Pixelation
Critique => Pixel Art => Topic started by: Chibpixel on May 31, 2008, 05:15:20 pm
-
'Ello. Currently working on graphics for a project of mine. I've had little to no experience with animation and art but I've look through these boards to try and work it out and I've come upon a problem. I want to try and stay with a 3-cycle animation instead of going to 5 even though I know it'd fix it. Maybe somebody here could point me in the right direction. The arms, I think, are great however the legs are questionable ~_~. I'm considering scratching the model I've made and starting fresh maybe looking on RPG Maker XP sprites.
(http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm104/PinkySoup/Pixel/Walk.gif) - The walk animation
(http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm104/PinkySoup/Pixel/move3.jpg) - The model.
Cheers for any critique and help in advance and sorry for the shoddy animation :P.'
Edit: I'm thinking the stance with the slanted feet is making things harder then it should be for me :S. Here's a edit and a fix to the weird noise. (http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm104/PinkySoup/Pixel/walk2.gif)
-
Arms should swing oppositely of the legs! Also, try bringing the feet more towards the center on each step. It's okay if one foot overlaps the other when it's brought forward.
Also, I don't know how your saving your GIF but there's random noise all over the place! Check your color optimization settings or something.....
-
Ah ha! I didn't even notice the arm swinging in unison with the leg ~_~.. Gosh I'm horrible. I'll rework the leg and see what I can come up with.. maybe fixing the arm will help with the awkwardness. As for the animation, I quickly downloaded Microsoft GIF Animator. I suppose I should of saved the .bmp as .gifs before putting em in. Might of helped a litttle, sorry again!
-
Study real people walking! NOT Final Fantasy.
I don't mean to sound harsh but the 4-frame slide-walk that's used in so many old RPGs is long, LONG outdated and needs to be retired. You can use the same amount of frames and have a much more convincing walk if you put a little more effort in. Bend his knees, and don't try to re-use the standing frame by putting it in the walk cycle, there is no point in a normal human walking cycle where it looks like they are standing with both legs straight and flat against the ground. In fact trying to make the movements your character is making is not physically possible, unless you're slipping on ice or something like that.
And whatever you do, banish Final Fantasy from your mind; the animations in those old RPGs weren't done that way because they look good, but rather because of a lack of processing power.
-
As far as walking animations go in older games, Alyssa's (from The Guardian Legend) is hard to top.
(http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/9069/alyssaoz5.gif)
This sprite, albeit clumsy, is great for a lot of reasons. In just 4 frames, you see each leg go through the full motions of a running step. The foot plants itself firmly, the leg recedes, and the knee bends ready to take another step forward. It's also very effective in that technically only two unique images are drawn, the other two are simply mirrored horizontally.
It all depends on what you want. Personally, I view the Dragon Quest/ Final Fantasy walk as iconic. I like it. Overall, though, Alyssa's is technically way more impressive in the same amount of frames :y:
-
As far as walking animations go in older games, Alyssa's (from The Guardian Legend) is hard to top.
I couldn't resist to create an edit.
(http://www.serius.se/images/vault/walk_down.gif)
Too much wiggle?
-
Lol, it's not harsh at all.. Like I said I've never animated a day in me life. To be honest I have had, and still am, trouble with the animation using 3 frames so I will definitely look into 4. Haven't been able to visit this site lately :S so I've been at a standstill trying to work with the animation really xD. It's frustrating haha.
BTW, definitely too much wiggle xD!
-
As far as walking animations go in older games, Alyssa's (from The Guardian Legend) is hard to top.
I couldn't resist to create an edit.
(http://www.serius.se/images/vault/walk_down.gif)
i tihnk you've made a run into a runway show :P
-
As far as walking animations go in older games, Alyssa's (from The Guardian Legend) is hard to top.
I couldn't resist to create an edit.
(http://www.serius.se/images/vault/walk_down.gif)
Too much wiggle?
there's "feminine", then there's "guy in drag overdiong it"
-
Chibpixel notice with the reference gamingjustin posted (which is a perfect reference btw, and an awesome game) when both her feet are on the ground, one is in front and the other is further back. This is what I said earlier about not trying to re-use the standing frame in the walking animation. Each step a human makes is actually a controlled fall; you lean forward and throw your foot out to catch you so you don't fall over. Thus it's impossible to have both your feet directly underneath your body in the middle of a step. And yes, having the feet pointed outward is going to have an affect on the walk; if you want to give him a cowboy swagger you could keep it in there, but his toes would have to stay pointed out at all times.
-
Yep, as soon as I saw and decompiled the .GIF I can see what you mean. Cheers guys you've been great help ^_^!.