Blending between Pose States

When you create the crowd simulation, one Pose State compound is created in the Skeleton Simulation ICE tree for each loaded action source (see How Action Sources Are Used in the Crowd Simulation). Pose states set the transformations of the deformers in the rig proxy for each actor instance in the crowd simulation based on the data that is set in the Initialize Locomotion Data or Initialize Stadium Data compounds. For locomotion simulations, the pose states are switched based on the actor's speed. For stadium simulations, the pose states are switched according to any custom conditions you have set in this ICE tree.

In each Pose State compound, you can set how it blends with the previous pose state. How you want to blend between pose states often depends on the type of animation used for the pose: a locomotion action cycle such as a walk or run; a stationary action cycle such as idling or arm waving; or a "one-time" non-cycling action such as falling down and dying or jumping up and landing.

The settings you choose for the Cycle Modes and States Interpolation parameters in the Pose State compound can help make better transitions according to the type of animation. Here are some general guidelines:

Blending between Locomotion Cycles

If you're blending between locomotion actions whose animation cycles are similar and repeating, such as blending from a walk cycle to a run cycle, these settings in the appropriate Pose State compound will probably work the best:

Select Current Frame in Cycle as the Cycle Modes option to get the current frame of the actor's cycle in this pose state. This option uses the CrowdFX_Actor_CurrentFrameInCycle attribute which basically keeps track of where the actor should be in the original animation cycle compared to the where the actor is in the simulated cycle. The animation cycle in the simulation is scaled according to the actor's speed.
Select Animation Cycle from Last State as the States Interpolation mode. This uses the full last cycle from the previous pose state to blend with the animation in this pose during the transition.

Blending into or between Stationary Cycles

If you're blending between stationary cycles, such as standing or arm waving, these settings in the Pose State compound will probably work the best. This also applies when switching from a locomotion cycle into a stationary one, such as an actor switching from running to standing and waving his arms.

Select Current Frame in Timeline as the Cycle Modes option to blend the previous pose with whatever animation is happening in this pose at the current frame in the simulated cycle.
Select Last Frame from Last State as the States Interpolation mode. This uses only the last frame of animation used in the previous pose state.

Blending into "Single Action" Poses

If you're blending from any type of action into a "single action" non-cycling pose, such as falling down and dying, or delivering a knockout punch, these settings in the Pose State compound will probably work the best.

Select Frame Input as the Cycle Modes option, then set the Frame value to the first frame of the animation in this pose, which is probably 0. For example, if an actor is switching from a locomotion cycle (running) to a single action pose (falling down and dying), you probably want the "falling down" action to start at the first frame of its animation.
Since the Initial Frame value (in the Initialize Locomotion Data or Initialize Stadium Data compound) is being added by the Pose State compound under the hood, you need to set up the ICE tree to first subtract the Initial Frame value so that the Frame value you specify here is used. This image shows an example of how to do this:
Select Animation Cycle from Last State as the States Interpolation mode if you are blending in from a cycled pose state. For example, you want the walk cycle to blend into the punch action so that actor "walks into" the punching action more smoothly.

Select Last Frame from Last State if you're blending in from a non-cycled pose.