Run Cycle Animation / Suburb Background

[Scavenger]

Been working on an animation for the more action orientated bits of my game (since walking while being chased makes for hilarity, not drama) so here is the main character running as fast as he can (not very):



I don't like the tail, but I don't know how to get a nice sine wave action on it. Anything else I need to fix?

Also, I need some more feedback on this background:

It's a quiet little suburb on the edge of the city, far away from the noise and bustle. The house on the left right (guh, I am a dumb) is the most important part of the scene.

[Kweepa]

That's a terrific run cycle. Once it's moving across the screen, you won't notice anything wrong with the tail, I think.


For the background, it looks pretty darn good.
There's a weird blend in the grass when the perspective kicks in, and the road looks a little smudged
The stars seem rather evenly spaced out
The buildings on the left are hard to read - is that the moon?
It almost looks like the building on the right should be the focus

[Moresco]

I love the right side of the background...but everything on the left just makes me confused.  The perspective thing going on there is a cool idea, but it just sort of seems like it was randomly swooshed in there.   I think if you took the left side of that road, and made it go straight toward camera from the vanishing point instead of curving....then it wouldn't look quite as odd.  That's what I'd do anyhow.

I, too, am unable to discern what all that stuff on the very left-most side of the BG is.  I thought at first it was the moon, then I saw the black line connecting it and I'm guessing that it is another light-pole but very close to camera.  This seems like strange composition to me, it's more confusing than helpful.  I'd remove that.  What's the role of the left-side of the BG exactly? Knowing that would help in guiding you in a direction.  As it is, if the house is the most important thing, I'd say lose the left side of the BG.

[Scavenger]

The stuff to the left of the rightmost building is what we pan from to establish the scene, otherwise there's this house in the middle of nowhere. The player doesn't actually interact with the left part. I just wanted something to say "This is our location right now."

[hedgefield]

I agree with what's been said before. You did a good job implying the character is running as fast as he can because he looks pretty winded, like he's struggling to maintain his speed.

And somehow the background reminds me of the streetcorner in the suburbs where future Marty lives with his family in Back to the Future II

[Moresco]

The stuff to the left of the rightmost building is what we pan from to establish the scene, otherwise there's this house in the middle of nowhere. The player doesn't actually interact with the left part. I just wanted something to say "This is our location right now."

Ok, knowing your intentions helps a bit.  If it's just a quick pan, maybe it won't matter as much, but if you want to consider some changes, I think the left edge and the road are the things I'd work on.