Need help with animation!

[Peder 🚀]

Hey

Since I got no animator yet I decided to try this by myself.


It is meant to be some type of "ghost" like lights that will fly around and get closer (should go smoother and slower) that will end up transforming into a "portal wall" infront of the opening. (that will teleport the player).

Any hints on how to make it better?

I was maybe thinking of only having the lights fly a bit around and then dissapear and suddently the portal wall comes up somehow.


This is by the way one of my first tries animating.
I only done a few things in the past.

Thanks,
Peder Johnsen

[R4L]

I like it! It looks like an old PC game I used to play. I think its fine the way it is.

[Peder 🚀]

Yeah but I dont .

Thats why I posted this threadÃ,  .

but thanks still .

[ManicMatt]

I like your animating, but unless your game is a rough sketch style, ignore R4L!

Hmm I am going to make my post useful by suggesting you post some artwork from the game, as we don't know what style it should be. Cartoony? Realistic?

[Peder 🚀]

Here is the background the animation is supposed to be on:

Normal size:


X2

[Mr Flibble]

Personally I think it's marvellous, you captured the movement very well.
The only thing that sticks out is the portal when it forms, it looks a lot like squiggles and random lines. If that could be made to look more like a portal, I think this would be done.

That's a brilliant background you have there. You might be able to emphasise the portal by having it cast light onto the areas directly adjacent to it. Or, leave your background as it is but make a darker version for before the portal.

Alright, ideas.

Vortexy shading, all twisted and converging. Like a vacuum almost, sucking things in.

Or how about a blinding white light? Or a blinding white light that gets greyer at the edges?

Or the classic water effect portal?

[Chicky]

Yours arts come a very long way peder! Nice one!

[Baron]

The approaching movement is very good, or will be when additional frames are added.
   I think the transition to the portal needs some work, however.  As it stands now, you've got it appearing like a wipe, and I think it should be more fluid (like the original approach).  Perhaps it can pour in from the top like water, or after it stretches at the top of the frame swoosh down like curtains -just some suggestions. 
   I also think a different texture is needed for the open portal.  Perhaps more vertical lines (as in your background drawing) or maybe a spiral to give the impression of depth?

[Peder 🚀]

Thanks for replies!

(Chicky!!! its not my background;) Nihilyst is doing the art for my game )

I will try and see if I manage to do some of your suggestions!

[Play_Pretend]

I agree with the "swirly portal" theory...I think the fly-up animation looks awesome, you should definitely keep that.  What about once it hits the door, it spins around into a growing white circle that continues to swirl in front of the door once it reaches full size?  If you have an art program that does twirl or swirl effects like that, just draw your vortex on a separate layer, swirl it, turn it, swirl it again, and so on.

[Sparky]

The sequence looks nice so far. Here are a couple random ideas you may or may not want to use:
1) have the "ghost" draw a square framing the portal, then pop the portal into existance with a burst of light
2) animate a TV-like flickering glow surrounding the portal, but have the portal itself be nearly white.

[Peder 🚀]

I been trying a bit around but I never get happy with the result.

I asked Nihilyst to try and he came up with this:

The appearance animation:


The glowing animation:


What do you all think of these?

[vict0r]

Hmm... It looks good, but maybe a bit over the top considering the walkable areas?

[Peder 🚀]

I hoped to not have to tell this this early, but there will not be any walkable areas as the main character is not visible. (You watch the worlds from inside the main characters head.)

[vict0r]

Ah! Well, then it seems much better, I guess!