How would I actually get this done?

[Zeph_Solaris]

o/

I'm looking to have what I consider a complex animation set up. Essentially, it can be likened to planets in our solar system, where planets spin as they orbit the sun. I imagine that this would be set up similarly to how weapons/vehicles/characters are done by using sockets. I have my two skeletal meshes that animate properly, but I cant figure out where I need to go so the "planet" gets attached to the socket of the "orbit". Anyone know where this is done?

[spermplant]

Is this in matinee? If so, why not just attach the planets to a large invisible disk mesh (each) and rotate the disks. I think you can set bIgnoreBaseRotation in the attachment and still spin and tilt the planets independently of the orbit. The attachment properties are in each actor's properties when you right-click-->properties (or F4, I think)
You would set the invisible spinning disks (or any shape really - they are invisible) as the Base for the attachment.

[ambershee]

I'd animate the natural rotation of the bodies (if any) in a material shader, and just move the plants using a simple path in Matinee. Much easier that, way, I'd imagine.

[Zeph_Solaris]

The animations could be done with matinee, but I'm wanting to have the animations done as a skeletal mesh and socket system so what is essentially the orbit can be changed in the future based on information outside of matinee. Say if instead of an orbit it is decided that the animation path should be an outline of a George Washington's face it could simply be swapped with something else; such as an outline of a space ship.