# Seeking clarity about root motion

**URL:** <https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/seeking-clarity-about-root-motion/449526>\
**Category:** Character & Animation\
**Tags:** walk, unreal-engine, 3DS-Max, question\
**Created:** [May 24, 2019, 4:00pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/seeking-clarity-about-root-motion/449526 "2019-05-24T16:00:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Niku-zan](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Niku-zan](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Niku-zan)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2019, 4:00pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/seeking-clarity-about-root-motion/449526/1 "2019-05-24T16:00:32Z")

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Hello good people, i am having some trouble wrapping my head around using root motion with a custom character!

I am working on a custom character with a custom rig, both created in 3DS Max. Now i have seen so many methods for applying root motion to, lets say a walkcycle, but most seem to rely on; CAT Biped workflow, plugins/scripts or mixamo characters, so im not sure what direction to take.

As far as i gather i need a bone centered in every way to the world at the base of my character, but on top of my bone-hirarchy? (This seems to trouble my rig as it has a splineroot in that place currently) So if i walk a straight line, can i just copy the animation axis i follow and copy-pasta this to the new root? And is there a way to make this bone “un-intrusive” to my current bones?

Or maybe i need to use another workflow all together?

Any advice or pointers would be greatly appreciated!