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[Suds]

I'm traditionally a programmer but I'm trying to learn the ins and outs of basic animation, mostly for jams. (context)

This week I want to animate a stylised character with discrete limbs - like Rayman. I want to practice animating things like running, jumping, basic sword and shield use.

My goal is to have a character that moves around similar to those in Cube World. Where they lean forward when they run, lean left and right when they turn left and right. I'm just wondering if the leaning effect would be more appropriate as an animation, or whether it should be implemented as part of the movement system in the game engine?

edit: I'm working in 3D.

Thanks for your time!

[diegzumillo]

If you just want leaning and you don't mind discrete leaning (as opposed to different angles depending on how much the character is turning) I guess it could be done in the animation itself. Three animation states: running straight, left and right. If you do that in the code it will definitely look better but bear in mind this is very hard to achieve. Well, to me, at least, but, for you, a real programmer, it might be easier (that's a ridiculous number of commas, but they are all important) and if you pull it off you get lots of extra features that will make your animation look cooler.

[oahda]

Not all important, and could be varied with some other interpunctuation. c;

Well, to me at least; for you – a real programmer – it might be easier~

All I can say is that I prefer to do programmatic animations where I can but this might be fine with animations in the model as well.

[Chris MacAdam]

http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1020583/
Heres a link to a video about procedural animation. I'm not sure how much it will help but maybe you can get a few ideas from it.
I would probably do angle leaning and things like that in the code, not the animation. Everyone has their own way of doing things though, there isn't a concrete answer.

[diegzumillo]

Well, to me at least; for you – a real programmer – it might be easier~

That reads much better :D