A VAR is just a zip file with a meta.json file and whatever content is packed in. Animations done in Timeline or Scene Animation are stored in the scene's JSON file under /Saves/scene.
I don't know of ways to convert that JSON data into FBX or other formats because I never tried to. If you found a plugin that can export to BVH and if that's a format you can use or are able to convert to FBX, then you already have a solution.
If the plugin you mention is an external tool to VAM, then you don't need VAM. If it is a plugin to use in VAM, don't despair, because linux is not a problem and the key to have the full unlocked VAM would cost you about 10€ one time.
I use VAM on linux, so I can attest that it works. You can run it using Wine, Winetricks, Steam, Lutris, etc. I'm currently using
Faugus Launcher handling proton and everything else needed, simple to use and runs great.
To get a Creator key to unlock the full VAM options, you go to Patreon, read the instructions for keys, choose Creator key, pay about 10€, save the key, enter that in VAM to change to Creator mode, end your subscritption in Patreon, and that's done. VAM will work forever with the key you have,
Thank you! I'm an idiot and didn't scroll down to see there was a one-time purchase option, I only saw the monthly options. That's more reasonable. I'll look again given the mistake I just made, but it definitely looked like the addon I mentioned was something running within VAM, and I need a standalone solution. I was already trying to run VAM through protontricks, and the launcher was running correctly, at least initially, but would run out of memory and freeze when trying to download the demo. It might be worth fiddling with more now that I know there's a one-time purchase option, but it still seems like a very janky and completely unnecessary number of steps to achieve something like this.
Of course, it's 2026, VAM's hub is probably one of the last remaining source of semi-prioprietary and or CC content available for free. The rest of the internet needs to make patreon money, so why would they share their animations for free : )
Thank you for the reply! To answer the question, because lots of people share things for free out of principle, that's why open source communities exist. If you look for more standard SFW game animations/mocap data, there are countless resources for them that are free even for commercial use, such as Mixamo and repositories created by universities. I since a little bit of sarcasm on that, so maybe an answer wasn't neccsary. But regardless, you misunderstand what I said. I am looking for NSFW animation data in an industry-standard format. I didn't say "this is really difficult to find for free." I said "this is really difficult to find." Period. I am more than willing to pay for them, but I can't pay for something that doesn't exist. I found a couple who has five or so doggystyle animations for sale on itch, and other than that, nada. I'd be more than happy if you could prove me wrong on that, because that would solve the core issue for why I'm here.
The only other resources I could find/think of were here, and the extensive amount of animations available in Skyrim mods, which I believe are mostly created by the modders themselves. You already know the issue I've run into with VAM, but with loverslab/Skyrim:
1. I already know the animations there are mostly not what I'm looking for. I'm looking more for erotic dancing/teasing stuff rather than penetrative sex.
2. They are packaged in a weird havok format that would require some tools I don't have to get into blender. I'm trying very hard to not install anything extra I don't need.
I suppose I'm realizing now that I could probably check the other games on loverslab as well, since I have not done that. Perhaps there's different sets of animations for those, or in different formats.
You obviously need it. If you stumble upon a proprietary file format, and you have not idea what it is, you clearly have to own the software to understand it. (and that's not like we're talkin' adobe licence cost).
You can't say I obviously need it and then immediately give me another course of action that doesn't require it XD A script that converts from one file format to the other is exactly what I meant by "extract." I chose to use that word because there looks to be more within the var file than just the animation that I don't need. Stuff like scene data for what character, clothes, and prop models are being used. I just want the animation data on the skeleton. No need for a model. Hence "extract." I'm referring to extracting the raw data in whatever standard format will work (that blender supports), not necessarily an embedded FBX or something. FBX is just what I see used most often. "Extract" seems to me a correct verb for what such a script would be doing though. I've already started looking into the possibility of making such a script to see how hard it would be, and located within the var files where I believe the animation data is stored, possibly in hexadecimal? If there's a guide out there somewhere that explains the data structure of the json in more detail, that would be super helpful. But it looks organized enough that I believe your statement about needing to own the software to understand it is false.
Even if it is doable, it's still quite a bit of work, as you said. And for something that feels like it ought to already exist, or better yet, not need to exist in the first place due to availability of industry standard file formats. I am possibly willing to give it a go if I decide the juice is worth the squeeze, and already started looking into how I could before making this post. But it doesn't make sense to just start doing that work right away with no research into whether or not it's already been done and might be available for use. Hence why I am here, asking if such a tool exists.
If you can say with more certainty that no such tool exists outside of VAM, and that making my own script is the only option, then I think that would be sufficient to mark it as an answer. Some guidance on what I need to know for making such a script would also a suitable answer, if there's any out there. I was already envisioning that such a script, whether made by somebody in the community already or by me, would be the correct answer. I guess I just didn't do a good job of stating that assumption up front.
Might be a little off topic, but the creator below has lots of free NSFW animations although for MMD rather than FBX. The mmd_tools plugin for Blender would allow to import them for mmd rigs at least. Then maybe there's a way to convert to them for other rigs but I wouldn't know.
Thank you! That definitely sounds like something I'm looking for in resolving my core issue. I had heard of MMD in my searches, but couldn't find a whole lot about it, particularly in regard to animation files. The language barrier might have been part of that. I'll check this out, as it might be what I need.
