Character walkcycles! :)

toomuchdietcoke · Sun 24/10/2004 08:57:44

Hi there, guys, I'm new to the forums, but have been an avid observer of AGS-made games for quite awhile now... And, well, I decided that, since I now have bountiful amounts of free time on my hands, I should get off my ass and make my own (640x400) game.

So... I got the four main walkcycles together for my main character, Luna, and the front view walkcycle for another character who dresses up in a cat costume. (Yes, expect one or two Donnie Darko references here!)

I'd like to know what could be improved here, as I'm a severe perfectionist!

(The base I used to create my character comes from here: http://www.misato.co.uk/hush/main.htm -- yes, a dollz site... But it seemed to fit my purposes. :P I already have her consent to use the bases for the creation of my characters, so all's good. But the animation/design/etc/etc is all mine.)

Without further ado:

Thanks muchly. And nice to meet you all.

-- Laney

Mr_Frisby · Sun 24/10/2004 09:44:58

Welcome to the forums. Lovely looking characters.

There are a few common problems with your cycles -
Forward cycle coold do with a couple more frames but the big glitch is - she needs to be lifting her knees more because shes kicking or shuffling.

The left right are pretty ace but at one point it looks like her legs are twisting around one another. Alot of people make this mistake to start with (me $:-\$ ). You'll need to not use the same frames for the front leg and back. Draw a new one for one of them - keeping in mind that the back lef will settle down a couple of pixels higher than the front leg. It seems too simple but it really does make a difference.

The arms on these are really good though.

With the up walk cycle you could try bowing her legs out a bit. I'm not too sure. And the green cat suit dude lloks pretty spiff.

Hop I helpded.

toomuchdietcoke · Sun 24/10/2004 09:59:17

Thank you very much for your quick reply! I'll definitely fix the problems you mentioned-- I did notice it looked like she was shuffling, but I didn't really stop to think about why. As for the side-view animation, I DID notice that her legs seemed to be behaving oddly, but I just kind of figured I'd been staring at it for too long.

I'll get to work on it, see if I can figure it out. Thanks!

Iwan · Sun 24/10/2004 10:15:26

I think the first walk cycle looks like shes walking backwards. I think you can fix this by adding or replacing the frames where you see the grey bottom of her feet with ones where you can see red top of her feet so it looks like she points her feet down.

toomuchdietcoke · Sun 24/10/2004 10:48:31

I was wondering about that, too... But I hoped that, in the game itself, when you see her physically moving forward, it would be sorted out... It doesn't look that bad in the test runs in any case.

I based the foot pointing up movements off of the walkcycle example featured at Kafka's Koffee tutorial site:

This one in particular.

But I'll definitely give your suggestion a try, Alpha. Thank you.

Pft! · Sun 24/10/2004 15:45:45

Some of your sprites go randomly back and forth? But good work on the art. 8)

Angelos · Sun 24/10/2004 16:51:32

Nice sprite, very challenging to animate.

Walkcycles consist of at least 6 frames.
For the front view, If you make the first 3 just
flip them, arange hair (if it is not symmetric)
and you have the next 3. You can make
the back view by animating backwards the front view
and aranging the colors. There are many great tutorials
to be found in the ags site.

I took the liberty of making a rough anim-over (!) of the front view.

To point directions. I Hope you find it usefull.

Angelos.

toomuchdietcoke · Sun 24/10/2004 17:17:57

Heeeey. I really like that, Angelo. Would you mind if I used it? (Just going to add a little shading, but otherwise, I don't think I could get it much better than that!)

And yeah, I compared my huge, textured sprite to the smaller, simpler, yet just as effective sprites from, say, 5 Days a Stranger, and I want to strangle myself for going this route! But hell, I've started this, and I intend to finish it!

Thanks!!

BlackMan890 · Sun 24/10/2004 21:08:30

wow, lively character

i think everyone has already said what i wanted to say
*i don't like the animation on her hands on the sides view, it looks weird

her hands are moving but not the shoulders, so i think the shoulders should move a little with the hand

stuh505 · Mon 25/10/2004 02:32:53

looks really nice

where the girl is walking forward, though, her hands look as though shes sliding them back and forth across her tummy...maybe move them out a little bit, and now have the elbows bent inwards (at least not in all the frames)

Angelos · Mon 25/10/2004 06:28:28

Quote from: toomuchdietcoke on Sun 24/10/2004 17:17:57
Heeeey. I really like that, Angelo. Would you mind if I used it? (Just going to add a little shading, but otherwise, I don't think I could get it much better than that!)

Be my guest and use it anyway you want. It's not mine, its yours anyway. Soon
I will have to delete it form my server or the Doll-girl will get angry

I am certain that you can get it way much better. Keep working on it.

Angelos

Sonja · Thu 28/10/2004 06:16:59

Hi Laney!

Luna is cute! I like her.

--Sonja

auhsor · Thu 28/10/2004 13:42:45

I like Angelos edit of the front. There is one thing that annoys me. There needs to be a smoother transition for the arms to be at the back and then the front. It looks a bit strange at the moment. Good work tho.

Eggie · Sat 06/11/2004 15:12:27

I never really understood the appeal of those doll things. I mean, where's the fun in drawing clothes over other peoples awesome artwork and having to match their level of awesomeness, sweating and eventually coming out with something you can never truly call your own.
Although, you seem to have done alot of custom work because I can't find anything like that character on the site...good job.

Righto...