Ghastly

[thespaceinvader]

I've just realised something... Why are you making a walk animation anyway? It's possible to use such things, but it's a very very low priority compared to attack and defence animations for non-flying units.

[Darker_Dreams]

I've just realised something... Why are you making a walk animation anyway? It's possible to use such things, but it's a very very low priority compared to attack and defence animations for non-flying units.

you have to walk before you can run?

it was a quick break from working on the defense and attack animations without entirely leaving the subject matter.

[thespaceinvader]

Ah ok, no worries.

[JW]

I've just realised something... Why are you making a walk animation anyway? It's possible to use such things, but it's a very very low priority compared to attack and defence animations for non-flying units.

you have to walk before you can run?

it was a quick break from working on the defense and attack animations without entirely leaving the subject matter.

The only gripe I have with that animation is that his right shoulder clearly does not move at all, which is highly odd when his body is turning as it is. Otherwise quite nice! I imagine the fix won't be as hard as what you've already done so far.

[Darker_Dreams]

The only gripe I have with that animation is that his right shoulder clearly does not move at all, which is highly odd when his body is turning as it is. Otherwise quite nice! I imagine the fix won't be as hard as what you've already done so far.

I was considering that, but it's possible once its wired in and the whole character is sliding between hexes that extra movement will be too much. I haven't checked.
I'm also worried that the head-bob looks goofy.


I'm also starting to think I'm putting way to much into this right arm.

the defense sequence for the ghoul and phage...

ghoul&phage-defend.gif (8 KiB) Viewed 3068 times

a wire frame mock up I've been working on so I can get the right shape(s)...

defarm.gif (1.75 KiB) Viewed 3064 times

that's already 10 frames (in addition to the base) and I'm about halfway through the frames...

TSI; you see now why I decided to work on the walk frame for a bit?

edit; and looking at my reference (which is, unfortunately, attached to my body) realized I'm still not getting the hand-tilt right.

[beetlenaut]

You aren't seriously going to make a 20-frame defense animation are you? The others only have two frames, and they look OK.

Edit: And since you used the very same hand in your drawing as is used for the necrophage, just pull the hand out of those images.

[thespaceinvader]

D_D: i think you may be putting a little too much thought into this =P

Perfectionism's a great impulse, but you need to temper it a little, or you'll wind up so bogged down you won't be getting anywhere.

Personally, I've also found blocking out using stick animation as you're doing quite awkward - i found things went quicker and easier when I did basic blocking using simple cut-rotate-slide stuff, followed by drawing in the finished product properly. You're welcome to poach parts out of the previous level's animations, too - you could poach the 'phage's right hand wholesale, for instance.

Keep up the good work - I look forward to seeing a finished product.

[Darker_Dreams]

beetlenaut; I am not planning on a 20 frame defense animation. Just trying to get a sense for where the hand belongs and should move- I was planning on using key frames out of that series. I just didn't realize when I started the series would be that long.

TSI; It's very possible I'm putting too much thought into this.
I tried cut and slide first, but the shapes I got just looked awful (even with paintover), which is why I was trying this.

The lower level units aren't doing exactly what I want- but I think I will try some things by modifying their stolen arms- see if that gets me there faster/better.

[Darker_Dreams]

I have, for the moment, simply stolen the arm from the necrophage... it's precisely not what I was going for, but it works.

[thespaceinvader]

The unit's right shoulder should move - it' fairly obvious that it doesn't at present. Try to copy the motion of the necrophage's anim =)

But it look like a good start.

[Vendanna]

I think that you should have in mind that the unit will usually be attacked on the side of its left arm, in the case of an human, he would raise its left arm to protect a vital organ (like head).

In the case of this one, I think he would go to cover the mouth, since its not a "punching bag" anymore but an organ to devour things.

I like how you are making the mouth movement.

[Darker_Dreams]

That definitely falls under the heading of "things I should have thought about."

[JW]

The unit's right shoulder should move - it' fairly obvious that it doesn't at present. Try to copy the motion of the necrophage's anim =)

But it look like a good start.

I swear I wrote that almost verbatim earlier.

The only gripe I have with that animation is that his right shoulder clearly does not move at all, which is highly odd when his body is turning as it is. Otherwise quite nice! I imagine the fix won't be as hard as what you've already done so far.

Heh, well not verbatim, but the same ideas.

Anyway, I thought the one moving his right arm was fantastic! The back-step makes it 5x better than the existing images for the lower levels! Whatever you're told, blocking with your back arm makes no sense! If I step back with my left I will block with my arm that is in front of me: my right arm! Go back to the previous animation!
(it looks good enough to go in even without "fixing" the shoulder IMHO [non-dev])

ps, I realize the latest one also blocks with his "back" arm, but that is really misleading as the unit turns to face us and becomes more horizontal. He effectively is widening his body to his attacker; or at least that is the impression visually. The previous one, as mentioned, is better: it gives the impression that it is turning sideways to provide the attacker with less area to hit. It really is quite a fine work.

[Darker_Dreams]

...stuff about turning and how the unit is turning...

Same idea, different animations (you were referring to the walk animation- at that point the defend animation I'd posted didn't have any right-arm movement because it wasn't working.

The concept behind the arm-block is essentially the same as if a character had a shield. it's also a (not very effective) reflex in humans to defend oneself...

as for the angles... I'm going to leave those animations for a bit and contemplate that.

[JW]

The concept behind the arm-block is essentially the same as if a character had a shield. it's also a (not very effective) reflex in humans to defend oneself...

as for the angles... I'm going to leave those animations for a bit and contemplate that.