Cavalry

Cavalry is a 2D animation and motion graphics software. It creates data-driven animations and complex motion sequences through a system of rules and relationships. Unlike traditional keyframe methods, Cavalry automates animation using visual connectors and JavaScript scripting. The procedural approach accelerates the production of repetitive sequences and multiple design variations for advertising, data visualization, broadcast, UI, and social media.

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• Rig control. A procedural rigging system that structures characters or objects using parent-child relationships and logical connectors. It animates complex parts without separate keyframing for each component, automatically updating position and rotation based on defined rules.
• Rubber Hose. A deformation tool for creating arms, legs, or flexible connections with elastic behavior. It uses two control points to generate a deformable line that maintains volume, suitable for cartoon-style character animation and organic transitions.
• Connect shapes. A function that links shapes through parametric connectors. One shape follows or adapts to changes in another, such as lines that redraw automatically between moving objects. Used for dynamic diagrams and animated charts.
• Color Palettes. A color palette system linked to objects. Modifying one color in the central palette updates all connected elements instantly. Accelerates color testing and adaptation to different brands or visual styles.
• Magic Easing. An advanced interpolation curve editor with visual controls for creating realistic acceleration and deceleration movements. Includes over 30 easing presets and manual curve modification, applicable to any animatable property.
• Text Animation. A rule-based text animation engine with modifiers. Animates characters, words, or entire lines without individual keyframes, applying sequential effects, fades, or displacements controlled by expressions and duplicators.
• Duplicator. A generator that creates multiple instances of an object or group with repetition, rotation, scale, and position controls. Functions as a parametric replicator producing element matrices or cascading animations, updating all duplicates when the original changes.
• Data Import. A module for importing external data in JSON, CSV, or XML formats. Numerical or textual values link directly to animation properties, creating dynamic data visualizations, animated bar charts, or informational panels that respond to real data.
• Lottie Export. The ability to export animations to Lottie JSON format, compatible with After Effects, web, and native mobile applications. Preserves most procedural properties translated into optimized animations for lightweight environments without significant visual quality loss.
• Forge Dynamics. An integrated physics simulation engine that adds gravity, collisions, springs, and random forces to animated objects. Uses a rule-modifiable particle system to generate realistic animations without manual keyframes or external plugins.
• Falloffs. Spatial attenuation controllers that affect how effects apply across distance or relative position. Create influence gradients for deformers, opacity, or color based on customizable curves that define intensity from a central point or along an axis.
• Quad Tree. A spatial data structure optimizing collision detection and element organization in scenes with hundreds of objects. Improves performance in dense animations and enables complex proximity-based relationships, accelerating real-time calculations.

Cavalry was developed by Cavalry Studio, based in the United Kingdom. The first public version of the software was released in the year 2020. The program is written primarily in the C++ programming language, using modern graphics frameworks to ensure high real-time performance. The development team is led by Sam Penney and Duncan Wallett, professionals with prior experience in animation tools and motion graphics.

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