Adventure Game Studio

Creative Production => Critics' Lounge => Topic started by: Nine Toes on Sun 23/07/2006 15:34:02

Title: Working on walkcycles.
Post by: Nine Toes on Sun 23/07/2006 15:34:02
I've been working on some walkcycles.  This is my very first finished set.
Original size:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/bodyart/Animations/pete.png)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/bodyart/Animations/forward.gif)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/bodyart/Animations/right.gif)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/bodyart/Animations/back.gif)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/bodyart/Animations/left.gif)

4x:,

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/bodyart/Animations/pete.png)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/bodyart/Animations/forward.gif)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/bodyart/Animations/right.gif)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/bodyart/Animations/back.gif)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/bodyart/Animations/left.gif)

Any suggestions?  Sorry about the colors, you'll have that with .gifs.
Title: Re: Working on walkcycles.
Post by: Kiddie on Sun 23/07/2006 16:18:34
I'd say a problem is (for the front view walk cycle), his thighs don't move at all. So it looks like he's sort of marching in place. Same with the back cycle.

The sides are better though.

I'd also tone down the arm sway in the front and back views too. Just a pixel or two.  :)
Title: Re: Working on walkcycles.
Post by: MashPotato on Sun 23/07/2006 20:16:19
I like them overall ^_^.  However, looking at the side walkcycle in detail, I have a couple of suggestions:
-on the frame where his right arm swings all the way back, there is a indent on the back of his leg (in the gif it looks like a flashing purple square).  It may not be very noticeable, but I think it looks a bit odd since his other leg should be in that pixel
-other than when his feet push off, his feet remain completely parallel to the ground.  I think I slightly (very slightly) larger swing forward would look a little more natural
Title: Re: Working on walkcycles.
Post by: CaptainBinky on Sun 23/07/2006 23:41:36
Hi,

I think that the animation you've done there fits well with the style of the sprite you've drawn, so although the shoulders would have some motion in real life (rather than only the forearms moving on the front and back anims) I don't think this really matters too much.

However unless this character is an elf, I think his ears are a bit too high (top of the ears should be level with the eyebrows (or on a sprite this size, the eye pixel  :P). One pixel for the ear is probably enough.

But cool! I love diddy little sprites like these!

Cap'n Binky

P.S. Also, the side walkcycle seems to be 2 pixels shorter than the front and back anims. I can see why you've made him 1 pixel shorter on the idle frames, but you seem to have lost an extra pixel somewhere when you animated it.
Title: Re: Working on walkcycles.
Post by: sergiocornaga on Mon 24/07/2006 06:34:24
I'd get rid of the flashing right arm on the front walkcycle, seeing as the left arm doesn't do that.
Title: Re: Working on walkcycles.
Post by: Gilbert on Mon 24/07/2006 06:46:23
Flashing "left" arm?
Title: Re: Working on walkcycles.
Post by: Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens on Mon 24/07/2006 07:45:30
Here, I did these really quickly to give you some ideas.

1.  Changed the background color to something more neutral and easier on the eyes.  Never draw your sprites on such a highly saturated, bright color.  Your sprites will always be much darker than they should be.  This color is mainly for finished sprite sheets.

2.  Altered the colors to make them less dark and easier to see.

3.  Altered leg movement on all three stances to be a bit more natural.  For walking up animations in particular, you really can't tell how good they will look until you are on a background and moving around.

4.  Adjusted the colors on the face to match the arms.   This is a consistency issue.

5.  Made the arm motion a bit more fluid, though you did well here.

6.  Brought the legs together more, particularly in the walking up animation.  Also brought the legs down one pixel in the right animation to match the up/down anims.

(http://members.cox.net/progzmax/right.gif)
(http://members.cox.net/progzmax/right.gif)

(http://members.cox.net/progzmax/forward.gif)
(http://members.cox.net/progzmax/forward.gif)

(http://members.cox.net/progzmax/back.gif)
(http://members.cox.net/progzmax/back.gif)

The two poses you seem to need to work on the most are walking up and down.  Bear in mind that to fool the eye you should make the leg larger as it moves forward and smaller as it moves back with respect to the viewer.  It doesn't have to be much as you will see from the edit, but it helps.  Hopefully this will give you some ideas on how to improve.

Title: Re: Working on walkcycles.
Post by: sergiocornaga on Tue 25/07/2006 06:31:20
Quote from: Gilbot V7000a on Mon 24/07/2006 06:46:23
Flashing "left" arm?

I meant my right. It's not like he's a real person! I mean, uh...

:= := :=

Crisis averted!