Adventure Game Studio

Creative Production => Critics' Lounge => Topic started by: Armageddon on Fri 29/07/2011 02:53:22

Title: Walk Cycle Help
Post by: Armageddon on Fri 29/07/2011 02:53:22
Ok so I'm making a platformer game and I've been trying to animate my character. I've never really animated anything before so it looks pretty bad.

#1: (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5479044/Ben_Walk01.gif)

#2: (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5479044/Ben_Walk02.gif)

#3: (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5479044/Ben_Walk03.gif)

Any ways to improve? I don't want to add any more colors because I'm using a 16 color, color palette.
Title: Re: Walk Cycle Help
Post by: cat on Fri 29/07/2011 08:13:12
The first one looks like a kick-animation, not walking.
Title: Re: Walk Cycle Help
Post by: arj0n on Fri 29/07/2011 11:40:28
Maybe thiscan help you:
(http://versethatiwrite.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/genericman.png)

Check Antipus' original post here (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=14864.msg583836#msg583836).
Title: Re: Walk Cycle Help
Post by: Darius Poyer on Sat 30/07/2011 17:31:01
I played around with a new animation and I came up with this.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/otomosc/walk/Ben_Walk03.gif)

Based allot on how Paper Mario was animated where the feet just swivel past each-other in a silly way.

Breakdown:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/otomosc/walk/Ben_Walk03.png)(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/otomosc/walk/Ben_Walk04.png)(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/otomosc/walk/Ben_Walk05.png)(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/otomosc/walk/Ben_Walk06.png)(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/otomosc/walk/Ben_Walk07.png)(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/otomosc/walk/Ben_Walk08.png)(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/otomosc/walk/Ben_Walk09.png)(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/otomosc/walk/Ben_Walk10.png)
Title: Re: Walk Cycle Help
Post by: antipus on Thu 11/08/2011 09:12:48
Quote from: Darius Poyer on Sat 30/07/2011 17:31:01
Based allot on how Paper Mario was animated where the feet just swivel past each-other in a silly way.

That new version is actually a very fun style, and matches what you just said.  If you'd like to make it any more realistic, try bouncing the whole character up and down a pixel, instead of just the arms.  Another thought is that your legs are going backwards and forwards at the same rate.  You could try using all the frames when the leg moves from the front to the back, but skipping a frame when going forwards.  That helps get rid of the forward/backward broken record feel.

My philosophy is that the walkcycle is what the player is going to see over and over and over again.  Even if every other animation stinks, a good-looking walk will make a player much more forgiving.  Keep up the good work!
Title: Re: Walk Cycle Help
Post by: Armageddon on Sat 13/08/2011 03:53:11
Thanks Darius, it's a little too cartoony though. ;)

I used Arj0n's image and htis is what I came up with. I'm gonna change it to the two button thing like you have Darius, it looks a lot better.

(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5479044/Ben_Walk07.gif)
Title: Re: Walk Cycle Help
Post by: TomatoesInTheHead on Sat 13/08/2011 09:37:46
Looks pretty good now!
Title: Re: Walk Cycle Help
Post by: antipus on Thu 18/08/2011 01:43:21
Quote from: Armageddon on Sat 13/08/2011 03:53:11
I used Arj0n's image and htis is what I came up with. I'm gonna change it to the two button thing like you have Darius, it looks a lot better.

(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5479044/Ben_Walk07.gif)

Looks great!  Much smoother style.  Watch out for the far (left) arm, though.  It gets hung up in one position for a few frames and looks like it freezes when it should be moving.

Great work!!!