An object oriented approach to virtual motion programming utilizes generic motion identifiers to construct universal generic motion descriptions (102) of complex motien events. A virtual motion controller (110) receives generic motion descriptions and breaks down the descriptions into their constituent parts. The controller (110) expands the generic motion identifiers into general acceleration profiles and processes the general acceleration profiles with the modifiers to generate ideal acceleration profiles that define the acceleration components for the generic motion description with reference to an ideal motion platform (38) having unlimited mechanical movement. The controller (110) translates the ideal acceleration profiles into customized position commands for the motion platform based upon the controller's knowledge of the platform's capabilities.