AuthorTopic: Horror Game Character Animation/Scenes  (Read 7218 times)

Offline PixHammer

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Horror Game Character Animation/Scenes

on: April 25, 2015, 08:02:04 am
I'm working a 2D horror game. I feel I need some feedback on how things are looking and how I could improve them  :y:

Walk Animation:


Another Walk Animation:


Run Animation:


Turning Frame:


Stairs Background:


Ingame Scene:


These are not scaled at 100% (They are at 400%) as this is the scale they will appear in the game.
« Last Edit: April 25, 2015, 08:06:03 am by PixHammer »

Offline Zia

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Re: Horror Game Character Animation/Scenes

Reply #1 on: April 25, 2015, 07:58:12 pm
A few things about your walk cycle. Right now, you've got a bit of a horse-like clop gait going on. This is partially due to the way your feet stay more-or-less static throughout - the bottom of the foot never bends. When you walk, the bottom of your foot doesn't stay so flat. The bigger issue is that you have the leg that's striding forward bending WAY too much. Try walking like that yourself. You'll find it feels very unnatural. Typically, the back foot that stays in contact with the ground pushes forward. The leg striding forward bends very little. Additionally, the arms are bending way too much when they swing backwards. Typically, arms bend more on the *forward* swing. Try just walking across the room paying attention to these things and you'll really be able to feel them. Walk normally, then walk like your character, then walk normally again. Finally, there's very little differentiation between the front and back legs. They sort of melt together.

A comment on the character art. Right now, it's sort of messy. Try cleaning up your colour palette and eliminating noise. Focus on making every pixel and colour having a meaning.


Here are a few small edits to your walk cycle. I didn't do a whole lot, not everything I talked about above, but I changed a couple of smaller and quicker things about to make it a little smoother. I also entirely eliminated two frames, the ones with the most leg bend.



Also, this forum automatically zooms in on images when you click them, so there's no need to resize before posting. You can just say they're meant to be viewed at 4x. :)
« Last Edit: April 25, 2015, 08:03:05 pm by Zia »
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Offline PixHammer

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Re: Horror Game Character Animation/Scenes

Reply #2 on: April 25, 2015, 11:05:40 pm
A few things about your walk cycle. Right now, you've got a bit of a horse-like clop gait going on. This is partially due to the way your feet stay more-or-less static throughout - the bottom of the foot never bends. When you walk, the bottom of your foot doesn't stay so flat. The bigger issue is that you have the leg that's striding forward bending WAY too much. Try walking like that yourself. You'll find it feels very unnatural. Typically, the back foot that stays in contact with the ground pushes forward. The leg striding forward bends very little. Additionally, the arms are bending way too much when they swing backwards. Typically, arms bend more on the *forward* swing. Try just walking across the room paying attention to these things and you'll really be able to feel them. Walk normally, then walk like your character, then walk normally again. Finally, there's very little differentiation between the front and back legs. They sort of melt together.

A comment on the character art. Right now, it's sort of messy. Try cleaning up your colour palette and eliminating noise. Focus on making every pixel and colour having a meaning.


Here are a few small edits to your walk cycle. I didn't do a whole lot, not everything I talked about above, but I changed a couple of smaller and quicker things about to make it a little smoother. I also entirely eliminated two frames, the ones with the most leg bend.



Also, this forum automatically zooms in on images when you click them, so there's no need to resize before posting. You can just say they're meant to be viewed at 4x. :)

Awesome! I've never got much feedback on my pixel art before, and this is really helpful for me, i'm more of a programmer, and animation seems to be something i'm kind of hit and miss with. Thank you so much!

Edit: Think this is a big improvement :y:
« Last Edit: April 26, 2015, 07:32:14 am by PixHammer »

Offline Decroded

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Re: Horror Game Character Animation/Scenes

Reply #3 on: April 26, 2015, 08:17:03 am
arms look too short

Offline Not Quite Black and White

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Re: Horror Game Character Animation/Scenes

Reply #4 on: April 26, 2015, 12:35:26 pm
I agree pretty much with everything Zia said. My main issue with it though is her back seems to be too rigid. This is weird, as I just checked my own main character and her back doesn't move when walking either. I think the difference is mine has much longer legs (it's more cartoony), so when she moves the top part of the leg (above the knee) moves a lot more. With your one it's almost like theres a straight line from the shoulder to the knee, and it's quite noticeable.
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Offline PixHammer

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Re: Horror Game Character Animation/Scenes

Reply #5 on: April 26, 2015, 03:03:18 pm
I agree pretty much with everything Zia said. My main issue with it though is her back seems to be too rigid. This is weird, as I just checked my own main character and her back doesn't move when walking either. I think the difference is mine has much longer legs (it's more cartoony), so when she moves the top part of the leg (above the knee) moves a lot more. With your one it's almost like theres a straight line from the shoulder to the knee, and it's quite noticeable.

Perhaps if I include a minor twist to the upper body it might make her seem a little less rigid?

Offline Not Quite Black and White

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Re: Horror Game Character Animation/Scenes

Reply #6 on: April 26, 2015, 03:16:15 pm
Yeah a twist would be good, but maybe have her make her jacket more a pixel wider or something? So it's clearly a separate thing from her legs? Not sure about that, as that might make her look a bit fat...
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Offline PixHammer

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Re: Horror Game Character Animation/Scenes

Reply #7 on: April 26, 2015, 03:25:38 pm
Yeah a twist would be good, but maybe have her make her jacket more a pixel wider or something? So it's clearly a separate thing from her legs? Not sure about that, as that might make her look a bit fat...

I think I will experiment with it, all about trial and error when you're learning right? Heh.

Offline lachrymose

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Re: Horror Game Character Animation/Scenes

Reply #8 on: April 26, 2015, 06:05:27 pm
arms look too short

Yeah, torso is a bit to long as well.

Gives off the appearances the she is holding her shoulders rather high and stiffly.

Offline PixHammer

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Re: Horror Game Character Animation/Scenes

Reply #9 on: April 27, 2015, 06:36:48 pm

Having taken what has been said so far into account I think I have improved this. Thoughts?

Offline Shade

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Re: Horror Game Character Animation/Scenes

Reply #10 on: April 27, 2015, 07:35:39 pm
Personally I think the bobbing looks more like she is hopping, also maybe adding some shoulder movement to stop the upper body being so stiff.

Offline PixHammer

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Re: Horror Game Character Animation/Scenes

Reply #11 on: April 27, 2015, 09:53:02 pm
Personally I think the bobbing looks more like she is hopping, also maybe adding some shoulder movement to stop the upper body being so stiff.



I think i agree, this looks very nice!

Edit: Hmm, in-game it looks kinda goofy, like she's sliding around, the animation runs slightly slower than here, and hte bobbing looks less hop-y
« Last Edit: April 27, 2015, 10:02:01 pm by PixHammer »

Offline PsylentKnight

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Re: Horror Game Character Animation/Scenes

Reply #12 on: April 27, 2015, 10:34:34 pm
Yea, I'd have to disagree with Shade. Walk cycles need a little vertical movement. It looks weird when everything else is moving and the head remains in the precisely the same place.
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Offline PixHammer

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Re: Horror Game Character Animation/Scenes

Reply #13 on: May 01, 2015, 06:37:24 pm
Okay so another one, this time the character is sat alseep on a chair, and is startled awake:


Thoughts/Improvements?

Offline Zia

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Re: Horror Game Character Animation/Scenes

Reply #14 on: May 01, 2015, 07:59:22 pm
The placement of the thighs looks really unnatural. They're incredibly short in this image. It's okay when she's leaning, but as soon as she sits up straight it looks more like she's on a stool than on a chair. Her back also feels really upright and stiff for sitting.

I might also add some little "exclamation" lines to make it a bit more dramatic, as I'm assuming this will probably be done for humor value.
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