Grom the Barbarian

[artisticdude]

Umm... are you looking for artistic critique, or help creating a backstory for this character?

[Midnight_Carnival]

Umm... are you looking for artistic critique, or help creating a backstory for this character?

Why not both? Changes made to the background might influence the way he redraws Grom...

[Phyreprooph]

Now this could be kinda annoying as I've noticed there's a lot of hard work been put into this. The only thing that is disturbing me is the way he is holding his sword. In real life no one would hold their sword out in front of them about a foot holding it perfectly pointed at the ground. Even a hugely strong man wouldn't waste their energy holding a sword up like that. In the case of the mainline lieutenant where he does hold his sword perfectly upright he makes up fr it by also having a tense stance on both his right and left.

lieutenant.png (1.26 KiB) Viewed 3588 times

Your barbarian is standing in a relaxed pose but he is holding his sword straight up. =\ I suggest either relax his sword so he is resting it on his shoulder or on the ground OR, tense up his right arm (our left) to match the rest of his stance. Respectively both stances are either relaxed as if he hasn't even broken a sweat or ready for battle in a more tense stance. The choice is yours but just don't make it half/half. It looks kinda silly.

[Dixie]

Incidentally, if he rested his sword on the ground, why would he use a mere longsword? Why wouldn't someone as mighty as Grom at least use an Orcish Greatsword?

[Dixie]

Just saying, but maybe the two threads should be merged, by the way?
http://forums.wesnoth.org/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=31099

[thespaceinvader]

Valid. And done.

[jearrr]

Umm... are you looking for artistic critique, or help creating a backstory for this character?

I am mainly looking for artistic critique and collaboration, for these are the things that are giving me headaches right now. It took me a while to get Grom where he has, and I would have never managed to get that far in such a short time without competent critique and guidance.

I have no problems as for the backstory of this character and development of an interesting setting/draft for a campaign .

Now this could be kinda annoying as I've noticed there's a lot of hard work been put into this. The only thing that is disturbing me is the way he is holding his sword.[...]

Your barbarian is standing in a relaxed pose but he is holding his sword straight up. =\ [..] It looks kinda silly.

You are right. The sword is not held aprioprately. Another thing on the graphical to-do list that should be fixed.

Incidentally, if he rested his sword on the ground, why would he use a mere longsword? Why wouldn't someone as mighty as Grom at least use an Orcish Greatsword?

Definatly, Grom's sword could look more impressive. On the other hand, it is an ancient sword he has hewn out of the stone of saurian mines, a tool that gave him liberty by drinking the blood of his opressors. I would be emotionally attached to such a weapon. And there is also the matter of the mysterious inscription.

I will look, however, at the matter of the sword and sprite outlines once I find the time to do so. As always there is room for improvement. I just begin to realize that by changing his weapon stance I might have a hard time animating Grom. Right now, I did a quick and dirty animation which does not look great, but which did not cost me lots of time, either. I am not sure whether I am determined to optimize this character to the very end, as other people might possibly do that in a much faster and more efficiant way.
Here is my quick & dirty attack animation:

cheapgromanims.png (10.84 KiB) Viewed 3536 times

Again, please not that these are quick and dirty animations that I have used to playtest Grom in scenario. of course they have all the problems mentioned above.

I am very thankful about about the critique, and will definatly have a go with it.

[thespaceinvader]

Basic_Animation_Tutorial. Read, learn, inwardly digest. Particularly the part about only moving the active element.

Also, why does his 'attack' sequence involve stabbing himself in the face with his sword?

[Cloud]

...quick and dirty animations...

If you plan to do that, blocking is a much better way to do so. Then you waste less time shading a frame you end up replacing when you realise it doesn't fit. It may cost you little time now, but that's effectively wasted time down the line.

[Dixie]

Definatly, Grom's sword could look more impressive. On the other hand, it is an ancient sword he has hewn out of the stone of saurian mines, a tool that gave him liberty by drinking the blood of his opressors. I would be emotionally attached to such a weapon. And there is also the matter of the mysterious inscription.

Well, I still think it could be all cool and mystic with inscriptions and stuff, but about twice the size It would emphasize the guy's character, I think. And he could do big heavy horizontal swings holding the sword with both arms as an attack. It's look awesome

[artisticdude]

If you plan to do that, blocking is a much better way to do so. Then you waste less time shading a frame you end up replacing when you realise it doesn't fit. It may cost you little time now, but that's effectively wasted time down the line.

QFT. Believe me, I know what Cloud's talking about. Blocking is so much easier and quicker than animating without, and it allows you to experiment with different movements, frame rates, etc. much more easily and quickly than you would be able to if you shaded each individual image as it's created.

As far as the motion right now goes: Why is he pointing the sword at himself and not the enemy? Right now it looks like he stabs himself in the head, rather than stabbing his opponent's head.

[Phyreprooph]

Yeh and I think you definitely take TSI's advice and read up on that animating thing. When you attack someone witha sword in real life you don't just move you arm up and down. You use power from your whole body to strike your opponent. His whole body needs to move, even if it's not going anywhere. If that makes any sense.