UPDATE: Cat animation (Feb. 5, 2004)

Erwin_Br · Sun 30/11/2003 15:02:00

Below are some frames of a cat animation for my upcoming game, Bad Timing.

Critique is welcome, but I'm particulary interested in suggestions to make the cat look more angry (last 4 frames). I have tried to curl her back, raise her hairs, make the eyes smaller, etc.

UPDATE BELOW:

This is the new version:

Comments are welcome.

I also have a question: The cat doesn't move once it's got it's back in the air. How can I make it move more? I've tried moving it's head, but it looked like she was barking or something.

Another UPDATE (Feb. 5, 2004)

<-OLD and NEW ->

My new walkcycle for the cat I was working on a few months back. What do you think?

--Erwin

Inkoddi · Sun 30/11/2003 15:10:24

The cat looks more suspicious than angry. Cats usually wave their tails, show their teeth and claws and er.. make some kind of sound when they are angry. Trust me, I have a cat. yes

Erwin_Br · Sun 30/11/2003 15:25:51

Yes, in the first frame the cat is supposed to look suspicious. The last 4 frames are the angry/pissed cat.

--Erwin

Mats Berglinn · Sun 30/11/2003 16:23:30

The cat almost looks like the ones in Day of the Tentacle, which is a good thing.

Ben · Sun 30/11/2003 19:09:59

I think the cat will look angrier if you put his head down lower and show his fangs or his tongue.. I also like how you have the ears pulled back, but maybe they should be back even further.

stu · Sun 30/11/2003 20:43:57

looks good..
i think it looks like the cat in sam&max..

PureGhostGR · Sun 30/11/2003 21:43:39

Sweet kitty no more...

I fiddled with it a bit.. I must say, great drawing Erwin.. I love the original pose.

Hope you don't mind..

Eggie · Sun 30/11/2003 22:12:45

BIG EYES! BIG EYES!
w00t!!

um...yes...more slopy eyelids on the angry one.

Erwin_Br · Sun 30/11/2003 23:27:07

Great edit, GhostGR. I hope you don't mind I stole your ears

Anyway, I've whipped up a quick animation.

I'll probably remove the moving mouth, because it looks like the cat's talking and she's only supposed to hiss.

I also changed the hairs around her mouth. I prefer these with the old lines, but I'm not sure if I will keep them moving (waving) in the animation.

What do you guys think?

--Erwin

ScottDoom · Mon 01/12/2003 05:31:51

Looks pretty good, but the hair on the side of the head waving up and down is waving just a tad too much. It looks like an insect's legs/arms swinging around.

Duzz · Mon 01/12/2003 05:51:06

If the cat's hissing, I think it should raise it's upper lip, show more teeth, and maybe a bit of gums, like this:

Jay V · Tue 02/12/2003 01:18:33

i looked at the pose, and it doesn't sit right with me, so to speak. cats don't wag their tails when they're hissing. Tail is straight. Sometimes the cat will hiss with the tail down, or sometimes up. Depending on the mood. Can I ask where the cat is and the situation that's making him hiss? The tail could be straight up and big and fuzzy if it's frightened and hissing at something to try and keep it away (such as a dog). If the tail is arched down (or depending on the art style you may just want it straight out) then the cat is just plain angry or something. But to best provide you with tips on the cat's animation, let me know in more specifics.

sergiocornaga · Tue 02/12/2003 02:17:23

Duzz is right about the teeth..

juncmodule · Tue 02/12/2003 02:30:12

Correct me if I'm wrong...but,

when cats are being submissive they narrow their eyes.

When they are angry or frightened they open them very wide and their pupils dilate.

(this is why cats tend to like people that don't like them, and hate people that love them. For humans, the use of the eyes is the opposite)

Although, it does work with a cartoon cat. Guess it depends how "realistic" you want it to be.

later,
-junc

Igor · Tue 02/12/2003 13:39:41

Cute

Here's my suggestion, how to make this cat really pissed off:

Miez · Tue 02/12/2003 15:03:31

Nice work Erwin (and Igor) - there's one little thingy that stands out: real angry cats flatten their ears. Yours are all perky and up...

Darth Mandarb · Tue 02/12/2003 16:13:09

What Miez said (though Igor's looks like they are) the ears should be back.

As I have lots of experience pissin' off cats I did this really quickly (and I mean REALLY quickly)

* angled the eyes to look mad
* pinned the ears back
* put hackels up (like Igor's pic)
* straightened mouth a little

Like I said, this was done quickly just to give some thoughts ...

Hope it helped.

]).]v[.

Ben · Tue 02/12/2003 21:48:12

I think Igor's picture is the most realistic. The pose is perfect.. Though I like the teeth in Duzz's picture.

Jay V · Tue 02/12/2003 23:17:09

yes yes. agree with ben, i do.

notice the cat is VERY tense. not a relaxed muscle in his body. that is how a cat should hiss!

Erwin_Br · Wed 03/12/2003 23:04:50

A lot of good advice: thanks guys!

It's for a comic-style game and I often forget to exaggerate my characters and character animation. I'm not aiming for a realistic pose for the cat: I want it to make it as mean as possible. Igor's example shows what I had in mind (thanks Igor!). I'll upload an updated version soon.

Thanks again!

--Erwin