Cloned Object movement along path with offset

[deal-blind]

Hello, maybe you can help with this, I couldn't find any info on this. Maybe I wasn't sure what to look for.

I'm having an animated object.
I want to clone said object with a time offset, so the clones animate in with a delay. That works fine.
Now I want those clones to follow a spline but I also want the movement along the spline to be delayed with a time offset.

That's where I struggle. I attached a file for testing in there. I'd just like to have the movement along the path also affected by the time offset. Does this make sense?

Many thanks in advance.
Cloner_Offset_Test.c4d

[Dr. Sassi]

Hi deal-blind,

Thanks for the file!

The offset is based on Object Keyframes. So we need to produce them first.

I used the Cube alone first, with a Spline Align Tag. Set to 0-100% (linear keyframe interpolation.)

Then, the Cappucino function (Shift + C) was used to record the Animation for Pos and Rotation (Tangential was on in the Tag.)

Removed the Align to Spline tag.
Placed the Cube under the Cloner and switched off the Spline Effector.

Example.
CV4_2026_drs_25_MGto_01.c4d

Is that working for your needs?

All the best

[Dr. Sassi]

P.S.: As an alternative, how about using Particle as the driving force?
The age of each particle drives the animation individually.

Example
CV4_2026_drs_25_MGto_11.c4d