Floating Robot Energy Ball Throw Animation [C+C][WIP]

[heyguy]

New update. I've reworked the shading, redraw the third pose and changed the color. What does everyone think of the color change? I'm still not sure what arm pose I'll use for the descent or second pose before the jump but I'm confident with the body line work so far.

I'd like this character to look like a Megaman X SNES game sort of enemy character. I've made a few character already and I've gotten help for some on here! So the animation for this is a little more over the top than originally imagined but I couldn't help but have fun and exaggerate  I'd like any thoughts on how it's coming along so far.

[MysteryMeat]

Finally got aseprite to work, this is more the motion I was thinking of.
Again, like the force of the wind is pressing against their movements!

[heyguy]

Thanks for the new edits with the arms! They really bring the animation to life. I've added that movement and the new timing of the rocket propulsion blast into the new version of the animation. I figured I probably could have used some of the arm variations to create the movement you were talking about but I was too scared to!

I've continued to work on the third pose, the wind up. I think my problem with that pose was the front shoulder pads and arm placement. I'm close to making it work I think. Also, I think I like the green instead of the yellow :-/



I'm also working on the projectile sprite and explosion. Explosion timing looks off. Both very WIP. I also need to make one more animation for this character too when I'm done with this one officially.





edit: new explosion animation. One thing, I was told the projectile should be able to follow the player. I might have gone to far with the strong throw animation but I think depending on the energy projectile art, it could work. Right? Another animation I have to create is the "Fizzling-Out" of the energy projectile when the player shoots at it. I would prefer to keep these "visual effects" animations (like the energy projectile and its fizzling out) to a minimum. Maybe 2-4 drawn frames, extending them and looping them nicely. I've got a lot of work to do already! The explosion looks like it's most likely going to need more frames then 2-4 though.

[Decroded]

I would say try a slower more linear upward movement of the hands prior to the body moving, then a sudden downward thrust in opposition to upward body movement...

[heyguy]

I tried to implement what you said Decroded but I'm still having trouble creating convincing arm movement. I hate creating so many micro animations though when I know there's a more "efficient" animate this. 16-bit Mega Man doesn't have this many frames of animation. I like the dangle-y arms effected by the upward motion but I might not get it right. I'm going another direction with that part of the animation.

I know this animation isn't exactly 16-bit Mega Man-esque. Overall, I wanted to create dynamic poses and an animation with gravity and weight. I'm creating a retro style game and I want it to have awesome and expressive animation. I don't want to go too far or too much or waste too much time though. I like the idea of having 3-5 dynamic frames of animation. Then looping, modifying, etc. I'm pretty inexperienced to all this though so it's a learning experience!

So I'm still having issues with the third pose. My problem is the perspective of the floating circle base. I think I'm getting closer to finishing the shading too! What does everyone think? One more thing, I think I've almost nailed the overall flow and timing of the entire animation (dip, wind-up, throw)! What are peoples thoughts on that?

[MysteryMeat]

Don't stop now, you're very close to getting it done! Just do three or four more frames and it'll be excellent!

[heyguy]

Thanks Mystery! Three or four more frames of what exactly? The arms bending up and down? Am I on the right track with the current stuff I've got?

[MysteryMeat]

you're absolutely on the right track. And frames of animation is what I'm referring to, all you really need is maybe a frame or two of inbetweens for the bit where the elbows start pointing-in.
You're very close to having a solid animation going here!

And on the topic of fireballs, you could easily have it be that instead of the energy ball tracking, the ENEMY does and the energy balls have a set trajectory. Would make for an interesting enemy to plan levels around, imo.

[heyguy]

Thanks for the help Mystery! So I added some more frames to the original animation. I think it looks a lot better but there's still something off (in my eyes) animation wise. Maybe the arms and fist should stretch more as the body blasts up?

So it's still a WIP but what does everyone think of the poses and flow of the animation so far? I want to make it look like the robot is tightening its arms and fists before the blast up. I'm going to add some shaking fists before and as the robot blasts up too.

I also created another animation with new arm movement. I was just messing around and experimenting. I just used stick arms to get the preliminary flowing movement. I can already see areas of improvement the flow of the animation. The arms flip down a frame to early and the arms can stay as high as they can one more frame longer but I like how this came out overall. I'm not sure I want to go this way since I already want to finish this animation and start on the others but it was fun experimenting!




edit: I think I actually might continue with this animation. Here's the timing a little more nailed down.

[MysteryMeat]

Hm, looking at it it might be wise to have the leftmost arm not go completely straight. It works on the right arm as a windup leading into the throw, but that other arm would probably only dip a little bit in the upwards motion