How do you import an FBX animation into Unity and what is root motion?

• A. Root motion is automatically applied without settings.
• B. Import the FBX as a texture.
• C. Root motion moves the character’s transform according to the animation; enable Apply Root Motion in the Animator component if needed.
• D. Root motion only applies to static objects.

Answer: (C)

Root motion is the movement data baked into an animation that drives the character’s actual transform, not just the joints. When you import an FBX, Unity brings in the animation data, and if you want the character to move as the animation says (for example, walking forward or turning), you enable the option that makes the Animator apply that motion to the GameObject’s position and rotation. Enabling Apply Root Motion on the Animator tells Unity to use the root motion from the animation to move the character, rather than moving it through a script or physics. If you don’t enable it, the animation will still animate the bones, but the character’s transform stays in place. This is especially important for mocap or realistic locomotion work, where the movement is defined by the animation itself.