Hi all!! I need to make a pack of beta animations so the programer can work with the engine and programe the amount of frames that each animation will use. So this animations are not the final ones, they need some work, and the models of weapons and the characters are low polys, as you can see the "sword" is a stick, but this is only because it is easy and faster to animate with less polys. So, I´m wating for your critics and comments on this animations, so i can improve them, and the final ones will look better and more realistic!! Here is the Runing Beta Animation: Here is teh Swimming Beta Animation: This is the Death on Water Beta Animaton: This one is a Death by an arrow or by a horizontal strike: The Final one are 3 different attacks in one gif: Hope you like it and i´m looking foward to see comments and critics!! Lorigosolo [edited by - lorigosolo on May 23, 2003 5:27:39 PM] [edited by - lorigosolo on May 23, 2003 5:28:22 PM]

Guys: if you can not see the gif files, wait because there are some problems with my host, but don´t worry they will be back.
Lorigosolo

Amazing... looks like there will be tons of images if your looking at multiple ways to die and etc..

the only think that I though was a little odd was the shadow by his head when in the water.. but with out actually seeing the water I can''t really say it might work..

Anyways the game looks like its going to be very good looking, keep up the good work..

Thanks Turt99 for the complimets!!!
Yeah that shadow shouldn´t be there, i will fix it!!
Thanks
Lorigosolo

Very nice.

I noticed two things.
1) In the running animation, the dude''s ankles-feet aren''t changing angle. When people run (unless they''re wearing a brace) it should swivel at the ankle.

2) In the Death-By-Arrow, the dude''s head gets squashed a bit when he hits the ground.

running: it looks like you animated it exclusively from a side view, he doesn´t twist either shoulders or hips. Try putting some rotation there, it´ll look much more natural (and powerful).

swimming: the treading water part is good, but the strokes of the swim cycle should be more circular instead of back and forth, after all he wants to move forward.

water death: nice, but too fast. I also think that his legs would float a little closer to the surface.

death by arrow: nice, but again too fast. Let him remain on his knees for a little bit longer. His hands would probably remain where he clutches his abdomen - so when he falls forward on his face his hands would be under him.

attack anims: can´t find anything wrong here, the only thing you could try is to involve his off hand (and his torso) a bit more to make the swings seem more powerful (think of the weight of the weapon, a sword like that easily weighs 3+ kilos).

Actually most swords are made to be light, thats one of the benefits of steel over iron.

what program are you using?
run: i would add some wobble at his hinges to make him look less android. he looks like he is rocking back and forth slightly - i tink his head is doing it, it makes him looks kinda lazy or tired. i looks almost he has a poopy diaper. i would bring his legs under his body more.

swim:
first i would fix his arms so that they come together at his chest and shoot outward like the karate kid breathing thing, then out and pull himself forward in the water like an oar. then i would change the timing of the arm strokes. right now he uses his arms and legs at the same time. i would make his arms animation pull forward first and then the legs right after. so his legs pull one or two frames before the legs.

i would slow down the wading animation on the feet.

death water:
i would slow down the bobbing in the water.

death:
he seems pretty choppy, but other than that, i think if you took a frame out of his fall forward so he plops down quicker, from his knees. maybe add a pause when he hits his knees or ease into his leaning forward better.

strikes:
i would add some flex in his wrists, his foot might need to stay planted to make his hits look more solid. but keep that knee pivoting! great work so far.

-killing

Thanks guys for all the comments and critics!! I will fix those errors, and i think i should start paying more attention on how people moves and swimm !!
Cya
Lorigosolo

This isn''t art advice, but one that might save you some time and energy.

You may want to tell your programmer not to "program the number of frames to use for each animation". You''ll be tweaking those animations over time, and if he hardcodes the number of frames, you''ll have to go back to him to rebuild and redistribute the whole application every time you do. What you might want to do is have him program the applicaiton to read a configuration file that directs him on which files to use in which game situations, and how many frames there are in each set. Alternately, he could code the app to detect how many frames you''ve placed for a given animation by (for example by checking for files with a name you''ve determined in advance). Hope that helps.