing floats to a value is problematic.

Pertinent bit:

You should usually use the @GlobalScope.is_equal_approx() and @GlobalScope.is_zero_approx() methods instead of == to compare float values for equality.