Heavy Infantryman Line Animations

[Flameslash]

I was looking in the Art Development subforum (the developer-only one) and I saw, from a while ago, a new set of Loyalist baseframes that have not been commited as they lack animations. However, I would like to suggest that the Heavy Infantryman is committed.

heavyinfantry.png (3.95 KiB) Viewed 5828 times

As you can see, the new sprite looks much better, but retains the same armour and weaponry, the only major change being the shield now having TC, whereas before it was metal. Therefore, if the shield is recoloured, the old animation frames can still be used. I have changed the files in my copy of the game, and it is not noticeable that the animations are outdated, even at the default speed.

The first frame of the attack animation. The second doesn't need changing, as the shield is facing away from the camera.

heavyinfantry-attack-1.png (3.76 KiB) Viewed 5828 times

heavyinfantry-defend-1.png (3.63 KiB) Viewed 5828 times

heavyinfantry-defend-2.png (3.67 KiB) Viewed 5828 times

[taptap]

You did not notice the different mace? And pose? And breastplate?

[beetlenaut]

His point is that during an animation, those details are hard to notice.

However, the Wesnoth art directors are perfectionists, so they would never allow something like that. (I'm not saying that's a bad thing. The game would be lower quality if they weren't.)

[Flameslash]

They would never allow something like that.

Actually, there's plenty of precedent for this kind of thing. A lot of the Elves use animations based on their old baseframes, but no one ever seems to notice, and the difference is much larger there than it is in this case.

[beetlenaut]

A lot of the Elves use animations based on their old baseframes

No they don't. There are some old death and idle animation frames in the images folder, but they aren't being used in the game.

[Flameslash]

No they don't. There are some old death and idle animation frames in the images folder, but they aren't being used in the game.

I didn't realise that. I could have sworn that them animations were used... Was there a time when they were used with the new baseframes?

[Vyncyn]

Well since the HI only has 4 images (+1 base sprite, not counting idle animation) it shouldn't be too hard to create some art.
I tried myself on them, so here's what i got so far:

heavyinfantry-attack-1.png (1.39 KiB) Viewed 5764 times

heavyinfantry-defend-1.png (1.21 KiB) Viewed 5764 times

heavyinfantry-defend-2.png (1.38 KiB) Viewed 5764 times

I'd make the 2nd attack animation aswell, but i wanted some feedback first, as it is the hardest one.
I'm a bit unhappy with the breastplate on the 1st attack animation, but I tried for a while and couldn't make it better.

[Flameslash]

Well since the HI only has 4 images (+1 base sprite, not counting idle animation) it shouldn't be too hard to create some art.
I tried myself on them, so here's what i got so far: [IMAGES]
I'd make the 2nd attack animation aswell, but i wanted some feedback first, as it is the hardest one.
I'm a bit unhappy with the breastplate on the 1st attack animation, but I tried for a while and couldn't make it better.

Those look good. I think the reason you're unhappy with the breastplate on the first attack animation might be because it looks to be facing straight towards the camera, whereas the unit is standing at an angle?

[Vyncyn]

I think the reason you're unhappy with the breastplate on the first attack animation might be because it looks to be facing straight towards the camera, whereas the unit is standing at an angle?

I wanted him to turn his body as he attacks, but i think the form of his breastplate and the lightning on his belly isn't quite correct in this frame.

[Gyra_Solune]

I definitely think it is important for the team color to be very obvious and prevalent on any given unit and not be easily confused with another (hence me being of the opinion that perhaps the elf clothing and generic brown tunics of several human units should be made into team colors), so this is a good improvement over the mostly colorless previous Heavy Infantryman.

I also think it's sorta silly how the unit goes from a solid mace, to a flail on a chain, and then back to a regular solid mace, what's the deal with that?

[Flameslash]

I also think it's sorta silly how the unit goes from a solid mace, to a flail on a chain, and then back to a regular solid mace, what's the deal with that?

I think that about ten years ago, when the sprite for the level three was first being made, the artist copy-pasted the mace from another unit. In the new sprites, the level three also has a flail.

[Vyncyn]

Since nobody complained about the images I made the last part of the animation.

heavyinfantry-attack-2.png (1.29 KiB) Viewed 5670 times

[Vyncyn]

I'm currently trying to make the animations for the other units aswell, but they are way harder then the HI because they have a lot more movement and 6 attack frames instead of two.
I can't frankenstein the animation together like I did with most of the HI, but I have made the basic outline for the frames and will work from that.

siegetrooper_gif.gif (8.23 KiB) Viewed 5603 times

last attack frame and the defense animation are already finished (last 3 frames), the other might take a LOT more time. I wouldn't be mad if anyone wants to make the shocktrooper while I finish this .
I tested the animation in game so I could get a feel for the movement and I'd say it look reasonably well. If anyone finds something which needs improvement please tell me asap as it would be far easier to change it now. I could also post the single frames upon request, if someone wants to take a closer look on it.

BTW the developers don't seem terribly active lately now do they? Sleepwalker (the guy who created the awesome base-images for the HI-line) was last seen 2014. Would be a shame if he abbandoned wesnoth.
Also I don't understand why the base-images for the HI hasen't been committed yet. Even without animation they look better than the old ones and some other units (cavelaryman, horseman advancements) are already in the game without animation.

[beetlenaut]

Your stuff looks really good Vyncyn! I'm glad you're working on it. The end of the swing here looks like it slows down instead of slamming to a stop against some poor enemy pancake. That might be fixed somewhat with timing and weapon blur, but it might have to go down farther in the last swinging frame too. (Also, the level-3 HI is called an Iron Mauler--at least these days.)

[zookeeper]

BTW the developers don't seem terribly active lately now do they?

Yeah, none of the developers focused on art are actively around anymore.

That's not to say new stuff can't still get into the game or anything like that, but it might take a bit longer and require some extra prodding.