AuthorTopic: First time making a big animation  (Read 8953 times)

Offline Nirwanda

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First time making a big animation

on: November 01, 2016, 07:03:18 am
Hello I'm Nirwanda, a new member of the site.
For the longest time i've wanted to make my "dream game" and after taking a few stabs at game making  (and one at making very simple pixel art https://nirwanda.itch.io/pathway-desire), I feel like it's time to attempt to make it. There's only one small problem, I know very little about pixel art, so I'm struggling with even the most basic of my (admitedly ambitious) goals: making the main character sprite. So I wanted some feedback on her appearance and animation. I wish I could be more specific with my request, but I've polished it up as much as my eyes can see errors, so what is left is what my lack of experience doesn't let me see.


Thanks a lot for reading! And please don't laugh too hard at my girl. ;)
« Last Edit: November 01, 2016, 08:28:33 am by Nirwanda »

Offline MysteryMeat

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #1 on: November 01, 2016, 07:46:49 am
First thing I'm noticing already is that the arms are a bit short, as a rule the hand should reach about the middle of the thigh and elbows should hit where the hips start.
The hair string kinda wiggles way too much, try to rough out the movements of the animation first then add in the details. That way you can catch minor things like that before the animation is too far along.
I'd also try to reduce the detail some, instead of drawing the fold lines on the shirt imply them through color blocks and simple shading.
PSA: use imgur
http://pixelation.org/index.php?topic=19838.0 also go suggest on my quest, cmon
MAJOR BORK TALLY: |

Offline Nirwanda

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #2 on: November 01, 2016, 08:12:45 am
Thanks a lot for the feedback, mistery meat!
I'm not sure what you mean by color blocks. Something like this maybe?


Also, now I've got a couple of questions: in another place they told me that the boob animation is unrealistic and her feet move weirdly. Any advice about that?

Offline MysteryMeat

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #3 on: November 01, 2016, 11:50:46 am
You nailed the concept, yeah! Try to find the clusters thread, it's a great concept to kep in mind. As for the boobs, yeah don't force the jiggle. Try to keep in mind how the character moves, if they're bouncing like a boxer more bits move wildly but if they're just doing a little toe bounce that won't be the case.

Again, try to rough out the positions of the limbs before you animate the whole!

Also, still gotta fix those arms! They're way shorter than they should be, use your own to feel out where they should be!
PSA: use imgur
http://pixelation.org/index.php?topic=19838.0 also go suggest on my quest, cmon
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Offline Nirwanda

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #4 on: November 02, 2016, 02:32:24 pm
Well, I made the bounce simpler and it's only one pixel in height, I dunno if it looks "realistic" though.
By roughing out you mean doing a sort of sketch? Also are you talking about future endeavors or do you think the limbs of this one need some fixing?
Sorry, I wanted to check the clothing thing before doing the arms, that's why I didn't change them in my second post.
Anyway, here's what I've fixed on it so far:

Offline Nirwanda

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #5 on: November 03, 2016, 04:09:02 pm
Next step: Moving!
Now I'm making my first moving sprite. It's very rough. Aside from the two obvious things (anathomy is not consistent -her feet size changes amongst frames- and that it need more frames) any advice? Thanks for checking this out. I hope I'm not breaking any rules by double posting but it seemed silly to create a new thread for what's basicaly the same sprite.

Offline MysteryMeat

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #6 on: November 03, 2016, 04:59:50 pm
You need more distinction between the legs, you can accomplish this by slapping darker shading o the rear leg
PSA: use imgur
http://pixelation.org/index.php?topic=19838.0 also go suggest on my quest, cmon
MAJOR BORK TALLY: |

Offline MicKo

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #7 on: November 03, 2016, 06:22:30 pm
Now I'm making my first moving sprite. It's very rough.
Let me show you rough. :D

I assumed she's running, it's pretty hard to tell in your animation right now. A few things I'd recommend (keep in mind I'm not a great animator at all :crazy:):
- Check animation tutorials on the internet. I think this one is pretty popular, maybe there are better ones around but it helped me a lot: http://www.angryanimator.com/word/2010/11/26/tutorial-2-walk-cycle/. You have some problems in your animation that can easily be fixed after you've read this, I think.
- Don't overdetail your sprite until you're satisfied enough with your animation, it's a huge time waste to put details in right now in my opinion, just focus on the movement.

Offline Nirwanda

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #8 on: November 03, 2016, 06:41:25 pm
Thank you both for your feedback, I'll keep working on it, and check that link.

Offline Nirwanda

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #9 on: November 04, 2016, 10:31:23 pm
Now, thanks to a ton of people she runs!


I tried to separate more her legs, does it show?  Anyway again thanks :)
Next episode we'll be taking it to the sky with a jump animation. (I am aware I still haven't animated her hair :P)

Offline MysteryMeat

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #10 on: November 04, 2016, 10:38:04 pm
Almost there! Tweak the frames where the back leg raises up, it holds at the top for just a bit too long and gives her a bit of a limp!
PSA: use imgur
http://pixelation.org/index.php?topic=19838.0 also go suggest on my quest, cmon
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Offline Nirwanda

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #11 on: November 04, 2016, 10:42:30 pm
How should i tweak them exactly? Make her raise the leg lower? Also by back leg you mean her left, right? When it raises to the front or when it raises to the back is the problem?
Thanks for your continued interest :)

Offline MysteryMeat

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #12 on: November 04, 2016, 10:59:41 pm
The problem is when the knee is up for too long on the left leg, yes! Try to work from a video of someone running, reference in animation is ALWAYS helpful!
PSA: use imgur
http://pixelation.org/index.php?topic=19838.0 also go suggest on my quest, cmon
MAJOR BORK TALLY: |

Offline lpflicke

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #13 on: November 04, 2016, 11:06:41 pm
The animation's really improved loads.The only thing I can point out is the back leg doesn't stretch out before hitting the ground like the front does.The frame with it holding up could probably be replaced with it stretched so what MysteryMeat pointed out is also solved.

Offline Nirwanda

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #14 on: November 04, 2016, 11:18:22 pm
@misterymeat: yeah i see it now, at least the exension of her leg i'm not so sure i get it about the satying up too long.Maybe lowering it a little?
@lpflicke. There is one frame where her left stretches down to touch the ground, already, tho.

Do you mean adding a second one? How? Adding more frames? Or changng an animation? Whiche? The one where her leg is raised slightly? Maybe the one where her legs are really spread open?
Thanks a lot, btw! :)

Offline lpflicke

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #15 on: November 05, 2016, 12:29:54 pm

You have a frame similar to #1 in the image(except leg is raised) but not one like #7/ for the back leg.

Offline Nirwanda

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #16 on: November 05, 2016, 06:53:24 pm
I'm sorry i must be really annoying with all these questions. Anyway, I've added this frame to the animation(and corrected a couple of things):

Now she looks like this:

What do you think?
Thanks for your suport :)

Offline lpflicke

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #17 on: November 05, 2016, 10:35:12 pm
Very close to being done I'd say; just a few things to tweak.
You've put the frame after the leg goes down so its not very noticeable and it stays up quite long before going down.
when its coming up it also almost touches the floor but its not that noticeable because its blocked by the front leg.





Rough edit to illustrate points.
« Last Edit: November 05, 2016, 10:58:48 pm by lpflicke »

Offline Nirwanda

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #18 on: November 06, 2016, 08:08:30 am
Wow! More errors? I wonder how I'm gonna manage when I have to fly solo. It's not like I can post every sprite I make here. And my eye really can't detect them. Thanks you so much for all your help! You're awesome. :)
Well for the hopefully last time, here she is running:

Offline lpflicke

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #19 on: November 06, 2016, 12:14:21 pm
It stays a bit long when the back foot hits the ground so I deleted a frame and I'd say its done now.


Its basically done but there is a weird jolt forwards in one of the frames.

Offline Nirwanda

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #20 on: November 06, 2016, 07:52:24 pm
Done now, I guess? A milion thanks!

I don't know how I'm gonna train myself to spot these things on my own, though.

Offline eishiya

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #21 on: November 06, 2016, 09:22:07 pm
I don't know how I'm gonna train myself to spot these things on my own, though.

Look at other people's animations (including frame-by-frame), and look at videos of real people walking as well. Pay attention to how the different parts move relative to each other, look for patterns, as well as features that make each gait unique.
« Last Edit: November 06, 2016, 09:23:45 pm by eishiya »

Offline Nirwanda

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #22 on: November 06, 2016, 09:48:17 pm
I'll try, thanks. :)

Offline EddyZ

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #23 on: November 08, 2016, 01:00:00 am


Maybe this will help you. I did a fast edit on your last animation.

It's an easy way to create a walk-cycle. Fix the front leg (in this case,the right one) and animate it completly.
Mark every position of the leg with numbers can help a lot. Now you can use the positions of the right leg, to animate the left one.
Take a look at the frames, in this case you have 8 frames. Split the number of frames(half), to know the opposite position like:

Frame:
1234 | 5678
Position Right Leg:
1234 | 5678
Positon Left Leg:
5678 | 1234

If the right leg starts with Position1 in Frame1
Then the left leg starts with Position1 in Frame5

You can try the same to the Arms/Hands
I hope this will help you.


Notice: I also did the same with her head
__________________________
Frame:
1234 | 5678
Position Head:
1234 | 1234
__________________________

Sorry for my bad english, don't used it for a long time  :-[
« Last Edit: November 08, 2016, 01:05:42 am by EddyZ »

Offline Nirwanda

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #24 on: November 09, 2016, 01:25:51 am
Hey thanks a lot, that sounds helpful.  :y:
I think you didn't comit any mistakes in your english, don't worry. Besides I'm not a native english speaker to begin with. ;)

Offline Nirwanda

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Re: First time making a big animation

Reply #25 on: November 10, 2016, 03:54:41 pm
Made a simple jumping animation. Is her arm movement too jarring?


Thanks for checking my inane questions out.
« Last Edit: November 10, 2016, 03:56:53 pm by Nirwanda »