[WIP][C+C] Child (maybe hero) running Animation

[miro42]

Here's a dude running, totally a WIP.  I've already noticed a lot of proportion problems, as well as just plain bad animation, but I figure as much input as early as possible would be a big help, especially on animation and color.  These are just base colors right now with a bit of color difference so I didn't confuse which leg was moving which direction while animating .

[32]

This is a very nice start, the legs are working nicely .

The thing I always do for cyclical animation is isolate the parts where the arcs are most important (Hands/ Feet/ Shoulders/Hips and Head) and animate them individually, paying as much attention as I can to ease in and out and keeping very smooth arcs. Actually draw the arcs on another layer if it helps (example). The biggest issue with this animation is jitter, the hands in particular move at an uneven rate, they should act like pendulums (see previous example). Try dragging the hands as well. The cycle on the head movement is a bit strange also, while it can look nice to have the character thrust forward a bit with each step the head should follow a circular arc, not just side to side.

I'm not sure how familiar you are with animation terminology so just shout if you need me to explain anything.

[miro42]

You hit it spot on 32.  I always forget about arcs.  Anyhoo, here's the newer version.  I've drastically changed the arm swings and arced the head a bit, but that still needs improvement I think.

[32]

Looking much better. Still a bit of an issue with his right hand when it hits the apex of its movement. Maybe try offsetting the movement of the head by one frame, so it reaches its lowest point the frame after the rest of his body. Animation wise I don't have much else to say, could all use a bit more attention on a pixel level but the movement is more or less solid.

[miro42]

Once again I feel the burn out coming from reworking.  I added some light and shadows to other spots and cleaned up some of the pixels.  Not really finished, but for now it is.

Enjoy.



HAH!  Right as I was about to submit this I realized the whole right hand thing you were talking about, 32.  So I went and changed it.  It's better, I think, not perfect, but better.

[JustinGameDesign]

As long as this character continues running, his hair should never be blowing forward. It should always be blowing back, but to varying degrees. I like this sprite in general though. Lots of character in it.