AuthorTopic: GR#128 - Battlescar - Sideview Gameart & Animation  (Read 55163 times)

Offline Decroded

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Re: Platformer WIP [C+C please]

Reply #30 on: October 18, 2012, 09:04:03 am
Here's a little edit to illustrate:

Hey thanks the fluidity is really noticable and interesting like the delay in the back arm dropping.

Quick question though what do you mean by horizontal head movement?
I haven't run it in game yet, do you mean how in my last edit the whole guy is pushing forward and back?
Or is there something in all the versions you're referring to?

Offline Facet

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Re: Platformer WIP [C+C please]

Reply #31 on: October 18, 2012, 06:52:22 pm
Looking great, animations have improved tremendously :y:.

Backgrounds are more my deal though, so some foliage stuff: the bushes look pretty pillowy & front-lit next to your directionally lit treetrunk, I think generally you could do with toning down the per-leaf detail and highlights, much as Helm mentions of your character, and focus more on volume and the combined effect (the willowherb-like thing to the right is nicer though). I chucked in a few more (bushes) mostly because I love greenery but also for it's bordering effect; helping concentrate attention onto the path and perhaps allowing for more detail/interest in the background without it effecting readability.



I also roughed in some tree canopy/shadows & foreground silhouettes ideas in the next frame too, 'cos it felt a little sparse and I was enjoying the idea of the scene. I think the roots over bare rock looks fine really if not so realistic. 

Hank = Henk Nieborg ;)

Edit - Ah, sorry for barging in with some bg stuff in the middle of some sweet character/animation discussion; I started the edit the other day. I think Kclic just means the little nudge backwards on (blue leg) contact; it does slightly betray the loop, where the smooth arcs of the limbs don't.
« Last Edit: October 18, 2012, 09:28:02 pm by Facet »

Offline Decroded

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Re: Platformer WIP [C+C please]

Reply #32 on: October 22, 2012, 12:59:11 am


:o
Hey thanks for the great tips about bordering front and back and toning down the highlights, hopefully I can pick up these great techniques.
Your tree canopy and shrubs are really nice, I'm still trying to figure out how to get this kind of structure and volume (I feel my biggest weakness).

Here's a couple of dull, uninspired sketches I was working on after work.
The tavern exterior (town area) is so boring I stopped and need to get some more interesting references.
May clean up the forest scene a little just to use as another little playable or story area but its certainly not interesting enough to be used for larger exploration areas (especially since its so flat).


Touch of reworking the hero sprite here too as per Helm's suggestions but was only a quick edit, still working on that.
The dark furry thing will be animated into a bouncing, jumping, biting blob enemy. More of a nuisance than a threat, good for learning the ropes at the start of the game.

Offline NaCl

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Re: Platformer WIP [C+C please]

Reply #33 on: October 25, 2012, 09:35:23 pm
This is all looking nice. I made an animation edit, continuing on from r1k's edit. I think to eliminate the prancing you need to really emphasize the movement between having the leg extended without weight on it, to having the full weight of the body on that leg. I did that by increasing the change in how bent it was. Right before he lands, I made his leg very straight. Then, the next frame it is very bent. This gives a good illusion that he is really landing on that leg. I also moved the bent leg forward because it is more important to show the landing than the smooth movement back.

Also, I changed how he is bobbing up and down. He really only needs a movement of +/- 3 pixels. I labeled it such on the image (0 is the baseline, it's +/- 3 away from that, not from the previous frame). Use the top of the head as a reference. If the impact frame is not the lowest, it will give the character a feeling of weightlessness. He needs to squash and stretch, basically. Think more of a sine wave than a series of arcs.

One last thing, I'd reduce the shoulder and head  rotation a bit. It's a little too much.



Sorry it's not a GIF, I don't have software to make them.

Offline PixelPiledriver

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Re: Platformer WIP [C+C please]

Reply #34 on: October 25, 2012, 11:12:49 pm
here's the above animation by NaCl

edit: slower

Quote
I don't have software to make them.
Try GraphicsGale or something similar.
« Last Edit: October 26, 2012, 12:49:40 am by PixelPiledriver »
And knowing that it is, we seek what it is... ~ Aristotle, Posterior Analytics, Chapter 1

Offline NaCl

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Re: Platformer WIP [C+C please]

Reply #35 on: October 26, 2012, 12:05:43 am
Thanks. I use GG but only the free version, can't export gifs. You mind slowing it down a bit? It's supposed to be at 10ms per frame

Offline HarveyDentMustDie

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Re: Platformer WIP [C+C please]

Reply #36 on: October 26, 2012, 04:34:54 pm
Maybe this will be helpful to you -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QrlPmK4B94  ;D
For me a good reference is half of the job.

I really like your style, and the color choices (especially in the forest scene ).

Offline PypeBros

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Re: Platformer WIP [C+C please]

Reply #37 on: October 26, 2012, 06:50:01 pm
@harven: really interesting reference. I wouldn't have guessed that they'd have their feet getting contact with the ground almost vertically below their torso, although for fast enough running, that makes perfect sense.

Offline Decroded

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Re: Platformer WIP [C+C please]

Reply #38 on: October 27, 2012, 12:21:04 pm
Started a jumping sprite (haven't drawn sword yet).
Plan to animate this a bit soon (move arms and legs).

Trying to develop the rendering style a bit from previous attempts, removing over-highlighting while trying to retain some interesting contrast to pop from the background.
Still a bit of selout here but after playing around a bit (not shown here) I did notice alot more freedom without selout.
Interested in opinions on how this style of rendering looks, any tips to clean it up a bit.
This is the old style for comparison:



EDIT:
And here is the same with trims on the shoulder pads to make it more interesting...better or too stereo-typical?


ANOTHER EDIT:
Been considering a cape for a while to make him more interesting. I didn't want it to be too long but hope its not too short.
Does it look ok or too much of a SOTN rip-off?  ;D

The reason I like the red though is I figure its going to help bring him forward from the generally cool backgrounds.
« Last Edit: October 27, 2012, 12:53:02 pm by Decroded »

Offline buddy90

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Re: Platformer WIP [C+C please]

Reply #39 on: October 27, 2012, 10:25:26 pm
In terms of character design, I do like the cape more, although do be aware that it will be a much bigger pain animating him now. But, it will look cooler.

Although I think he has way too many color themes. Green pants, silver breastplate, red cape, and blue shoulderpads makes him seem too colorful. If you want to make him warmer, I'd say change the blue and green and try browns and beiges. If his color scheme was brown, red, and beige, I think he would look more cohesive as an entity.

Also, be careful with the banding! I notice you're trying to use AA, but you're overdoing it.