TMC walkcycles C&C

[hedgefield]

I could use some help with finalizing the walkcycles for my game. I'm content with the side walkcycle, right now the problem is the down walkcycle (don't get me started on the up walkycle, that's a horror in itself which will be adressed later). I've postponed finishing them because, well, I don't like animating, but it's preventing me from putting out a new demo until they're finished, so I decided to tackle the problem and just get it over with.



This is I think the 4th version, and though close, it's still not right. Ingame the steps seem too small for the walking speed, and even when I lower it to match it doesn't look very natural either. And somewhere something is not quite right with the sway. Don't mind the speeds, they're not an exact match in the animations, but that's just a matter of the framerate.

[Scraseface]

I like it, it just seems like the arm swings on the down animation don't have as large an arch as the side walk cycle.

Also the knees look a little static.

As a whole, he seems to have quite a stiff walk. But that might just be how he walks. I don't think it's usual pratice to ever completely straighten your legs whilst walking unless you are indeed marching, or something like that.

[Afflict]

I think it looks awesome is it based of Mr Colossal's (spelling?)  walk template?

[hedgefield]

You're right about the the stiffness, that's especially my issue with the front walkcycle. Part of it might be my own complacence, getting things to animate fluidly is a pain in the ass.

And yes, the basic movement comes from Eric's animations. The previous versions were much more resemblant of it, I've been toning the cartoonesque motions down a bit.

[Scraseface]

You're right about the the stiffness, that's especially my issue with the front walkcycle.

Alright, well, your main problem in regard to it looking stiff is something I've already mentioned: the legs straighting out.

The thing is, if you stand with one foot in front of the other, and then you straighten out your front leg, provided you keep your shoulders behind your knee, you will notice that your weight feels more distrubuted to the back (and here I go again with weight distrubtion). This is good if you want to stand all straight and regimental, but if you're walking in a relaxed way, you're more likely to put your weight foward, which means bending that front foot, and not straighting it.

It only needs to be bent a little bit for your weight to go foward. Standing with one foot in front of the other again, try really relaxing your front leg, and then bending and straiginting it slowly. You will notice there's a small point where your leg bends and straightens faster, right before it's completely straight. The point at which it does not bend as fast is where your weight will go from being more at the back to quite definatly more at the front. This is good to know if you want your character's knee to be kinda bent, but not that bent.

More things you could do to make the character's walk look more relaxed; try to making him prepare his feet for hitting the ground. So, you could have him angle his heel onto the ground and then, kind of roll it onto the floor. (This kind of walking can also be quieter when done right, FYI).

If he's loose his upper arms are going to move more. At the moment only his lower arms really move. The thing about being relaxed is more of you moves around because more of your body is suggestable to force. So, for example, someone who is standing relaxed will move more if they are pushed than someone who is standing all stiff.

Also, are you gonna put fingers in at any point? Because someone's fingers can tell you about their mood while they walk. I, for example, often walk around with clenched fists without realizing it because I can be quite a tense person.

[hedgefield]

Those are some really helpful suggestions, I've never really accounted much for anatomy and weight distribution. In the previous version his body wasn't even tilted forward during walking. While you typed all that up, I was working on an updated version of the side walkcycle, where his knee bends slightly. And I also tweaked his left leg to be more in proportion to his right leg. I'll put in some more of your suggestions later.

   

About the hands, I've been thinking about that. I'm not down with the blobs they are now, so I'll reshape them a bit for sure, but fingers are too much detail I think. I'd need higher resolution sprites to really make that work well. Maybe just thumbs...

[Bluesman]

There's a glitch in the front cycle. The character wobbles slightly around when his left foot (right hand side to us) touches down. I think it must be due to the entire image having been displaced by one pixel within one of the frames. Maybe it's just me.

[Scraseface]

Those are some really helpful suggestions, I've never really accounted much for anatomy and weight distribution.

Thanks. Not accounting for weight is a problem that even some proffesional animators seem to have. Espiscally ones in modern games. Personally I respect for a game with good animation, because many don't, and it honestly just looks lazy.

[OneDollar]

There's a glitch in the front cycle. The character wobbles slightly around when his left foot (right hand side to us) touches down. I think it must be due to the entire image having been displaced by one pixel within one of the frames. Maybe it's just me.

I see that too, but only after you pointed it out

[Afflict]

I love the feel of it to be honest.

If you want to lose the stiffness, make the character more dynamic.

Move the shoulders.
Sway the Chest (after effect of the shoulders.)

[Dualnames]

I'm sure those look absolutely good.

[Erwin_Br]

While the animation is indeed rather stiff, I think it suits the character quite well - by the looks of it. (I don't really know anything about his personality, of course)

--Erwin

[hedgefield]

Thanks for the feedback. I think I'll be able to sort out the front walkcycle, so, on to the more pressing matters:

The up walkcycle.



I've gone through all other animations but this one before to fix proportions and clean up the lines, so it's still quite bad and very much like Eric's original animation. I've tried to make a new one but I haven't gotten past the first few frames yet, there's just something about this angle that makes animating difficult.

[zabnat]

Oh the stiffness
Your other walkcycles look a lot better than this last one. His torso remains still and he's doing some russian folk dancing with his feet.
Your front walkcycle looks pretty good to me. Just try to imagine what that would look like from behind. Now in your up walkcycle legs are more spread than in the front one.

[Scraseface]

Thanks for the feedback. I think I'll be able to sort out the front walkcycle, so, on to the more pressing matters:

The up walkcycle.



I've gone through all other animations but this one before to fix proportions and clean up the lines, so it's still quite bad and very much like Eric's original animation. I've tried to make a new one but I haven't gotten past the first few frames yet, there's just something about this angle that makes animating difficult.

I think you're trying too hard to show off all the movement that's going on. remember subtle movements can make all the difference. As a guide you need to remember that the legs won't go out to the side like that, they should stay within his shoulder width.

[MrColossal]

My up walkcycle sucks hard and I know it, I'd suggest starting from scratch on that one and not looking at what I did.

Pull his knees in most of all

[Dualnames]

Thanks for the feedback. I think I'll be able to sort out the front walkcycle, so, on to the more pressing matters:

The up walkcycle.



I've gone through all other animations but this one before to fix proportions and clean up the lines, so it's still quite bad and very much like Eric's original animation. I've tried to make a new one but I haven't gotten past the first few frames yet, there's just something about this angle that makes animating difficult.

That's what needs to be improved somehow...The rest of the walkcycles are very good. This one is way stiff.

[Kabbed]

I find what makes him stiff is that his torso and head are stationary. Just bobbing those slightly to show weight being moved (like your other walk cycles do) will make a big difference.

[Mozesh]

Thought the side-walking animation still looked a bit stiff. Whipped this up just now:



Added some motion to the jacket and tried to make his head less static, though a bit too much perhaps.


PS

My program crashed on me when I made the first attempt, which looked better then the above. SCREW YOU ULEAD GIF ANIMATOR!


EDIT:

Just noticed this, when he kicks his feet back it doesn't look like he's (afzetten, jij snapt dit wel Tim )

[Paper Carnival]

I agree to what Scraseface said, but I also think that you must add the bounce in this animation as well.

Other than that, there is something weird going on with the left hand when it is further forward, to me it looks like it's shaking or something.

Mozesh's idea of a less static head is good, but his edit was a bit extreme, I think, it should move about less.