Pixelation

Critique => Pixel Art => Topic started by: lollige on May 19, 2009, 07:28:20 am

Title: Sprites (running, jumping)
Post by: lollige on May 19, 2009, 07:28:20 am
Hello guys,
I am creating a game.


Ok lets move on to the art part. This game needs a character, and the character needed to run. So I put together all my knowledge, and even though I never made a run animation before I am quite pleased with it.
Jump animation has just been worked on as well.
For the techies between you guys: How should I make the jump animation so that it is easy to work with in game programming? The full jump sequel with the going up and down, or is it often more useful to just have a start of the jump animation, then an image of the character going up and a loose image of the character going down?

Anyway, here is the stuff. Arne's 16 color palette.
View it at 4x, as that is what its made for.
(http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/5545/hero.gif)(http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/1934/herorun.gif)(http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/3177/heroruncolor.gif)(http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/1760/herojump.gif)

All help, tips, edits, links to tutorials, or just motivating posts are/is welcome!
Title: Re: Sprites (running, jumping)
Post by: willfaulds on May 19, 2009, 10:30:05 am
the animation is very smooth  :y:

some nitpics though  ;D  (I haven't looked frame by frame)

his far leg the foot seems really uncomfortable when his leg is most extended.

his arms don't move as pleasingly as his legs - they just feel like they're rotating (i think altering the angle of the elbow would help alot)

when you're totally happy with the arms and legs I think you could add interest with a little belly jiggle (sub pixel probably) and maybe the same to the hair.

that leads me on to my final point. i currently read the character as wearing a roman style wreath - is that right?
Title: Re: Sprites (running, jumping)
Post by: xbogx on May 19, 2009, 12:30:06 pm
for such a high jump i think it would look better if he bent his knees more before he jumps. the way it's now it kinda seems like low gravity
Title: Re: Sprites (running, jumping)
Post by: PypeBros on May 19, 2009, 01:56:45 pm
* we shouldn't see that much of the far arm when he runs
* the jump is odd to me. Too little effort, even for an unrealistic "flintstone-like" animation. What happens to his feet when falling back doesn't sound right, and you might want to add something that makes the jump more dynamic ... raising an arm, or extending the legs "à la jumpman" ... whatever, but not just standing firm and looking upwards.
Title: Re: Sprites (running, jumping)
Post by: TrevoriuS on May 19, 2009, 03:40:40 pm
The lower arm should definitely change angle with the upper arm, in the jump you need a much much stronger anticipation, you don't jump off your toes, you bend your legs and hunch your back. Any further critique mentioned above by PypeBros & willfauds I completely agree with as well
Title: Re: Sprites (running, jumping)
Post by: Souly on May 19, 2009, 06:18:51 pm
Loli ya gotta take a step back to the solids for the running.
One big thing I noticed was the morphing of the arms.
You gotta try and keep the same size throughout the whole animation or it will look choppy and strange.

(http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/1934/herorun.gif) <> (http://i43.tinypic.com/2vxrivc.gif)
YOURS <> MINE

The back arm is slow, and it was only swinging back for 1 frames, when your right arm goes back for 3 frames, and also it looks like a rising tentacle.
One thing I noticed is your arms were doing very little actual movement, you gotta try and draw the forearm and have it rotate around the joint of the elbow.

Edit*
One thing I'm noticing with the legs is his red leg seems to kick out very straight.
A sprinter runs with high knees I know this man isn't an athlete but his legs still operate the same, it looks more like a kicking motion then a lift of the leg for a step.
Title: Re: Sprites (running, jumping)
Post by: Keith on May 19, 2009, 09:55:09 pm
I think when jumping he should crouch, and then move his arms upward. When he lands he should hunch down and then straighten up.

The colors and shading are great but the expression seems a bit fake. I tried working around with it but couldn't come up with anything.

Hopefully I'm not restating too much of what has already been said.
Title: Re: Sprites (running, jumping)
Post by: lollige on May 20, 2009, 08:44:23 am
Thanks for all the nice and useful comments!!!

I forgot to mention that the jumping was a messy 10 minute test. I am not even sure yet how high I want him to jump, which is important for the animation I guess. The jump will be fully remade, and the stuff you guys wrote about that will help.

Also, I was aware that the arms were not perfect, but I did not know how to make them like that. Thanks to souly I do now!

Willfaulds, thanks for noticing that leg, I fixed it as soon as I read that!
No, it is not a roman outfit. I hope it is all obvious when I say that it is a fat caveman/stoneage kid?

Here is the new version of the run animation
(http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/3177/heroruncolor.gif)

EDIT
2 modifications. Tell me what you think of them. Oh and btw, the game is supposed to be a bit funny, humor style, so I will have to bring more humor in my sprites if possible.
(http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/5837/herorundoublet.gif)(http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/5162/herorundoublespeed.gif)
Title: Re: Sprites (running, jumping)
Post by: TrevoriuS on May 20, 2009, 11:33:08 am
I don't see shoulder movement going on where it should, you see, when an arm is brought forwards the shoulder blade will follow and rotate across the rib cage more to the front, and the same is when the arm is brought back.
Now your arms go fairly far to the front, and I think they should go further to the back as well to bring this run cycle into a balance, because like this the change in motion going back forwards feels really abrupt. That could also be due to the timing in your frames though.

The first modification I like, the second is a bit overdone, so you could stick to this because it is indeed looking quite funny =)
Title: Re: Sprites (running, jumping)
Post by: balls01 on May 23, 2009, 09:09:37 am
hey,

only a little minor crit. when he comes down to contact on the jump his feet are at 90 degrees from the ground, making it look like hes going to land on the apex of his toes crush his ankle break his leg and that flab is going to end as his new feet. thats it ^^.
Title: Re: Sprites (running, jumping)
Post by: lollige on May 26, 2009, 01:59:04 pm
Back home again, and I made a new jump animation.
I don't think it is finished yet, but what do you think?
(http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/1760/herojump.gif)
Title: Re: Sprites (running, jumping)
Post by: Zccc on May 26, 2009, 04:02:35 pm
It is hard to have your arms stiff down when you are falling. Change the legs also. I llike the sprites.
Title: Re: Sprites (running, jumping)
Post by: hsn2555 on May 27, 2009, 01:14:26 pm

jump ..
crouch right before he actually jumps,arms raise up, legs bend higher and feet open-wider when he falls, stomach raises and falls too.

running ..
his stomach goes ups and down,or else you should enlarge its size when he exhales and inhales


,yet amazing job
Title: Re: Sprites (running, jumping)
Post by: Emtch on May 27, 2009, 04:13:59 pm
(http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/1760/herojump.gif)

How would he jump without moving? Plus he "jumps" twice his own height.

Knees should bend, arms swing and back straighten out.
Title: Re: Sprites (running, jumping)
Post by: Mathias on May 27, 2009, 05:34:23 pm
Frankly, I'm surprised these animations are so bad. Sorry. Particularly, the jumping one - it looks like he's just suddenly being sucked upward by an invisible force, and certainly not moving by himself. Get up. Now jump up as high as you can.

-You totally forgot recoil. When you jumped just now, you had to "charge" your legs in a spring action so you could launch yourself upward. I'd say this is the biggest mistake. Toss in some recoil and you'll be on the right track.

-This character is supposed to be funny, right? Exaggerate his movements for that cartoony funny effect. What, don't you watch any cartoons? You may need to go do some "field research". Make his legs kick as if swimming while in the air, like Luigi in Mario Bros 2. Think of other lovable characters, like Earthworm Jim - Such a rememberable character because he had so much expressive character in his movements. Oh yeah, and he had some great idle animations, too. The best sprite chars have great idle animations. Your caveman guy could grab his knees and pant for breath, being overweight as he is. You could even code some animation swaps so his idle anim used is contingent on how much he's been running.

-When descending, give some indication of falling with the hair flying up.

-His mouth is distracting, not sure why he's opening it like that.


Hope my drivel is helpful.
Title: Re: Sprites (running, jumping)
Post by: Opacus on May 27, 2009, 08:18:14 pm
Hey Daniel. I made an edit for you to demonstrate more movement, and a more comical effect. Which you seem to desire.
(http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/245/guyjump.gif)