Methods for Animating

[juggernaut]

Does anyone do animations beyond mostly moving an actor from point A to B? What do you use and how do you implement the product into RPGmaker? I recently did an 8 frame animation of a slave being rocked back and forth below decks on a ship. I tried implementing him as an animation in the engine and while it was close, I had to make about 21 frames to make the movement look right and I still couldn't get each frame to be exactly even. He looked like he was in a ship that was also on a bumpy road

 

[Shaz]

If you just wanted him rocking backwards and forwards, you could have used a picture and adjusted the rotation

 

[juggernaut]

I don't know why simple approaches like that never come to mind. Silly me! Still, I've taken to the pixel-by-pixel animation and so I figured I'd be doing them in some other program and perhaps showing as a transparent movie over top things? Might be tough that way. 

 

[Dragnfly]

I know how you feel. I did some projects using Optpix (it's the program Record of Agarest War 2 used for it's character sprites) and it's become super difficult for me to think of animation solutions in a traditional manner, but something like the software I'm used to isn't very useful at such low resolutions.

I'm anxious to see your end result. I haven't really seen any RM games yet that I could say have "impressive animation".

 

[juggernaut]

I know how you feel. I did some projects using Optpix (it's the program Record of Agarest War 2 used for it's character sprites) and it's become super difficult for me to think of animation solutions in a traditional manner, but something like the software I'm used to isn't very useful at such low resolutions.

I'm anxious to see your end result. I haven't really seen any RM games yet that I could say have "impressive animation".

As am I, but I'm still open to suggestions on how finer animations can or could be integrated into RM. I've since played a little 'Always Sometimes Monsters' and 'Friend', both having a few instances of animations implemented in one way or another. If it wasn't done in the animation part of the database or some clever change graphic I'm guessing it was whipped up by some whizz at scripts and called by an event. Sure, it's easy enough for a child but doing much in the way of originality generally points one way. Code. 

 

[juggernaut]

I'm going to bump this just once to see if anyone can share their insight and break my mental block on the logic here.. If you're going to animate something with finer detail, how do you do it? I realized while starting on my project that I really had no concept of this and it put a major road block in my progress. I'm currently puzzled with something as simple as transitioning a sitting player to standing, in the context of a cutscene that transitions to the obvious sprite sheet walking animation when the player gets control.

Change graphic?

A script?

Careful and Clever use of the animation panel in the database?

 

[Dragnfly]

...I really had no concept of this and it put a major road block in my progress.

Everyone's starting problem right there. I find it happens to most people when they embrace any new method of creating anything.

Anyway, I recently played Friend so the only parts I can think of are at the end and the box moving animation. You could try sending a message to the creator who's on here (he has Squid in his name and Friend in his sig, I think.) but I'd think it'd just be Event > 2> Show Animation and then change it to "box pusher" or whatever animation he made. I've seen some evidence of this in other game's files too.

 

[juggernaut]

I just haven't sat down yet to really tinker for myself. If it is show animation that's the key I'll start messing with how it works some more.

 

[Dragnfly]

http://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/index.php?/user/56093-czarsquid/ There's the guy. Just ask him and be sure to specify the animations you mean.

I've been doing mostly prep and then a bunch of tiny silly games for friends to learn how to do things. Haven't gotten to do much with animation yet.