AuthorTopic: Stingray Animation [C&C]  (Read 6263 times)

Offline Nirel

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Stingray Animation [C&C]

on: September 03, 2015, 05:40:09 pm
Hi everybody!

Latest update,
I tried to fix the movement according to suggestions, please tell me what you think :)






Third update:

I've made a few quick edits from suggestions, please tell me which one you'd like me to develop and why or any other suggestions.
Original -First edit -Second -Third.


Second update:

I tried to make him move right, any criticism is welcome.



First update:
This is my newest version, I think I've been looking at it for too long and I'd be happy to hear any suggestions on how to make this better!


first post:
I'm working on a stingray shmup thing, and I'd like to know if you have any ideas on making this simpler or less flat before I make other animations, any general criticism is more than welcome also.





« Last Edit: September 12, 2015, 09:23:17 pm by Nirel »

Offline IrresponsibleFreelancer

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Re: Stingray Animation [C&C]

Reply #1 on: September 04, 2015, 03:28:20 am
One huge thing that you definitely should have done before animating the stingray was to look up actual reference of what a stingrays swim looks like. Anyone who's been to a zoo knows that the way that they swim is that their big wings or fins ripple not wave like regular fish. Just look on YouTube or even google images and I'm sure you'll find a solid gif.

In answer to your question one way to make it appear more 3d is by reinforcing the logging on it. If the lighting is well done it defines the form better and makes the image seem more shapely and 3 dimensional.

Other than that well done and keep trekking through it. Its a lot easier to find problems with something than to make it yourself. You're doing a great job just look up red even if you think you know. It only takes like 3 seconds.  :crazy:
I dont get it done, but when i do its not done.

Offline Nirel

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Re: Stingray Animation [C&C]

Reply #2 on: September 04, 2015, 08:55:05 am
I actually read articles about stingray locomotion at first but I couldn't make this rippling effect look convincing... there are types of stingrays that seem like they flap they're wings up and down but I didn't manage to do it very well also so it just looks like it's going back and forth...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aOh4ad0Li8
Youtube embed doesn't seem to work

Regarding the 3D I Unfortunately don't quite understand what you mean by 'reinforcing the logging', I realize the problem is probably with the lighting I just don't know how to fix it. Now that I think about it making the wings go up and down might also help.

In second thought trying to make the wings ripple might be worth it even solely for the fact that I have 8 more directions to animate, with most likely transnational animations, not including turbo mode(I'm thinking of adding a turbo bar). Doing the rippling could make this much simpler with moving the ripples mostly faster and slower depending on speed and direction.

Thanks for the feedback!
« Last Edit: September 04, 2015, 08:58:10 am by Nirel »

Offline RedSuinit

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Re: Stingray Animation [C&C]

Reply #3 on: September 04, 2015, 12:30:02 pm
I actually read articles about stingray locomotion at first but I couldn't make this rippling effect look convincing... there are types of stingrays that seem like they flap they're wings up and down but I didn't manage to do it very well also so it just looks like it's going back and forth...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aOh4ad0Li8
Youtube embed doesn't seem to work

Regarding the 3D I Unfortunately don't quite understand what you mean by 'reinforcing the logging', I realize the problem is probably with the lighting I just don't know how to fix it. Now that I think about it making the wings go up and down might also help.

In second thought trying to make the wings ripple might be worth it even solely for the fact that I have 8 more directions to animate, with most likely transnational animations, not including turbo mode(I'm thinking of adding a turbo bar). Doing the rippling could make this much simpler with moving the ripples mostly faster and slower depending on speed and direction.

Thanks for the feedback!

I am pretty sure he meant reinforce the LIGHTING. He's probably on a mobile device and his autocorrect got him.

I think the biggest issue with the "flapping" is the fact that the wings never change in length. Think of it like an ark, if the wing is going up relative to the body, unless the wing is stretching, from the top down perspective it should get shorter.



Imagine his arm is being raised. The tip of his fingers will follow the arc. Then imagine looking at it from the top, it would appear as if it was getting "shorter".

Offline Nirel

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Re: Stingray Animation [C&C]

Reply #4 on: September 04, 2015, 12:44:03 pm
Lol you're probably right about the logging thing, and you make a good point about the flapping I'd work on that thanks!

Offline IrresponsibleFreelancer

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Re: Stingray Animation [C&C]

Reply #5 on: September 06, 2015, 11:56:22 pm
Pardon my mistake there clearly im the one thats never been to a zoo before because after seeing the video i felt like a knucklehead.
Nonetheless...

Yeah sorry i was on my phone when i typed that.  Another thing that i notice looking at your reference videos is that the flapping type motion of the stingrays (even though you said you might change it) is much slower and the timing is a bit different to what you have.  I realise that this may be an uploading problem where in a gif you dont have control of the timing of the frames, still though i hope you understand what i mean though.

Great job so far and good job doing your research, youre already a step ahead of the game  :crazy:
I dont get it done, but when i do its not done.

Offline Nirel

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Re: Stingray Animation [C&C]

Reply #6 on: September 07, 2015, 08:36:39 pm
Hi I made a right moving animation, I'd be happy to hear your thoughts.
« Last Edit: September 07, 2015, 08:56:38 pm by Nirel »

Offline Joe

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Re: Stingray Animation [C&C]

Reply #7 on: September 07, 2015, 10:15:42 pm
Looks much better. Perhaps slow it down a bit with more power on the downstroke. It's moving through water, after all.

Offline IrresponsibleFreelancer

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Re: Stingray Animation [C&C]

Reply #8 on: September 07, 2015, 11:08:50 pm
One other thing i wanted to add after looking at the ref that you provided is that another additional detail that you should add with the timing of the assets is that the tip of the wing should move slightly slower than the rest of the wing.  Up and down the tip has a much smaller surface area than the rest so it has much less water to push however it never leads, its more like the tail of a kite i noticed where it lags behind the larger area of the wing rather than the whole wing moving solidly.  Your latest edit look 1000x better than the first one nice job  :crazy:
I dont get it done, but when i do its not done.

Offline Nirel

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Re: Stingray Animation [C&C]

Reply #9 on: September 08, 2015, 04:25:03 pm
Thank you Joe and IrresponsibleFreelancer for your comments!
I should probably be more informative about the the game description, it's supposed to be a somewhat fast vertical scrolling shmup with the ability to scroll sideways that has relatively wide mazes(hence the rocks) It works in my head anyways...

The stingray is technically a 'magical space stingray ' and he's fighting 'fascist alien cyborg zombie fish' so yeah...
I need to animate 7 more directions and I'd like to make transitional animations as well so I don't believe I can spare any more than the 6 frames per animation.
The animation doesn't have to be realistic but it needs to be functional for a fast moving stingray and i'd like it to be as compelling as I can.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't know a way of slowing down without adding more frames, I'll try adding waving to the wings for now.
« Last Edit: September 08, 2015, 04:31:23 pm by Nirel »