Raven Animation, shadows problem

[quervo]

So this is an animation ive been working on recently. Its a character from a videogame, wich consists in a semi-platform game, without camera movement, where you play with a constant flying raven. The flying is automatic, so the user only gets to move it rigth and left, atacks and dashes.



EDIT: this is the original ↓, i had it with the values flipped,sorry

The fluency looks kinda cool to me, same for the design itself, but in shadow concern, i have no clue. In fact I add it some shadows, but unfortunately the program crashes and all that work just go******** u__u
I appreciate opinions in general about the movement (naturalness, speed, feeling, whatever..) and some specific tips on how to add shadows, or a simple edit would be awesome, even on just one frame, to know where to begin.
thanks saludes

[Neophos]

I understand you'd want the body to move when it beats with its wings, however, when birds fly, their heads are quite still. Their bodies move a bit up and down, but the head is mostly in the same position. The beginning of this video on YouTube has some great close-ups in slow-motion of birds in flight.

Also, it might be my screen, but I can't really see the difference in shadow at 1x.

Other than that, it looks fine.

[quervo]

I think I was not very clear: it has NO SHADOWS at all. Sorry the english n___n
I get the point of the head, it was something I see after the big improvement of the animation
(old one)

The thing is, the player is a bird in constant flying, like a hummingbird, it just stands there ad waits for the prey. At no time stand still, so the flying IMO shouldnt be the same for a movement fly. Also, at the low res its made, i think it would be very unnaturall to swing the head, just a feeling, I didnt really try it.

[cels]

There needs to be a delay between when the wings start flapping downwards and the body starts moving upwards, I think. Due to inertia, it takes a bit of energy to stop the falling motion.

I don't think you need shadows on a black bird, but you may want to add some blue highlights, when the feathers shine.

The wings look great in the first version.

[quervo]

Cels, thanks for the reply, at first i didnt think it would be a difference between what i did and what you think about the movement in consistence with inertia, but after some test, i can really appreciate your advice, you help me a lot, this is the current version::
after
befo
im very happy how it looks now, that gravity give him a lot of consistency, physically speeking.
About the shadows, i think that is not absolutelly needed BUT(big but) for now it looks kinda flat with just 2 values of black, none of them absolute or particulary pregnante, so my guess is that some highlights could be cool. Here is where i really have problems, im not verry good at shadowing, the best i do is some dithering, and it was for an old version(1)

[yrizoud]

I wouldn't care at all about shading, the silhouette at this angle is perfectly clear and interesting to see animated.
I find the tail a bit too soft, liquid, so I looked up the animation of the nicest bird in pixel history :

(From Franck Sauer"s making of 'Agony' here, § 'Making the owl')
It's difficult to see with those albatross-like wings, but I think he keeps the entire back quite straight and stiff. It's the entire body which tilts during the animation, so then when the head dives, it's at the same height as the "butt", but when he pushes with the wings, the heads and shoulder are higher. If you imagine a line from shoulders to butt, you'll see the tailfeather expand quite straight from this line, except in the most extreme parts when it changes direction.
Hope it helps (and that the reference motivates you!)

edit: In fact, ignore what I said. A real reference for a raven flight shows gorgeous wing work, it would be a shame to not exploit it :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=uCYfdphpF5Y#t=42

re-edit: this urged me to have a try also.

[quervo]

That is a BADDASS bird! Is trully the nicest bird in pixel history. I will study it more closely, i think it has some good definition in positions concern, as you say, its the entire back that tilts regardless the altitude of the body wich did not varies that much.
Im not gonna forget what you said, it helps and motivates me a lot, although the flying of the crow is not the same. As your bird(wich is awesome, specially the creepy legs! i do enjoy seeing this kind of repercussion in a trend,thanks!) the raven's body look more static in flying that an owl, but you capture the grotesque and violence of the downward flutter very good.
And for the tail, it was the worst thing to animate, im not happy with the results, looks kind like a fat mammal's tail, not even close to a feathery one.
Thanks for the help and the reference, and please show the evolution of your crow