Pixelation
Critique => Pixel Art => Topic started by: skittlefuck on April 20, 2015, 05:15:42 pm
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Hello pixelation! Recently I've been trying my hand at animating an attack that is to be used for a enemy in a game. Unfortunately the enemy has to be a plain silhouette, which personally I'm not happy with, but the person I'm doing this for thinks it will emphasize on it looking more creepy and evil (which I disagree with but that's the restriction).
Here are two version which I have made, but I can't get around them looking shitty.
(http://i.imgur.com/sJ0dKEW.gif)
(http://i.imgur.com/889fXGG.gif)
The problem that I've run into with the first animation is that it's too boring. He swings up, and then down and it's not a very interesting thing to look at. I tried doing something different with the second one but it also doesn't look right. I was thinking that maybe I should ditch both animations and make him do a different attack all together? Looking for any critcism and suggestions that anyone is willing to throw my way.
Here's what my walk cycle looks like, I'm more or less happy with it and my collaborator/programmer is satisfied with it too, but any suggestions to improve it will be more than helpful.
(http://i.imgur.com/CIolqQ4.gif)
Any c&c would be more than appreciated!
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I like these mate!
I dont find the first animation boring really, perhaps the second biting animation could be exaggerated a little more with the jaws opening wider.
i like the walk, though i think the head could use a little work perhaps? so it tilts more obviously
heres an edit
(http://i.imgur.com/wvI47DP.gif)
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I think it might be a bit too much with the motion blur on the attack anticipation.
Love the blur though, it adds a lot, as does the subtle hints of 3D when he wiggles his head.
I'm not sure if it's viable at this resolution, but drool when it's walking and spit flying when it closes its jaws.
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Make the actual attack motion faster and a bit more extreme. In the second one, it looks a bit weak since the monster stretches out and then bites before moving back. It would be more effective to have the monster draw back, and then have the moving forward and bite all in one larger and faster motion. Don't be afraid to stretch the head beyond proportions for the one or two frames where it is doing the actual attacking. You can study this for reference:
(http://www.pixeljoint.com/files/icons/full/lizzard1.gif)http://www.pixeljoint.com/pixelart/11908.htm
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I like the original animations for both attacks but the timings felt off so i went ahead and made some slight adjustments.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12237727/Sprites/wotp/skittlefuck_attack.gif)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12237727/Sprites/wotp/skittlefuck_attack2.gif)
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Thanks so much for the feedback!
The ref from yaoman was super helpful! I actually tried to incorporate a headswing of sorts into the animation, similar to the lizard by Orkimedes. Also tried to give it more blur which I noticed wzl did in his edit (thanks a lot for that btw). A problem that I ran into though, is that I need to shift the feet if I make the head fling back like so.
(http://i.imgur.com/FqxkxBA.gif)
Perhaps I shouldn't go with the headswinging, but just pull the head back directly, instead of making it swing back, similar to the first version? Or would that be a lazy solution to dealing with the shifting legs?
Also, here's a second version where I toned down on the blur, I'm kind of liking it more than the previous versions -it feels a whole lot more smoove. I'm thinking that I should build upon this animation where he quickly chomps down without building so much blur up. Also, I added a second colour for the teeth blur.
(http://i.imgur.com/idE3EXU.gif)
@Probo
Thanks a lot for pointing that out man! I gave it another go and tried to make it look a tad more exaggerated. It's a subtle difference, but perhaps the head movement isn't nearly so 'jerky' like the first version.
(http://i.imgur.com/c1Q0XMA.gif)
@seisiki
Mmm, that isn't a bad idea, but I think the problem with that would be due to it being a solid colour instead of it being such a small sprite. Maybe I'm wrong though, I can try a few things out!
edit:
quick edit where it's feet stay in the same spot.
(http://i.imgur.com/Ft4l2OB.gif)
I guess moving them will be the only option, assuming I'll keep the head swing movement. Will still fiddle around with it and see what I come up with.
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definitely an improvement on the walking sprite man. i like the jaws opening wider too. something you could try with the legs, is keep them rooted in the same spot but stretch them back so they go
as i was writing that i decided to do an edit -
(http://i.imgur.com/MVUSuEe.gif)
so i added an extra anticipation frame where he goes even further back, and opens his mouth very wide indeed. his legs are rooted in the spot and just stretch as i mentioned. i shortened the lunge frame before the biting frame for more snappiness (you could probably even delete that frame and still have a good animation), i added more movement to the big abdomen of the monster and gave it a little wobble as he returns to standing. also made the top of his abdomen a bit rounder at the top in the standing still frames.
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I think the critter should lash forward a little more for all this anticipation.
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I think its fine really, the anticipation adds more to the power of the bite than distance travelled. If the gameplay designer ever decides the monster needs more range in its attack for some reason you could definitely give it that though
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definitely an improvement on the walking sprite man. i like the jaws opening wider too. something you could try with the legs, is keep them rooted in the same spot but stretch them back so they go
as i was writing that i decided to do an edit -
(http://i.imgur.com/MVUSuEe.gif)
so i added an extra anticipation frame where he goes even further back, and opens his mouth very wide indeed. his legs are rooted in the spot and just stretch as i mentioned. i shortened the lunge frame before the biting frame for more snappiness (you could probably even delete that frame and still have a good animation), i added more movement to the big abdomen of the monster and gave it a little wobble as he returns to standing. also made the top of his abdomen a bit rounder at the top in the standing still frames.
Rad edit! The wobble really adds a lot. One thing though, atm I'm at 8 frames (not counting the 2 default standing frames), if I were to add in a couple more frames to exaggerator on the wobble after he is done biting, could that make an impact gameplay wise? Since there would be a small window open even after it's done biting.
Here's what I got atm.
(http://i.imgur.com/RfX15Ou.gif)
I did push him forward a tad bit more when he lunges too.
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One thing though, atm I'm at 8 frames (not counting the 2 default standing frames), if I were to add in a couple more frames to exaggerator on the wobble after he is done biting, could that make an impact gameplay wise? Since there would be a small window open even after it's done biting.
it would have an impact yeah. the longer the benign part of the animation, the bigger the window for the player to counter-attack or escape is. but other things could happen to offset that if you wanted, in programming. like if the creature doesnt have to finish the full animation every time it bites, so it can cancel its own attack after a certain frame and attack again in quick succession, only finishing the full animation when youre not in a certain range of it
nice update, a few things - watch the abdomen, it doesnt really match up at the end of the animation with the standing abdomen. in my last edit i also gave the abdomen a bit of drag, so it lagged behind when he pushed forward and then catches up and deforms a bit appropriately. its this abdomen momentum petering out that then creates the bulk of the wobble effect at the end. also watch the legs, they look like theyre sometimes not rooted to the ground but a pixel or two higher. the leftmost leg for example looks almost like he has an ankle joint two pixels up it
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looks pretty fierce already. good stuff :y:
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super nice sprite! I think you can push it even further. I tried having him pick up his front legs and lean into his back ones before the bite. You can also play with his shape on the bite frame and shove his hump in to elongate him and make the action frame have more impact.
(http://i.imgur.com/RfX15Ou.gif)->(http://lolipopsicle.com/uploader/uploads/blkbite.gif)
my edit is sorta crummy as far as smoothness post-bite, but i hope it helps!
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I feel like there could be a great opportunity to use the blur of the white teeth to emphasize the motion in 1 frame
(http://i.imgur.com/DPle0uK.gif)
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I feel like there could be a great opportunity to use the blur of the white teeth to emphasize the motion in 1 frame
(http://i.imgur.com/DPle0uK.gif)
Oh wow, this one is definitely awesome!