Graphics Opinions on 2D character animation

Hello everyone :)

I'm new to the GameMaker community and I always wanted to make my very own game, so I bought GM2 one month ago and I'm slowly learning while making a 2D horizontal scrolling game. My main inspiration gameplay wise is Abe's Odyssey, so the game will be oriented Action/Puzzle.

I'd like your opinion on my character sprite animation, not the actual sprite because it's only a puppet for now but the Walk & Run animation. I spent so much time figuring things out lately and now that I have something I can't see straight anymore :p

WalkCycle (normal speed)



RunCycle (slowed down)



InGame Preview: LINK


The guy is supposed to be some kind of humanoid.
I'm using Photoshop to draw (with a graphic tablet) and DragonBone to rig.
I'm open to all criticism/advices.

Thanks!
 
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MishMash

Guest
Looks pretty good! The gait is good, however have a few suggestions:

For the Walk, i'd still make the torso bob around a little, perhaps a little forward rotation, not sure. Then for the run animation, again, i'd make the torso bob forward slightly on impact, then perhaps have the head bob a bit like it does in the walk animation. Looking at it in-game, it looks decent, but the leg swing back animation could also have the knee raised slightly (it looks slightly like he is skipping).

Don't get me wrong though, the animation looks really good! I think the rigidness in the legs (the push off) adds a bit of character, so i'd keep it like that as it fits in with the humanoid style.
 

hogwater

Member
I like the walk, it's funny (that's a good thing). The run has some problems.

Think about creating a walk or run specific to your character. If we don't know anything about the character we can only really say "Yeah, that's a walk alright."
 

Rayek

Member
Do yourself a favour, and get Richard Williams' The Animator's Survival Kit. Recipes for walks, runs, and all sort of animations that you can base your own animations on.

Both animations have issues, and the book will help you figure those out.
 
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Wunjo

Guest
The walking animation is well done. With the run cycle it needs to be a very fast animation. If your serious about animation try looking into the 12 principles of animation online. One thing you can add to the walking animation from the principles is squash and stretch. I also recommend like said above the Animators Survival Kit.
 

Khao

Member
**** that book, watch Jim Tyer cartoons.
This makes just about as much sense as telling an aspiring game developer "💩💩💩💩 learning game design, just play Nintendo games".

Looking at high quality content won't make you understand why that content is high quality. And certainly not how to create something as good.
 

Rayek

Member
**** that book, watch Jim Tyer cartoons.
Jim Tyer is good (and nuts in a genius way), but I prefer Milt Kahl myself. His work lives on an altogether higher plane of existence. The way that man could switch styles, and his insane skills - humbling indeed.
 
Hey,
first of all thanks to all, wasn't hoping to get this much feedback on the little guy :p

Looks pretty good! The gait is good, however have a few suggestions:

For the Walk, i'd still make the torso bob around a little, perhaps a little forward rotation, not sure. Then for the run animation, again, i'd make the torso bob forward slightly on impact, then perhaps have the head bob a bit like it does in the walk animation. Looking at it in-game, it looks decent, but the leg swing back animation could also have the knee raised slightly (it looks slightly like he is skipping).

Don't get me wrong though, the animation looks really good! I think the rigidness in the legs (the push off) adds a bit of character, so i'd keep it like that as it fits in with the humanoid style.
> Glad you think it looks good overall! Yeah I'm planning to re-do the animations with that in mind because he is indeed skipping at points.

I like the walk, it's funny (that's a good thing). The run has some problems.

Think about creating a walk or run specific to your character. If we don't know anything about the character we can only really say "Yeah, that's a walk alright."
> Precious advice here. I just wanted to do "some" walk but now that I can do it, I'll try to give him some personality.
In the book Rayek adviced, there's a sentence that sums up perfectly what you said:

Do yourself a favour, and get Richard Williams' The Animator's Survival Kit. Recipes for walks, runs, and all sort of animations that you can base your own animations on.
> I got it as soon as you posted and it's gold! Thanks a lot, will sure study.

The walking animation is well done. With the run cycle it needs to be a very fast animation. If your serious about animation try looking into the 12 principles of animation online. One thing you can add to the walking animation from the principles is squash and stretch. I also recommend like said above the Animators Survival Kit.
> I agree for the running cycle length. Yes I have a lot to study, I'm only beginning on animation.
About the squash and stretch principle I don't get if it's mandatory to use it in ALL animations. My character has a cartoony look mostly because it's test-puppet without details, but say I want to do something more realistic, does it still holds?

I actually found some really good video tuts on this exact subject a while back, lemme dig 'em up.
> Thanks a lot, I needed this despite all my previous research.

This makes just about as much sense as telling an aspiring game developer "**** learning game design, just play Nintendo games".

Looking at high quality content won't make you understand why that content is high quality. And certainly not how to create something as good.
> Well I need everything I can take anyway :p But the goal is to understand how indeed.

______________________________________________________________________________________

To clear things out, here's how I'm working currently to animate something, the software I'm using and how it looks on it. It's like "Spine" but free (and yes I'm using it because I can't draw :p)
Theses are from the animations I posted.

Photoshop



Split into Parts



DragonBone



GameMaker (finally...)


Well I'm going back to work, I will post the new Running animations and Pre-Jump / Falling / Landing as soon as they're done.
 
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