AuthorTopic: Attack Animation- Crits Please!  (Read 9663 times)

Offline uridicy

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 54
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Beware the Pixolator
    • View Profile
    • Pixel Pocket

Attack Animation- Crits Please!

on: May 19, 2007, 01:30:33 am
This is the biggest character I've ever animated.  I also don't have a lot of experience animating, much less any sprites taller than 32 pixels, so I would definitely appreciate some critiques. Thanks. 

C&C
Newer

old:
« Last Edit: May 20, 2007, 12:18:25 am by uridicy »

Offline Wakka

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 45
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #1 on: May 19, 2007, 01:45:55 am
I love it. But the attack is too slow. And it's not fearsome. Also, wave your hand in front of your face. Try it. What do you see? Blur. Yes, that's right, blur. Now try to implement that onto your picture.
« Last Edit: May 19, 2007, 03:54:54 am by Wakka »

Offline Malor

  • 0011
  • **
  • Posts: 527
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Masquerading as a black bear.
    • View Profile

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #2 on: May 19, 2007, 02:16:40 am
the animation is structually sound, but not ferocious enough. Make the slash faster, and maybe remove 1 frame. Also, the face could use some variation between frames.
Quote from: Adarias
I'm not going to pretend this is a small task either; certainly none of us here can claim to have accomplished it.  it's the realm of masters.  still, it's what we all have to try for.

Offline Dusty

  • 0100
  • ***
  • Posts: 1107
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #3 on: May 19, 2007, 02:46:35 am
I think the over the head thing is a little boring, and awkward. I suggest doing a pull back and slash from the side, with a lot more speed as well. I think a pull back frame, and a frame with a white blur effect(forgot what they're called) will suffice.

Offline Helm

  • Moderator
  • 0110
  • *
  • Posts: 5159
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
    • Asides-Bsides

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #4 on: May 19, 2007, 11:47:30 am
If this is going to be for a game, think very hard if you want 5 frames of anticipation before the actual attack happens every time a player presses the slash button. There's a reason besides being bored to animate that a lot of platform games have very fast button-press attacks. They happen a lot. Unless timing for attacks is a major focus in your game, you're going to annoy players a lot that they have to wait so many tenths of a second before their attack happens every time they press the button.

If this isn't prince of persia, go with an FX slash like GENESIS game by Shiny, named 'Aladdin'.

Offline Syn

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 40
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #5 on: May 19, 2007, 02:07:07 pm
I totally agree with Helm. Aesthetic aside, you need to think gameplay first. Usually action games go directly to the slash and then continue the animation to give a pause between attacks. Unless you want anticipating an attack to be part of a gameplay, I would suggest one "getting ready to attack" frame then go directly with the "attack" frame with some sfx to give the slash some weight. Then go with any follow through animation you want.

Offline chigsam

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 160
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #6 on: May 19, 2007, 02:32:52 pm
right when the arm is over her face the very next frame looks like she hit herself :hehe:

Offline 9_6

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 416
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #7 on: May 19, 2007, 02:36:34 pm
The tail moves weird and becomes thicker during the animation.
Also the shading o the right foot goes crazy.
Does scaling an image blur it?
Opera fix Firefox fix

Offline setz

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 220
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
    • splixel

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #8 on: May 19, 2007, 04:30:18 pm


I threw that together really quickly, and its kind of shitty, but I guess it might help give you an idea of how to make the attack more lively and rapid. You'll want the attack to happen as fast as possible when the animation starts, as previously mentioned. The animation itself there seems to be some jumpiness to certain areas (the feet, tail) that youl'l want to smooth out.

The originall looks more like a love tap than anything dangerous, so I'd say "aww cute" and pet it :)

Offline digitaldust

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 52
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • shoopus maaaah woopus
    • View Profile
    • LOLFURRIES

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #9 on: May 19, 2007, 04:33:44 pm
My biggest gripe with the attack anim is that her attack seems to be severely lacking in adequate range for her to drill some of them mummy booty without having the player worry about her gettin' too close to the enemies, in case you're going to implement the classic "touch me and you get pain" feature in almost all games of this caliber.

I also notice that the moving shoulder, thighs and pelvis are, like, almost stationary when she does the clawing while her upper torso juts forward, making the action really stiff and... Yeah, stiff. I recommend that you first push the upper torso forward, and then the frame or two after, the pelvis moves forward along the torso, while her left leg bends forward and her right leg move a bit parallel to her whole torso, and finally the shoulder moves forward just a bit more further than the upper torso, so then you'll get a more decent range on the attack. Don't push her legs too far, though... That is, unless you want her to do a lunging attack.

I hope my moonspeak helps. :)
"I am smart! I am smart! S-M-R-T -- I mean S-M-A-R-T!!"

Offline chigsam

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 160
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #10 on: May 20, 2007, 12:20:12 am
i think its a lot better. the foots shading doesnt go crazy (thank god). she doesnt take forever to attack! and her tail doesnt have a segure. I love it!

Offline uridicy

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 54
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Beware the Pixolator
    • View Profile
    • Pixel Pocket

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #11 on: May 20, 2007, 12:25:49 am
ok, I tried to work on the speed, number of frames, right foot, and facial expression.  Personally I think it looks loads better now.
However, I still need to work on how far the cat leans over.

Thanks for the suggestions guys.  They were loads of help  ;D.



@Chigsam- thanks, I'm glad you like it.  I've always shied away from animations, but I feeling less intimidated now.

Offline Rox

  • 0011
  • **
  • Posts: 591
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #12 on: May 20, 2007, 12:48:46 am
I really feel I need to suggest a change on this. It looks okay right now, but unless she's supposed to be really bad at fighting, to make the player rather try to avoid enemies, I think you'd be better off either making a more complex animation where she takes a step forward, swipes, then steps back, or simply use the other arm to hit with. That'd increase the range and make combat much easier, gameplay-wise. It just looks a bit silly the way she's standing with her left side toward the enemy but trying to hit it with her right hand.

Other than that, I really like how this is looking so far.

Offline uridicy

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 54
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Beware the Pixolator
    • View Profile
    • Pixel Pocket

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #13 on: May 20, 2007, 01:43:23 am
I really feel I need to suggest a change on this. It looks okay right now, but unless she's supposed to be really bad at fighting, to make the player rather try to avoid enemies, I think you'd be better off either making a more complex animation where she takes a step forward, swipes, then steps back, or simply use the other arm to hit with. That'd increase the range and make combat much easier, gameplay-wise. It just looks a bit silly the way she's standing with her left side toward the enemy but trying to hit it with her right hand.

Other than that, I really like how this is looking so far.

Yeah, she totally needs more range. I'll try the stepping forward approach and see how that works out.

Offline Xion

  • 0100
  • ***
  • Posts: 1551
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
    • FourbitFriday

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #14 on: May 20, 2007, 03:45:02 am
She sways jiggly.
Forward, backward, forward, backward...

Like Jello.


The lighting on the legs is inconsistent.


You could always just make her twist into the strike. Like, really twist her torso until her back is to the viewer and her attacking arm is fully extended.
You could also let the attack leave behind some sort of painful whir. Like you know how sometimes when characters to an uppercut they leave behind a sort of trail that goes beyond the reach of their fist?
A good example of this would be the game "Noitu Love and the Army of Grinning Darns"
Also, Kirby does this.

Offline Presley

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 58
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #15 on: May 20, 2007, 12:01:42 pm
The biggest problem here, to me, is the speed, range and staticness.

I think the attack would be better if one arm pulled back, the torso twisted, whilst the other arm came across the chest, then have the character lunging forward, plowing the arm in an arc away from the character, whilst having the character pivot and shift its weight from the hind leg, to the front leg (mid pivot) then to the new front leg.

I hope that makes sense.

I think an attack like that would add a lot more character to the animation.,

Offline Helm

  • Moderator
  • 0110
  • *
  • Posts: 5159
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
    • Asides-Bsides

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #16 on: May 20, 2007, 01:22:28 pm
Also, are you planning that every time the attack is done, the player sprite will stop moving? The 'castlevania system?' I think people should be able to swing their arms while they walk or run.

Offline ndchristie

  • 0100
  • ***
  • Posts: 2426
  • Karma: +2/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #17 on: May 20, 2007, 01:34:44 pm
id be much more in favor of something like a a stepping claw (for a quick attack) and a real pounce (for a strong attack), both of which could be executed while moving or from idle.  right now there really is no motion at all and it weakens it severely.  Teenage girls move more when they "fight" :P
A mistake is a mistake.
The same mistake twice is a bad habit.
The same mistake three or more times is a motif.

Offline Doppleganger

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 284
  • Karma: +2/-0
  • Fall!
    • View Profile

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #18 on: May 20, 2007, 07:31:15 pm
I'll second Adarias.

I saw this a while ago but didn't comment but that was what I was thinking.

There needs to be a lot more force going into the attack. There is also the range problem. Right now it looks like the kitty is swatting at a butterfly that's floating about its face.
If you have it step forward and put forth a bit more effort into its swing it'd be a lot better off.

Additionally, the swoosh effect on just one frame isn't doing it for me. I think that the motion it conveys should be large and sudden (as it is) but, also the swoosh should take more than one frame to die down. Otherwise it doesn't look very fluid or transpire the motion it's meant to. If you were to take a stick of incense or a match in the dark and move it in a similar pattern, you'd see the huge trail but you'd also see it very quickly die down as well.

That's my two cents.

Offline Snippa

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 133
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #19 on: May 23, 2007, 07:57:47 pm
I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this or if I'm actually even correct on this (I'm pretty tired, about to crash)... (I swear I've seen it in a documentary somewhere at some point... or by watching my old cats)
But normally when a cat is standing on it's hind legs, if it moves it's front legs in the motion you've animated, the cat would be doing a sort of pounce on it's prey. Here's the part I'm not completely sure about, but that you could possibly use... Sweep the attacking arm inward towards the other arm. This would be a clawing attack. It would have to be a pretty swift move.

If it's been mentioned already then I'll just delete this post later tonight when I wake up.

Offline Draco9898

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 169
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Toucan-tastic.
    • View Profile
    • Trevor Dunbar's website

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #20 on: May 24, 2007, 01:41:00 pm
This animation is still so stiff, try something like an attack that actually lunges forward instead of making it look like she's just pawing the air gently/something in front of her face



Your newest animation, it looks like shes comically hitting someone over the head. "Thunk!"



I believe this 7 minute edit hits the nail on the head
This arm raises quickly for an attack and then swings forcefully down with a 3 frame swipe effect as the character moves forward.
It's important the swipe effect is not attached to the arm, aka: your new animation, this allows it to be like a short-ranged 'ranged' attack.
« Last Edit: May 24, 2007, 02:31:25 pm by Draco9898 »

Offline Gil

  • 0100
  • ***
  • Posts: 1543
  • Karma: +1/-0
  • Too square to be hip
    • http://pixeljoint.com/p/475.htm
    • View Profile
    • My Portfolio

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #21 on: May 24, 2007, 06:04:01 pm
Your edit breaks more than it fixes Draco, I don't see it nailing any heads. What's with the big brushed effects and the jiggling feet?

Anyway, some step-through is indeed needed, as right now she won't be hitting much...

Offline Draco9898

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 169
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Toucan-tastic.
    • View Profile
    • Trevor Dunbar's website

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #22 on: May 24, 2007, 07:12:56 pm
Quote
Your edit breaks more than it fixes Draco, What's with the big brushed effects and the jiggling feet?

well Gil, You might ask why I might do an edit if I don't have time to do all the little special effects junk pixel-by-pixel, as long as it gets my point across. I can't be bothered to do the smoke and slash sprites pixel-by-pixel. It works.

Quote
I don't see it nailing any heads.

Of course not, shes supposed to be slashing, not nailing. /end bad joke here.

You could always edit My EDIT...
« Last Edit: May 24, 2007, 07:29:55 pm by Draco9898 »

Offline Rawsushi

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 185
  • Karma: +1/-0
    • View Profile
    • Terrormisu - The Art of B Rosaschi

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #23 on: May 24, 2007, 07:18:28 pm


Might give you some direction.

Offline uridicy

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 54
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Beware the Pixolator
    • View Profile
    • Pixel Pocket

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #24 on: May 25, 2007, 05:53:34 am
  Yeah that's great example. That's more what I was going for.  I like the way the attacks look when the character lunges forward, but I wanted an attack that didn't require the character to take too much time stepping forward and stepping back.  The last example does a great job of giving some range without moving the character to drastically.

 Thanks for all the critiques/edits, I'll read them over some more when I get some more time.  I just started a new job and it's kept me pretty occupied.

Offline miascugh

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 361
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Schnitzelfiend
    • View Profile

Re: Attack Animation- Crits Please!

Reply #25 on: May 25, 2007, 06:59:04 am


Here's what I imagined the walk cycle could look like in order to allow powerful slashes while in motion, but could also be used with the idle stance. Instead of the uppercut, a more catlike pound while rearing up might look better.
I also made some tweaks to the sprite and the palette. You had loads of similar colors in there, I cut the count down from 26 to 13.