Decided to have a fully animated, 8-direction moving character

[Cassiebsg]

It's not that hard to make a proper walkcycle in Blender, there are plenty of good youtube tutorials. That's what I use to learn how to make them for my game. If you need help, just say so. If he's meant to be dragging his feet, it's also fine. But again, we can't read your mind. So went you call it a walk cycle, I imagine that's how you want your character to walk.

[KyriakosCH]

That is what i'll have to do as well

Btw, do you like the colours and the general look of the character? And what about the drinking animation?

Some bits and pieces from the intro or generic animation (non player controlled ) :

[Cassiebsg]

Drinking looks okay, though he probably should tilt the head a bit backwards.

[KyriakosCH]

Some progress:





Sadly it looks more like Rowan Atkinson by the minute, but then again the character is supposed to be insane

[Danvzare]

Yeah your walk cycle looks much better now.
And personally, I don't think he looks like Rowan Atkinson.

[selmiak]

normally I don't like CGI walkcycles as they look too stiff. But yours somehow has some swing to it (a bit too much maybe) and is too stiff at the same time. Congrats on achieving this, I've never seen something like this before. Some armmovement might ease up the upper half of his body while walking.

[KyriakosCH]

Why it was my plan all-along!

Hm, basically the following is the 8 directions (and flicker/raise head for each), which needs cleaning up (more importantly in the directions where a blackness was generated between the legs) There is also some editing to do (will just do it pixel by pixel) in the up-left movement, due to the left leg protruding there rather strangely

[KyriakosCH]

More work on that room (changed to be a single bedroom-kitchen; to reflect a different storyline chosen ).



Views?

[Mandle]

I find myself absolutely loving that last room picture and I also love the new walkcycle of that character when I see it against the background.

I think you might have nailed what you were trying to achieve with bringing the character's personality to life, and you probably shouldn't fiddle with it too much more.

Move on to the next to-do item on your list... Because I really want to play this game ASAP!

[KyriakosCH]

^Thank you!

[KyriakosCH]

First version of another room (in the less serene part of the game )



Sadly the contrast makes the door in the end of the left corridor not show at all (in my screen anyway). I might place a very weak extra light source there by the end

Edit: different/testing version:



Uppe part is reserved for text and possible object animation/zoom in when examined etc.


You can compare with the first room (also not entirely complete, but getting there) :

[KyriakosCH]

And testing an idea for part of the 'first time enters'

[Danvzare]

Ooh I like that.
Nice little transition effects, that give the game a movie-like appearance.

[.M.M.]

If you really want to make your walkcycle look better, you should get rid of the gliding effect, at least a bit. Think about how people walk: you stand on one leg and move your body and the other leg forward, meaning the feet stays on ground and does not move. Now look at your character on screen. Try to think about how it actually works, don't just swing legs of the model back and forth.

[KyriakosCH]

^Yes, i have happened to have noticed how walking works. However i will get to that later, after i have fully modelled the unseen heart of the player character for added realism

Btw, which of the two progressions is a better idea? (the room object progression will be smoother by the end, this is just placeholder )

1:



2:

[selmiak]

The second one works better if you don't turn the character before cutting, rather walkthere, cut with cameramovement, cut, character already turned (as the view is already turned).
I have no idea if this is really neccessary though. It is a cool idea and if you absolutely want this transition you should use this everywhere in the game.

[Danvzare]

The second one works better if you don't turn the character before cutting, rather walkthere, cut with cameramovement, cut, character already turned (as the view is already turned).

+1

[KyriakosCH]

The second one works better if you don't turn the character before cutting, rather walkthere, cut with cameramovement, cut, character already turned (as the view is already turned).
I have no idea if this is really neccessary though. It is a cool idea and if you absolutely want this transition you should use this everywhere in the game.

I won't be triggered by just moving; it is more of a special cinematic in some parts of rooms (eg here it would be in the 'first time enter' routine)

[.M.M.]

^Yes, i have happened to have noticed how walking works. However i will get to that later, after i have fully modelled the unseen heart of the player character for added realism

Well, your animation doesn't show that. The character just swings his legs, both the same way without showing where the body's weight is. And that has nothing to do with personality of the protagonist.
You asked for critique, you get critique. I didn't mention room renders, because there's no improvement needed! Maybe that's what makes the stiff animation stand out, too.

[KyriakosCH]

Thanks Truth be told, i am just lazy...

I might still improve the walking, though. Although it is true that in-game (as seen in one of the scenes where he just walks) it looks ok due to giving the character personality (i suppose in a distorted/expressionist way, but yes -- lazy ). He isn't the happiest of people.