How about a programmed smilie that can interpolate between a certain number of characteristics (color, face expresion) and add to this a number of special actions (crying, wearing glasses,etc.) ? This way a player could create a smilie that frowns, smiles and loughs in a single animation as easy as writing [:\=)=D] Edited by - Diodor on December 22, 2001 7:41:20 AM

i''ve actually already implemented something like this into my game.
there are 16 main expressions i use.

-eldee
;another space monkey;

Are you suggesting to use something similar to what ''Phantasy Star Online'' uses, where the user can create an ''emoticon'' of sorts by putting on lots of pre-defined shapes onto a blank face - I thought that was a cute little minor feature of PSO, so if you''re using it, go for it. Heck, it might even be an idea to offer some sort of method to let players exchange smileys (as PSOv2 does).

''It''s just the little things...'' as they say. =)

--
Sonikku

what would be the difference between your linear interpolated :/ =) and something like everquests /sad, /happy, /cry commands?

Are we talkn just the textured face or everything about it, face and movements?

And, if you let the gamer move the face in such ways(through commands), then you probably have something like skeletal animation, which implies you are alreay using some type of interpolation between each movement anyways....so your answer is yes...interpolate between expressions.

actually, when i finish it, mine will make the character actually animate. for example.. someone makes the "WoW"
exclaimation, the character will start jumping up and down, ect.
the "Talk Box" that normally shows their face is updated
to show their new facial expression (pre-drawn.. nothing too
fancy here


-eldee
;another space monkey;

I''m talking about a 2D emoticon just like that can be animated between a certain number of predefined positions (through interpolation). To create it, all the player has to do is specify a sequence of predefined positions he likes.

I didn''t play Everquest or Phantasy Star online, could you describe in more detail what they did.

You could do what syndicate wars did.

have a big box you can draw in.

We probably spent more time drawing stuff than actually playing.


Beer - the love catalyst
good ol'' homepage

EQ let you enter text in the chat window, as well as commands. These were more or less "fun" extras. So, to make your character wave good bye, you typed /wave in the text box.

As to your post, im not gettin what the actual question is, since it sounds like you know what happens (interpolate between facial expressions). Which is why I said above: "Yes, go ahead and interpolate." What am I missing? Oh, if your asking if this is a cool idea, then yes, it sounds cool. It would also be at the BOTTOM of my list of things to worry about in making a game, if you are indeed doing so.

I think this is a great non-game idea to use on an instant messenger or bulletin board. It would be cool, you wouldn''t have to copy and paste gifs for the animations you wanted into your message anymore.
Within a game, it would also be cool. Everquest doesn''t really do what you''re talking about. You can /wave, and you can /cry, but you can''t /wave/cry and have it interpolate between the two.
You should try it out, see if you can make it easy to use with AIM or EZBoard. People using those are really into as many smilies as they can get.