[WIP] Chibi Platform Game Character [UPDATE - 29 March 2010]

[PypeBros]

Imho, the key thing that makes him "stiff" while running is the lack of move of the shoulders. Also, it's a bit unnatural to see his hair still pointing forwards while running.
Frame 3 & 4 of the run also produce a surprising artefact as the same location is used first by the back arm and then by the foreground arm, making it look like a punch coming out of his stomach.
You can likely fix this by making the arm bend sooner.

[Mike]

Meh I made an edit not to proud of it but I like it when people post cool characters like this so I figured I should try and help out in order to keep those cool people around.

 Also I experimented and made the passing frames leg delay which should add a nice snap when he is in the air frame.

Oh and I tried my hand at animating the pony tail but I'm not that good at it hopefully for both our sakes someone will see this thread and fix it and explain how they did.

[CodeCriminal]

Meh I made an edit not to proud of it but I like it when people post cool characters like this so I figured I should try and help out in order to keep those cool people around.

 Also I experimented and made the passing frames leg delay which add should add a nice snap when he is in the air frame.

Oh and I tried my hand at animating the pony tail but I'm not that good at it hopefully for both our sakes someone will see this thread and fix it and explain how they did.

Thanks! ,
I really like how you animated the pony tail, just what i was looking for the running animation has a nice bounce to it too. However im not too keen on the arms, they look a bit too "care-free" which is not the direction i want to take the this character, id much rather keep the coolness about him

Thanks loads, going to begin editing the pony tail animation a bit so that it conforms with the shading

@PypeBros - Have tried to sort out the upper body based on your input, no luck as of yet, will post something for critique when im happy with it

PS: Erk... Mike could you send me the strip of frames, I dont have any software to open GIFs with, sorry.

[Mike]

Yep here you go

 I should've done this in promotion in the first place...

Also do you mean his arms are carefree because they swing up more?  You can solve that but still have the pendulum effect you need so it doesn't look robotic.  (although I think I put the arms highest position on the wrong frames hah)  Just place the highest points the arms will go so they are low enough that should work.  EEEEEHH I just realized I made the arm straight instead of maintaining the bend when its at its highest point.  oops.

Oh and this should come in handy for you

http://web.archive.org/web/20070506060430/www.bigbluebubble.com/pixeltutorial/chapter15.htm

[Beefmo]

Had a little mess around with your dood trying to breathe a little more life into your idle animation. Exaggerated his breathing and added some extra bounce to him. Take from it what you will, but either way it was really fun messing around with him. Your little guy is really cool!



I must say theres definitely improvement in Mike's run edit, the erratic flailing of the tail seems.. well.. erratic Maybe if you smoothed the motion almost to the point of your tailwag, it would make it look more fluid and would definitely mesh with the edit Mike did to the ponytail.

I feel from your new avatar and the general bad arse'ness of this little guy he could do with a more dynamic run, something less generic.

But either way he's coming along and looking great! keep it up!

[CodeCriminal]

Had a little mess around with your dood trying to breathe a little more life into your idle animation. Exaggerated his breathing and added some extra bounce to him. Take from it what you will, but either way it was really fun messing around with him. Your little guy is really cool!



I must say theres definitely improvement in Mike's run edit, the erratic flailing of the tail seems.. well.. erratic Maybe if you smoothed the motion almost to the point of your tailwag, it would make it look more fluid and would definitely mesh with the edit Mike did to the ponytail.

I feel from your new avatar and the general bad arse'ness of this little guy he could do with a more dynamic run, something less generic.

But either way he's coming along and looking great! keep it up!

Haha! that looks awesome, so smooth (kinda jealous of your smooth animation skills ). not to keen on the way his right leg moves when bending, looks kinda "dainty" but the rest is awesome
About the run animation, yeah ive been trying for days now to get it to look just right through editing and im considering just starting from scratch, have him lean into the run more, have some upper body rotation and try out creating that "pendulum effect" Mike was talking about.. any suggestions for a dynamic run? because i was just going to do a sprint.

Anywho, im still spriting, this little guy, will make another update in the top post soon.

Thanks

@Beefmo - would you mind sending the strip of frames for that animation, I have no software to load GIF's with sorry

[Beefmo]

Wewps meant to post that too sorry ><



I had a nice reference run sprite that i ran across just before, but I seem to have lost it, I'll try to dig it up for you.

[Mike]

You could if you wanted to do the exact same movement for the tail as the hair with a few tweaks because the tail is more rigid.  The tail would stay pretty stationary at the base but the further you along the tail you go the less rigid and the less attached it is to the main body.  Though that is only if he completely relaxes the tail.  I've seen cats run with their tails straight up and there is barely any overlapping action.

[zez]

This is really minor, but his (foreground) arm snaps forwards really fast, and then the back one instantly catches up to it. You could probably get away with loosing a frame of it moving backwards in favor for a slight transition, as right now it kind of looks like hes doing a one two punch combo on the air in front of him.

[7321551]

Hm. There isn't much emphasis on any point in the running animation, so the legs look sort-of like they're peddling a bike, & the arms look flaily.
Running is sort-of like a series of leaps, or at least that's what it feels like. Emphasize the airborne bit. Quick edit -


original/edit

I duplicated the airborne frame, extended the leg a little (sloppily), & made the arms fixed for those two frames.