How to animate character sprites

[NeoSoulKuja]

I wanted to know how to animate the sprites on MV, like make their heads look left and right and arms moving around to grab items, things of those sorts.

I want to do animations like in the witch's house game.

 

[Ariaka]

You would have to create the sprites yourself.

Basically, any animation involving an event (such as picking up an item or examining something) you would switch the player's sprite sheet to the action animation. (And turn it back to the normal sheet at the end of the event.) You could probably do something similar for an idle animation. You may need a plugin to determine if the player has stopped moving, I am not familiar enough with scripting to say if you can just use a script call to check. (The idle animation would be set to a parallel event.)

In general the sprites follow a 3x4 rule. (3 across, 4 down.) Everyone has their own method for animation. I use photoshop, because of the layers, and make each animation cell on top of the other to make sure I have it looking correct. Then I put the sheet itself together. The character HUD (I think that is what it is called) is a useful tool, from what I have heard, for making sprite sheets.

 

[NeoSoulKuja]

Would I need to use GCH to create those sprites? Also would this also apply to MV as well as VX Ace?

 

[nerdypants]

Hi ariaka,

lets say i created the sprite sheet with the character slashing animation with the 3x4 rule.

how do i switch to this sprite sheet? only plugins?

and which row will it use?

meaning 3x4, first 3 row = 1 action, 2nd row of 3 = 2nd action, 3rd row of 3 = 3rd action, 4th row of 4 = 4th action?

thanks

 

[Ariaka]

Would I need to use GCH to create those sprites? Also would this also apply to MV as well as VX Ace?

You can use GCH or any other artistic program that can save .png files. It applies to both MV and VX Ace. Neither game has a definitive size the sprites have to be. So long as they all fit into the same size cell and are 3 across by 4 down.

Hi ariaka,

lets say i created the sprite sheet with the character slashing animation with the 3x4 rule.

how do i switch to this sprite sheet? only plugins?

and which row will it use?

meaning 3x4, first 3 row = 1 action, 2nd row of 3 = 2nd action, 3rd row of 3 = 3rd action, 4th row of 4 = 4th action?

thanks

Defaultly,

Row 1 = Down

Row 2 = Left

Row 3 = Right

Row 4 = Up

You would want one sheet per action (as seen from all four views) unless an action is only done from a certain facing. (Reaching into your pocket from all four directions for example.)  How to get it to actually work... I am not sure. Having trouble getting the player's sprite to change during an event properly. (My character creation is working fine. But trying to change a character's sprite into another isn't going so well. Will edit this if I can get it working or figure out what I am doing wrong.)

In theory this should change the actor to do an action then change them back after the event is over. The sprite just doesn't want to switch for me when I test it out.

The first part sets the player in the correct direction. (Facing down for example.) Next You change the sprite sheet to the one with the desired action. Then you use another move route to turn on stepping so the action cycles through the cells. The wait time can be adjusted as needed. Turn of the stepping animation and add items/message what-have-you-not. Then revert the character to it's original form.

Spoiler

Actually... I think I know why it wasn't working for me. I have a running event that checks for items in the inventory and changes the sprite sheet based on what is in it.  :X So... this should work without a problem.

 

[nerdypants]

oh, so for battlers,

what i would need to do is create a separate sprite sheet, then event the skill to change the sprite sheet into the slashing action sprite sheet i have created. something like that?

any idea what positions i would need to set the sprite sheet though for that to work.

i understood what you meant though, from your screenshot yours would be player on map, hence the spritesheet would be like the normal walking spritesheet just that you changed it into maybe say waving action spritesheet or something right?

 

[Ariaka]

oh, so for battlers,

what i would need to do is create a separate sprite sheet, then event the skill to change the sprite sheet into the slashing action sprite sheet i have created. something like that?

any idea what positions i would need to set the sprite sheet though for that to work.

i understood what you meant though, from your screenshot yours would be player on map, hence the spritesheet would be like the normal walking spritesheet just that you changed it into maybe say waving action spritesheet or something right?

Correct on the last part.

As for SV battlers, that is a new area for me. However if you push F1 and search, 'Side-View Character Standards' the second image shows what each set of three cells are connected to. So for a slashing action (as your example) it would be sprite 4-6 on the second row (labeled as Swing). However I don't really know how you'd go about setting up what skill calls which animation. I am sorry I cannot help with that part. The alteration would work the same as the map sprites though. You can adjust the various positions (such as the poison SV animation to sway slightly or the sleeping SV animation to have a snore bubble.)

 

[nerdypants]

o nice thanks for the help

 

[NeoSoulKuja]

Thanks you for the help!