AuthorTopic: Idle Animation - Critique and Comments Wanted  (Read 4251 times)

Offline TheUnknownVar

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Idle Animation - Critique and Comments Wanted

on: September 11, 2015, 01:09:21 am
Hello again everyone,

This is my latest attempt at pixel art for a game I am developing... the idle animation for my character Kibo.
Any C + C on how to enhance or correct this animation would be wonderful!

Just wanted to add, anyone wondering about the red around his eyes or anything else about his general appearance can be found at the previous post:
http://wayofthepixel.net/index.php?topic=18775.10

Offline Joe

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Re: Idle Animation - Critique and Comments Wanted

Reply #1 on: September 11, 2015, 08:33:01 am
Well it's clear he's moving, and you intended for him to be breathing. That's visible.
But what does the movement show? Well he's breathing extremely heavily like he just ran a marathon, yet his arms are swinging and the motion is strong enough to move his bangs.
The end result is something of a half-hearted jumping jack.
I want to emphasize that raise in the middle is an anatomically impossible spinal extension. You just can't add length to a spine like that, excluding some superpower.

Typically, an idle is subtle. The player isn't going to be sitting around often and you definitely want a contrast between moving and not moving.
Check out this great edit by the B.O.B:



Also note how the spine doesn't extend lengthwise, instead the chest is raised to breathe (this is called thoracic spinal extension).
The movement doesn't have to be much, just enough to show the character is alive and ready.

Offline RedSuinit

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Re: Idle Animation - Critique and Comments Wanted

Reply #2 on: September 11, 2015, 11:59:54 am
Well it's clear he's moving, and you intended for him to be breathing. That's visible.
But what does the movement show? Well he's breathing extremely heavily like he just ran a marathon, yet his arms are swinging and the motion is strong enough to move his bangs.
The end result is something of a half-hearted jumping jack.
I want to emphasize that raise in the middle is an anatomically impossible spinal extension. You just can't add length to a spine like that, excluding some superpower.

Typically, an idle is subtle. The player isn't going to be sitting around often and you definitely want a contrast between moving and not moving.
Check out this great edit by the B.O.B:



Also note how the spine doesn't extend lengthwise, instead the chest is raised to breathe (this is called thoracic spinal extension).
The movement doesn't have to be much, just enough to show the character is alive and ready.

There are different styles for animation some of the best looking idles have lots of pop and bounce to them, and some have very little like you have shown. I think his biggest issue is the fact that the character growns just from breathing.
« Last Edit: September 11, 2015, 01:00:13 pm by RedSuinit »

Offline TheUnknownVar

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Re: Idle Animation - Critique and Comments Wanted

Reply #3 on: September 11, 2015, 12:45:26 pm
Thanks for the response guys,

So... first I should decide if I want a realistic animation or not, (I may go with a lot of movement) and if not then I should make the upward breathing movement more subtle... right?
To help my decision I will attempt to make a gentle breathing animation and fix the old one.
Am I missing anything?

Also, thanks for the example Idle Animation, it should help me out a lot in the effort to create a gentle breathing animation. (The only idle examples I found had all been REALLY bouncy, so I am grateful for the one you've provided)   ;D

Offline RedSuinit

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Re: Idle Animation - Critique and Comments Wanted

Reply #4 on: September 11, 2015, 01:02:21 pm
Thanks for the response guys,

So... first I should decide if I want a realistic animation or not, (I may go with a lot of movement) and if not then I should make the upward breathing movement more subtle... right?
To help my decision I will attempt to make a gentle breathing animation and fix the old one.
Am I missing anything?

Also, thanks for the example Idle Animation, it should help me out a lot in the effort to create a gentle breathing animation. (The only idle examples I found had all been REALLY bouncy, so I am grateful for the one you've provided)   ;D

You just need to look in the right genre. Action/Adventure games tend to have very lively/bouncy idles, while RPGs/Metroidvanias tend to be more subtle.

Offline TheUnknownVar

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Re: Idle Animation - Critique and Comments Wanted

Reply #5 on: September 11, 2015, 01:23:34 pm

You just need to look in the right genre. Action/Adventure games tend to have very lively/bouncy idles, while RPGs/Metroidvanias tend to be more subtle.

That may help me find better examples...
My game is going to be a Adventure first, Metroidvania second.
I'll see what new animations I can come up with!

Offline bcodezinfo

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    • Bcodez

Re: Idle Animation - Critique and Comments Wanted

Reply #6 on: January 06, 2017, 06:17:31 am
Really helped me.  ;D ;D