Animation editor in AGS 4.0

[Crimson Wizard]

This is the same "Turn before walking" that is present by default in AGS, but here we tell the player to first execute our frames and then move.

Okay. But standard turning in AGS does this: it fixes character at the current walking frame, and turns it around, while the frame number is kept. And then the walking continues from that frame.

If we play a "turning" animation instead, is the last walking frame saved, or is it reset to 0 when it starts moving again?

[Mehrdad]

If we play a "turning" animation instead, is the last walking frame saved, or is it reset to 0 when it starts moving again?

Sorry, I didn't understand your question exactly. Please see the example and video I sent you earlier.

[Crimson Wizard]

If we play a "turning" animation instead, is the last walking frame saved, or is it reset to 0 when it starts moving again?

Sorry, I didn't understand your question exactly. Please see the example and video I sent you earlier.

Your video shows only turning when the character is standing still. But it does not show what happens when the character changes direction when it is already moving.

Also, it's not always easy to understand what is happening from the video. The animation is too fast and smooth to see these details. That is why I like to have the desired behavior explained in words (or charts), like a list of instructions.

Here's how the turning works in AGS right now. If the character is walking, and does the turn, then its current walking frame is kept, the turning changes loops but keeps the frame number, and the next walk after turning continues from that last frame number, not from frame 0.
It looks like this, for example:



So, I am asking, how do you want this work with turning animations. Should they always start with frame 0, regardless of what the last walking frame was?
What about the next walking animation, should it also start with frame 0 again after turning animation? Or else?

[Mehrdad]

@Crimson Wizard


If I understand correctly:

I will explain with an example
If the character is looking to the left, and we click exactly to the right. This happens:
The player stands to the left --> Run the custom animation "left to right" --> walk to the right
Note that the standing frame, which is the first frame in the View editor, should be ignored

Now, if we click to the right again while walking to the right, nothing happens or stops because there is no need to perform any turning.
Turning animations should only be performed when we have a change in direction.
As a rule, during any rotation, the player should stand until the rotation is complete and then move.

[Crimson Wizard]

If the character is looking to the left, and we click exactly to the right. This happens:
The player stands to the left --> Run the custom animation "left to right" --> walk to the right
Note that the standing frame, which is the first frame in the View editor, should be ignored

I did not understand the last sentence. When should the standing frame be ignored?

[Mehrdad]

understand

In View editor and loops , Frame 0 = Stop player . Please ignore it after finished " turning animation"


 

[Snarky]

Now, if we click to the right again while walking to the right, nothing happens or stops because there is no need to perform any turning.

The case CW was asking about was if the player clicks to the left while already walking to the right (or simply if the path to where the character needs to go involves turns).

As a rule, during any rotation, the player should stand until the rotation is complete and then move.

Do you actually mean that the player character should stand (show the standing frame)?

[Mehrdad]

The case CW was asking about was if the player clicks to the left while already walking to the right (or simply if the path to where the character needs to go involves turns).

In any case, when the character is standing or moving, if the opposite direction is clicked, the turning animation should be executed.

Do you actually mean that the player character should stand (show the standing frame)?

No, what I meant was that the turning animation should run and finish during this time, and then move.

[Crimson Wizard]

In View editor and loops , Frame 0 = Stop player . Please ignore it after finished " turning animation"

So, you are saying that the walk after turning animation should begin with frame 1?

[Snarky]

No, what I meant was that the turning animation should run and finish during this time, and then move.

This sounds reasonable for a 180-degree turn in the complete opposite direction, but what about a "90-degree" turn? If the character is walking Left and then turns to walk Up, for example? Do you want them to stop and turn in place? Won't it look quite strange if the character stops to pivot every time their direction changes?

(Keep in mind that if your character only has 4 directions, turning from the Left view to the Up view could just be a matter of a slight change in direction, not necessarily an actual 90-degree turn.)

[Mehrdad]

So, you are saying that the walk after turning animation should begin with frame 1?

Yes
Of course, if you build a system that has more than one stop frame, it should skip all of these frames. We talked about this in previous posts.

This sounds reasonable for a 180-degree turn in the complete opposite direction, but what about a "90-degree" turn? If the character is walking Left and then turns to walk Up, for example? Do you want them to stop and turn in place? Won't it look quite strange if the character stops to pivot every time their direction changes?

(Keep in mind that if your character only has 4 directions, turning from the Left view to the Up view could just be a matter of a slight change in direction, not necessarily an actual 90-degree turn.)

This happens very quickly. A 90 degree turning takes about 3 frames. Broken Sword game use this turnings.

[Crimson Wizard]

So, you are saying that the walk after turning animation should begin with frame 1?

Yes
Of course, if you build a system that has more than one stop frame, it should skip all of these frames. We talked about this in previous posts.

Stop frame? Do you maybe mean "start frames" here?

So, if there's a walking animation like this:

[Start frames] --> [Repeating frames]

Then after the turning the next walk begins with the first repeating frame. Is this right?

[Mehrdad]

Stop frame? Do you maybe mean "start frames" here?

So, if there's a walking animation like this:

[Start frames] --> [Repeating frames]

Then after the turning the next walk begins with the first repeating frame. Is this right?

Completely right

[Crimson Wizard]

Alright, that answers my question about which walking frame to use after a turning animation.

[Snarky]

This happens very quickly. A 90 degree turning takes about 3 frames. Broken Sword game use this turnings.

Hmm, looking at the walk at 17:30 in this video, it doesn't look like it does:

Rather, it looks like it switches instantaneously from one angle to another (but it looks like there are 16 walk angles, which makes the transition quite smooth: George starts off heading ESE, switches almost immediately to E, then ENE as he rounds the corner, then N when he hits the edge, and NE when he hits the wall).

[Crimson Wizard]

Hmm, looking at the walk at 17:30 in this video, it doesn't look like it does:

Rather, it looks like it switches instantaneously from one angle to another (but it looks like there are 16 walk angles, which makes the transition quite smooth: George starts off heading ESE, switches almost immediately to E, then ENE as he rounds the corner, then N when he hits the edge, and NE when he hits the wall).

I am watching at 16:20-21 where the character is walking around the fence, it looks like the walking animation keeps playing during turning: character turns practically at a spot but the legs keep moving, and frames are synchronized between directions. Idk if it's a separate turning animation, or just walking animation playing while turning. That's also why I don't like to judge about details of the game mechanics by a video, it's difficult to understand the underlying logic by watching the recorded video alone.