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Character Animation In Videogames . Introduction Character animation in videogames thus far…. Animation. Movement Timing. The Flour Sack. Show attitude Strong poses Movement Timing. Computer Animation Vs. Traditional Drawn or Stop-Motion Animation .
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Animation Movement Timing
The Flour Sack Show attitude Strong poses Movement Timing
Computer Animation Vs. Traditional Drawn or Stop-Motion Animation
Traditional Drawn Animation (2-D animation) • Advantages • Animator can work between key poses • Animator can edit as little as one frame of animation without negating the rest of the scene • Animator can experiment freely with timing between poses
Traditional Drawn Animation (2-D animation) • Disadvantages • Animator must generate, or “render”, every frame of animation involved (i.e. new drawings for every frame) • Animator’s abilities as an artist directly effect, or limit, the quality of the visual presentation of the animation
Stop-Motion Animation • Advantages • Animator uses actual models and sets (No need to render characters yourself; characters always stay “on model”) • Characters and sets have real depth and make use of actual lighting sources
Stop-Motion Animation • Disadvantages • Animator must work ‘straight-ahead’ shooting the animation sequentially frame by frame • Characters don’t allow for much change of shape, volume or structure
CG Animation • Advantages • Animator uses virtual models and sets (No need to render characters yourself; characters always stay “on model”) • Characters and sets have depth and make use of lighting sources
CG Animation • Advantages • Animator can work between key poses • Animator can experiment freely with timing between poses • Animator can edit as little as one frame of animation without negating the rest of the scene
CG Animation • Disadvantages • Animator must work indirectly (no direct contact as there is with pencil to paper or animator to model) • Animator is only as good as the hardware and software available • Still takes a lot of time, a lot of talent… • ….and can be a pain in the ass.
Character Animation • Animation techniques and methods • Completely independent of the medium being used • Same techniques apply in CG animation as they do in 2-D or stop-motion
Combination of Two Disciplines • Actor • Performance • Timing • Staging • Expression • Emotion
Combination of Two Disciplines • Artist • Posing • Silhouette • Design
Thumbnails are your friend • Thumbnails are beneficial because… • They allow you to work out the action before you’ve committed too much time • They provide a visual reference when posing the scene
Using Reference • Reference gives the animator clues to a believable and natural performance • Movement • Behavior
Dirty Up Your Screen • Use a China Marker or a screen-safe wet marker to plot arcs of action • They provide a visual path to follow when working through poses • They help ensure that paths of action look and work the way you intended
When In Doubt…Act it out!!!! • Acting out an action gives a clearer understanding of… • Movement • Positioning • Timing • Attitude
Contrast In Position and Movement Giving a character Life
Character Animation Techniques • Contrast In Position and Movement • Parts of the character in relation to the whole • Character in relation to the environment • Animation “reads” more effectively • Action is more dynamic
Creating Strong and Clear Poses Giving a character Attitude
Character Animation Techniques • Creating Strong and Clear Poses • Define what the character is doing • Define what the character is feeling • Communicates these elements clearly • Communicates these elements quickly
Timing In Animation Giving a character Rhythm
Timing In Animation • “Slowing” or “easing” in and out of poses • Character feels more organic • Allows audience to “read” poses clearly
Timing In Animation • Altering the timing of an action effects the perception of character motivation • Faster actions are perceived as more aggressive • Slower actions feel more cautious or less motivated
Arcs In Animation Giving a character Flow
Arcs In Animation • Almost every organic thing moves in some kind of arc • Arcs tend to feel more natural and help “sell” the action • Using arcs provides a more pleasant flow to your animation
Secondary Action Giving a character Weight
Secondary Action • Overlap • Follow-through • Primary action drives secondary action and direction • Degree of secondary action determines the weight of the object
Anticipation Giving a character “Thought”
Anticipation • Anticipating an action serves two functions: • Helps audience recognize the action they’re about to see • Suggests that the character is “thinking” about what they’re doing
Exaggeration Giving a character Flexibility
Exaggeration • Exaggeration has two uses: • Helps animation feel more “natural” • Utilizes the strength of animation over live-action
Suggested Reading on Animation Technique • “The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation” by Frank Thomas & Ollie Johnston • “Cartoon Animation” by Preston Blair • “The Animator’s Survival Kit” by Richard Williams
Applying Traditional Animation Techniques in the Context of a Game Environment
Cinematic Cutscenes Vs. In-Game Character Assets • Cinematic Cutscenes • Occur in a set location • Occur in a set order • Occur from a set angle • Occur over a set period of time
Cinematic Cutscenes Vs. In-Game Character Assets • In-Game Character Assets • Occur in various locations • Occur in non-linear order • Occur from various angles • Occur over varying periods of time
Creating Solid In-Game Character Assets • The “Idle” • Central pose that all other actions work out of • Helps maintain continuity between actions • Helps eliminate “popping” during transitions between actions
Creating Solid In-Game Character Assets • The “Idle” • Should consist of a subtle, natural action • Should be contained enough to work out of easily
