AuthorTopic: Organicly winged spaceships (updated)  (Read 12599 times)

Offline Souly

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Re: Organicly winged spaceships (updated)

Reply #20 on: May 01, 2008, 11:21:38 am
I think there's a few problems with these animations.
1) They are way too distracting. I can't imagine playing a game where the ships wings were jumping up and down like that. I think the key to getting this to look right in a game would be fluid and subtle movement.
2) I can't think of many wings that are designs to push forward and pull back. There is simply no propulsion in a design such as that, especially with your designs(flat airplane-type wings). It may look better to have the wings actually flap up(towards the screen) and down(away from the screen). Sure, it's a bit more realistic, but I think this would also solve problems with the first point. It would remove a lot of the vertical movement, so it'd be a lot less distracting.

But I stand by my first point the most... way too much movement. It may even help to slow it down a lot.
I'll try and do the up and down movement, hopefully I can get some better results.

As for the image being too distracting.
In game it does not bounce the animation hovers there while the wings flap, I only added that to try and give it some motion.

They'd be harder to hit if they were moving...
I think the concept is original, but I'm not sold on the execution. Animations don't pay much heed to the joint structure (which in itself is unrealistic).
Think of them more as tentacles then joints.

Offline Ben2theEdge

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Re: Organicly winged spaceships (updated)

Reply #21 on: May 01, 2008, 02:09:31 pm
I love the concept, it's very 1800's retro-futurist. I would actually push these designs even further in that direction if I were you, it's an incredibly fun era, design-wise.
http://bp0.blogger.com/_sGYULzoQCgA/RnbBhWYnwzI/AAAAAAAAAv4/s5toWLb-MbI/s1600-h/robida+1882+full+paleo+future.jpg

As far as the animation goes, the big problem here is that you're trying to illustrate vertical movement with horizontal movement. These ships look more like they're inching along the ground like spiders rather than flapping their wings. I think it's just the curse of the perspective you're using, although it might be possible to use lighting to show the up-down movement. Currently the sense lighting on these ships is not very strong and consequently they're very flat-looking.
I mild from suffer dislexia.

Offline Vertigo-zero

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Re: Organicly winged spaceships (updated)

Reply #22 on: May 01, 2008, 02:28:18 pm
Souly, no offense but finish your terra online game 1st plz  :-[

Offline Corsair

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Re: Organicly winged spaceships (updated)

Reply #23 on: May 01, 2008, 07:32:33 pm
oops. double posted :P
« Last Edit: May 01, 2008, 07:36:13 pm by Corsair »

Offline Corsair

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Re: Organicly winged spaceships (updated)

Reply #24 on: May 01, 2008, 07:35:13 pm
nimations don't pay much heed to the joint structure (which in itself is unrealistic).

That's what I was trying to say here, but i don't think he wants to listen. Even if the wings are entirely alien in structure they still have to make some sort of sense, or else they're going to look wrong.
Which is why I take no issue with the first two (other than the second one being bent at an unpleasant lookin angle, which is easy to fix.) but the thrid one just looks bad to me.

I'm not trying to be extra harsh or anything, bu the plain truth of it is, the third form's wings don't even look like a logical progression from the first two, and the outmost 'bones',while being well shaded and correctly colord, aren't shaped in a very visually pleasing manner.

Quote
Think of them more as tentacles then joints.

then have them behave as tentacles rather than joints! I see you kinda started doing that with the most recent animation, but only on the innermost 'tentacles, it would make sense if a similar motion were to be added to other others but i don't see it happening there.

And yes; add more frames. just one or two would be enough.

there's no point in getting C&C if you're not going to yield to any of it.
« Last Edit: May 01, 2008, 07:41:02 pm by Corsair »

Offline Souly

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Re: Organicly winged spaceships (updated)

Reply #25 on: May 03, 2008, 03:10:58 am
->?
Removed the static movement of the chasis.
Does it look like it's flapping up and down?
Or still just back and forth?
« Last Edit: May 03, 2008, 03:34:59 am by Souly »

Offline Xion

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Re: Organicly winged spaceships (updated)

Reply #26 on: May 03, 2008, 03:50:47 am
still just back and forth.
It won't look like it's flapping until you add some bend in the wings. They're too stiff. Or at least some delay between the movement of each "bone", so as it looks like it's undulating or something.

Offline Souly

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Re: Organicly winged spaceships (updated)

Reply #27 on: May 04, 2008, 02:12:51 am

Trying to get a feel for depth but it seems weird...

Offline Dusty

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Re: Organicly winged spaceships (updated)

Reply #28 on: May 04, 2008, 02:14:19 am
The front of the chassis doesn't turn at all.

Offline Souly

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Re: Organicly winged spaceships (updated)

Reply #29 on: May 04, 2008, 02:25:08 am

Oops.  :huh:

Also tried making another type of ship.
No organic wings though.
« Last Edit: May 04, 2008, 02:36:38 am by Souly »