AuthorTopic: Chasm: Character Animations  (Read 21897 times)

Offline slym

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Chasm: Character Animations

on: December 22, 2012, 07:35:09 pm
Hey everyone! I'm currently working on the hero character in Chasm (dev video here)




More About the Game:

Development Blog
Tigsource Thread
« Last Edit: January 08, 2013, 02:56:13 am by slym »

Offline Ymedron

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Re: Chasm: Characters vs. Backgrounds

Reply #1 on: December 22, 2012, 08:28:42 pm
I think the old character works a lot better because of the black outlines. In a platformer it is very important to see where your character is at any time, and the black contrast helps it pop.

As a side note, any reason why the trees and ground are different? I personally prefer the old versions of those, too.

Edit: Oh, I guess this is a downscale! Sorry, I didn't see that there.

How about... hm... I'd say make the main character the most vividly colored one in the scene. A red shirt would pop out a lot more than the lavender one you have right now.
« Last Edit: December 22, 2012, 08:31:05 pm by Ymedron »
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Offline tim

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Re: Chasm: Characters vs. Backgrounds

Reply #2 on: December 22, 2012, 09:36:41 pm
You can use some kind of rim lighting to help contrasting the character without using any outline.

Something like this :





Anyway, I love that you get rid of the outline, however I prefer the old trees,
they're more detailed thanks to the extra colours.
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Offline slym

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Re: Chasm: Characters vs. Backgrounds

Reply #3 on: December 23, 2012, 08:41:03 pm


@Ymedron: Thanks, I've changed the purple to a pinker color. The outlines are just too clunky at this resolution, especially when animating.

@tim: The rim lighting could be helpful for the underground where it is darker, but I think it would only blend the character into the environment more or cause suttle banding when he's on the surface. The old trees felt kinda messy to me, so I took out the highlight, but I agree there should be more detail in that version. I've changed up the highlights a bit, hopefully for the better  ;)

Offline Ymedron

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Re: Chasm: Characters vs. Backgrounds

Reply #4 on: December 23, 2012, 11:34:50 pm
That seems to work a lot better already!
As my last advice that I'd know to give, making the hair a bit darker too might help, since from what I see it's slightly clashing with the areas on the middle and right because of a similar level of brightness.

The little patches of color spruce up (pun intended and apologized for) the tree kinda nicely, but i think they could still be a bit larger.
Also my art tumblr: ymedronart.tumblr.com

Offline slym

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Re: Chasm: Character Animations

Reply #5 on: December 24, 2012, 02:46:32 am
Thanks, I agree if the hair was darker it would contrast more. I just need to find a balance with it on the surface and in caverns.

Here's the run animation I'm working on. Some odd things happening with legs and timing.


Any ideas on how to fix them?

Offline Mr. Fahrenheit

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Re: Chasm: Character Animations

Reply #6 on: December 24, 2012, 02:56:33 am
You're right about the odd things. Try to make the legs extend further back and have a bend in it. Make sure to show that they land on the heels of the foot and use a reference if you are not.

Offline slym

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Re: Chasm: Character Animations

Reply #7 on: December 24, 2012, 03:21:02 am


I just changed the lifting on the back legs. Any nitpicks?
« Last Edit: December 24, 2012, 05:34:34 am by slym »

Offline yaomon17

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Re: Chasm: Character Animations

Reply #8 on: December 24, 2012, 03:36:38 am
The forward swing of his right arm seems a big exaggerated.

Offline Dr D

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Re: Chasm: Character Animations

Reply #9 on: December 24, 2012, 04:32:32 am
Ah! That's what was bothering me about the animation, Yeoman figured it out.

If anything, the arm in the back should probably go further (technically, further in X axis) than the other arm, due to the angle, no?

Also, I've never had to face the problems of using an outline-less sprite on multiple backgrounds myself. But of course I think the most important thing to do would be to avoid putting him on a background of the same color at all costs, so a similar brown background in any of your stages would probably be bad, or need to be carefully designed.

Looking good, though.
« Last Edit: December 24, 2012, 04:34:06 am by Dr D »