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[ostrich160]

Hi guys, so I've just started working on my first 2d game, and after creating the basic sprites I have no idea how to animate it. Do I have to redraw each frame individually, just guessing what my last frame looked like? The issue is, its a VERY pixelly look so I cant use a pencil software where I redraw it in another software. TO give you a good idea of its looks, here it is

http://imgur.com/oCeA6h6

I'd prefer not to separate it out into parts, since I like the pixely animations (where the pixels move and all that), and the limbs are very thin. Some rigging software would be amazing since I like the 3d, blender style of animation. Or anything you can think of, as I said Im a beginner so I might not have a clue what I'm talking about.

Thanks a bunch

[Riho]

Look into pixel art animation software that has onion skinning like Graphics Gale (http://www.humanbalance.net/gale/us/) or Pro Motion (http://www.cosmigo.com/promotion/index.php).

[Enchantainment]

I've always found animation to be the hardest part of designing a game. I just use trial and error. I'll keep moving and redrawing things until it looks right.

It can be a very time consuming process if you're wanting really good looking animations. I think it's ultimately something you just have to keep doing and eventually you get better and better at it.

[jyrkface]

If you have an iPad, Sprite Something is a nice tool for beginners. Features onion skinning and animating tools, and you can export animations as gifs to be imported directly into your game, or as a sprite sheet.

If not, pickle editor is one of the better ones I've used on my desktop, although I don't think it's free.

[ostrich160]

Sorry for the late reply, I've been messing around with graphics gale and texture packer and its awesome, really good stuff! Its hard, but all the best things are

[Muffinhat]

Okay, here's how it goes in a nutshell.

Assume that each image is 256x256.

First, take about 6 or 7 copies of the same sprite, and edit the legs on each one in sequential order to where they resemble a walk cycle.(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ie5m05ilAV0/Tur95ek968I/AAAAAAAAAOk/P7fvoBP1SNE/s1600/walkcycle.jpg)

Next, assuming each frame is a 256x256 image, line up one row measuring 1792 in length, 256 in height (one row of 7 256x256 images). place each image in sequential order from left to right.

Finally, depending on what software/engine you're using, you should be able to arrange the strip into a sprite sheet.

Hope that helps!

[ostrich160]

Okay, here's how it goes in a nutshell.

Assume that each image is 256x256.

First, take about 6 or 7 copies of the same sprite, and edit the legs on each one in sequential order to where they resemble a walk cycle.(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ie5m05ilAV0/Tur95ek968I/AAAAAAAAAOk/P7fvoBP1SNE/s1600/walkcycle.jpg)

Next, assuming each frame is a 256x256 image, line up one row measuring 1792 in length, 256 in height (one row of 7 256x256 images). place each image in sequential order from left to right.

Finally, depending on what software/engine you're using, you should be able to arrange the strip into a sprite sheet.

Hope that helps!

Thanks, that would probably actually make the process much quicker. I have texture packer for sprite sheets though

Im also looking into, as crazy as it sounds, 2d mocap, because why not

[doimus]

Check out GrafX2 for pixel animation too. Open Source.

Im also looking into, as crazy as it sounds, 2d mocap, because why not

Not crazy at all, it's called rotoscoping and it's been with us for a long long time.
The original Prince of Persia was done this way. Last Express, Lucasarts' Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis and many other games, not to mention cartoons and films.

And this

[ostrich160]

Check out GrafX2 for pixel animation too. Open Source.

Im also looking into, as crazy as it sounds, 2d mocap, because why not

Not crazy at all, it's called rotoscoping and it's been with us for a long long time.
The original Prince of Persia was done this way. Last Express, Lucasarts' Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis and many other games, not to mention cartoons and films.

And this

rotoscoping? Sounds interesting! Is it easier than normal animation, because Im having real trouble making my graphics gale animations look good, so this may be the answer

[ink.inc]

animator's survival kit

[ostrich160]

animator's survival kit

Thought that was amazing until I saw the price, £700!
I have a max of £400, and that's only if I sell my mac to get some animation thing

[ink.inc]

http://www.amazon.com/The-Animators-Survival-Richard-Williams/dp/0571202284

you just need the book. you can find the animated examples on youtube easily enough.

[ostrich160]

http://www.amazon.com/The-Animators-Survival-Richard-Williams/dp/0571202284

you just need the book. all the dvds offer are animated versions of the frames that were drawn in the book. they're nice, but not 100% necessary, and can be found on youtube fairly easily.

Oh thanks mate
If anyone else knows anyway to make 2d animation easier I 'd love to hear it

[ink.inc]

There are a bunch of little workflow tips that are quick enough to find and pick up, but these are software specific and none of them are going to magically make you good at animation. What all good animators have in common is a strong foundation in the arts (ie drawing, draftsmanship, etc.). And there isn't a way to get one of those apart from years of hard work and practice. If you're serious about wanting to learn 2d animation, that's where I'd tell you to start. You can't expect to make good moving pictures without learning how to make good static pictures first!

[ostrich160]

There are a bunch of little workflow tips that are quick enough to find and pick up, but these are software specific and none of them are going to magically make you good at animation. What all good animators have in common is a strong foundation in the arts (ie drawing, draftsmanship, etc.). And there isn't a way to get one of those apart from years of hard work and practice. If you're serious about wanting to learn 2d animation, that's where I'd tell you to start. You can't expect to make good moving pictures without learning how to make good static pictures first!

Well thats the thing, thats where I struggle. I can make good 2d characters, but cant get the hang of animating them. In 3d, Im good at animation but cant make good looking characters

[sperryman]

Check out Spriter: http://www.brashmonkey.com/spriter.htm

Basically works by breaking up all the body parts in to individual images, then you assemble them on the first keyframe and make adjustments on subsequent key frames.

[doimus]

Well thats the thing, thats where I struggle. I can make good 2d characters, but cant get the hang of animating them. In 3d, Im good at animation but cant make good looking characters

Then definitely get Animator's Survival Kit. It's THE book to get if you're evenremotely interested in animation. The first thing you'll notice while reading through it, is how little of actual "science" there is in animation. It's virtually 99% about practice, but that 1%  of theory is the crucial first step.

Other than that, study existing examples. Download game playthrough vids from youtube and rip them apart frame by frame. Rent some classic cartoons on dvd and do the same.

And yeah, tools like Spriter, Spine and Flash are great for quick learniing of basic animation principles. Both spriter and spine actually have more 3d-ish workflow, with bones, deformations, etc. I'm using spine for animations in my game and it has really nice and simple workflow.

[ostrich160]

Check out Spriter: http://www.brashmonkey.com/spriter.htm

Basically works by breaking up all the body parts in to individual images, then you assemble them on the first keyframe and make adjustments on subsequent key frames.

I have tried that, unfortunately my character has a design that doesnt really work with it, with things like shoulder pads and short, thin limbs.
Heres a picture, as you can see breaking this up into body parts could be hard (it also gets rid of the pixelly animation effect)

http://imgur.com/3qcpyb7

Well thats the thing, thats where I struggle. I can make good 2d characters, but cant get the hang of animating them. In 3d, Im good at animation but cant make good looking characters

Then definitely get Animator's Survival Kit. It's THE book to get if you're evenremotely interested in animation. The first thing you'll notice while reading through it, is how little of actual "science" there is in animation. It's virtually 99% about practice, but that 1%  of theory is the crucial first step.

Other than that, study existing examples. Download game playthrough vids from youtube and rip them apart frame by frame. Rent some classic cartoons on dvd and do the same.

And yeah, tools like Spriter, Spine and Flash are great for quick learniing of basic animation principles. Both spriter and spine actually have more 3d-ish workflow, with bones, deformations, etc. I'm using spine for animations in my game and it has really nice and simple workflow.

Thanks, I'll buy the book and definitely find a way to separate videos of other animations by frame. I'll also look at some more rotoscoping and 2d mocap stuff

[clockwrk_routine]

you're good at animating in 3d, try rendering the animation to individual frames as pngs, and then as someone mentioned rotoscope over the frames, i.e. paint over them to get the animation you want.  You don't need anything detailed to start with, just a cubes and rectangles for limbs and major body parts.

3D software somewhat works the same was a 2d animator should think about drawing the inbetween frames.  It interpolates between keyframe poses.  In the same way, you're not 'guessing' what comes between poses, you're seeing how each body part gets from one position to the next.  It's important to understand what key poses to use, generally you block in you're first and last frame first, so you're starting pose and how the animation is suppose to end, then you divide that up with another key pose in the middle, and then subdivide that further.  you have a lot of lee way as to what those poses should look like as long the frames preceding naturally lead up to that pose.

Animating is developing a sense of feel for the directional forces that are at work on the body.  It's not a blind guess, it's educated.  You only really develop that sense as you practice more and more.  

Everyone struggles with their first walk cycle, the thing is you just have to do it, and then do it over again.  Everyone starts out looking at frame by frames or watching videos or reenacting the animation in a mirror.

Throughout learning just pay particular attention to feel, of weight, of tension, of energy.  Animating is probably the best practice to get a sense of those.  Developing those senses only comes with practice, show us what you got and we can give you advice.

[ostrich160]

you're good at animating in 3d, try rendering the animation to individual frames as pngs, and then as someone mentioned rotoscope over the frames, i.e. paint over them to get the animation you want.  You don't need anything detailed to start with, just a cubes and rectangles for limbs and major body parts.

3D software somewhat works the same was a 2d animator should think about drawing the inbetween frames.  It interpolates between keyframe poses.  In the same way, you're not 'guessing' what comes between poses, you're seeing how each body part gets from one position to the next.  It's important to understand what key poses to use, generally you block in you're first and last frame first, so you're starting pose and how the animation is suppose to end, then you divide that up with another key pose in the middle, and then subdivide that further.  you have a lot of lee way as to what those poses should look like as long the frames preceding naturally lead up to that pose.

Animating is developing a sense of feel for the directional forces that are at work on the body.  It's not a blind guess, it's educated.  You only really develop that sense as you practice more and more.  

Everyone struggles with their first walk cycle, the thing is you just have to do it, and then do it over again.  Everyone starts out looking at frame by frames or watching videos or reenacting the animation in a mirror.

Throughout learning just pay particular attention to feel, of weight, of tension, of energy.  Animating is probably the best practice to get a sense of those.  Developing those senses only comes with practice, show us what you got and we can give you advice.

The issue with that is, I cant make 3d characters very well. I might give rotoscoping a go however, it sounds very interesting.
Your right though, practice makes perfect. I have been improving, even if my current animation isnt very good. Heres my latest running cycle

http://i.imgur.com/Rtaxv1F.gif