The Mana World Forums

Ah, then I understand. But does it have to be only 4 frames?
If I would make an animation I would prefer to be able to use 6-12 frames depending on animation as I think 4 frames will be a little...choppy...

Also, why is there only 4 directions? It should be 8 directions so that it doesn't look so strange when walking diagonally ^^

And last: Idle animation...is it there or will it be added? I haven't thought about it and think an idle animation should be in there to...maybe just create it in my animations so it is there just in case ^^

Idle animation isn't there but can be added. The same goes for the number of frames, we can make the engine more flexible in that respect. However, just keep in mind the more frames the more work, and also that one very smooth walking monster among other not very smooth walking monsters could look a bit strange.

We have 4 directions because that saves a lot of work compared to 8, and also because there are only 4 directional buttons on your keyboard. It could be near impossible to stand still in any but the 4 directions matching your keys, especially since we plan to move towards free movement like the SNES games SoM, Zelda and Chrono Trigger. Note that none of those games had 8 directions and it doesn't strike me as strange.

Well, I can always add them to my animations as it would look better to be able run diagonally, just make it so that when one stops it just faces one of the 4 normal directions? If would make it better with hitting a monster...atleast for me as now you need to either click the monster with the mouse to hit is when it is in a diagonal direction or hope you are lucky and get in the SHIFT (auto attack) just when you can hit it.

Also I do not mean that it should be restricted to 8 way movement, just that there are frames for it so it doesn't look like the monster or character is straifing (strifing...what the hell is it called? Waling sideways atleast) when walking/running diagonally.

I understand that a smooth animation besides more sluggish would look strange, I am not aiming for flawless movement...just a frame or two more, otherwise it would be too much work.

Would it be possible to add an alternate animation so that it a little now and then looks a little different? Lika a character running has it's normal animation and also one where the character is moving it's arms more, or bobbing more?

m4ndr4g00n wrote:Would it be possible to add an alternate animation so that it a little now and then looks a little different? Lika a character running has it's normal animation and also one where the character is moving it's arms more, or bobbing more?

Current progress speed with art clearly shows that this will be too much work, together with the 8 directions thing. To get things done we'd probably have to switch back to lower resolution and 3-frame walk animations (exaggerating). Seriously, look at the amount of usable art produced in the past half year and try to judge whether we can afford to push smoother animation, more than 4 directions and alternative animations (which, to remind you, would also need these animations to be drawn for many pieces of equipment).

Bjørn wrote:(which, to remind you, would also need these animations to be drawn for many pieces of equipment).

And hairstyles.

Bjørn wrote:Current progress speed with art clearly shows that this will be too much work, together with the 8 directions thing.

We clearly need more pixel artist's.

hmm...true, so the 8 direction thing is a no

Well, then I'll just make normal animations then...but I WILL still make extra animations for what I make as I like to create stuff, no need to put it in if it isn't interessting.

Btw. is anyone making a female player charset? If not I could just try and make that.

Btw. with hairstyles...will there be so that there can be a style and then a set of colors to use or will I have to make a copy of every style for every color?

And style of characters and monsters will be directly from SoM as it is The Mana World based off of SoM, if noone has any objection that is...

[EDIT]

I have to add that I want more then I have the energy for, but I WILL be working on stuff, but it will take long time to get anything done, so I will just post whatever I get done and then it can be added if good enough whenever there is possibility, but I can't promise anything for any release except I should have something done for release 0.0.15 atleast.

If you're really willing to help you should cooperate with our art team and follow the suggestion of our head of art Rotonen, or eventually me

Maester Pixel wrote:We clearly need more pixel artist's.

We need more ACTIVE pixel artists, and yes also more probably.

Elven Programmer wrote:If you're really willing to help you should cooperate with our art team and follow the suggestion of our head of art Rotonen, or eventually me

I'll try and do so then. But I didn't really get it, but I guess it has to do with doing a set task...or something like that ^^

Well...Rotonen, anything that is not needed in very short time I could do? I am better at following orders then actually doing something out of my head, like when I draw something I always have something to take my ideas from.

It's best to hang around in the IRC channels to contact Rotonen, I think.

m4ndr4g00n wrote:Btw. is anyone making a female player charset? If not I could just try and make that.

Once the male playerset I'm putting together is completed, I will make the necessary alterations to generate a female set, as well as sets for multiple skintones.

m4ndr4g00n wrote:And style of characters and monsters will be directly from SoM as it is The Mana World based off of SoM, if noone has any objection that is...

I don't know about a direct take, given that we aren't just trying to take off SoM wholesale, but rather an "inspired by" kind of thing. That's my understanding of it, in any case.

Well, I'll try to get on IRC then and just try to get some directions, would help me more as I need to be told what to do.

Talaroc wrote:

m4ndr4g00n wrote:Btw. is anyone making a female player charset? If not I could just try and make that.

Once the male playerset I'm putting together is completed, I will make the necessary alterations to generate a female set, as well as sets for multiple skintones.

m4ndr4g00n wrote:And style of characters and monsters will be directly from SoM as it is The Mana World based off of SoM, if noone has any objection that is...

I don't know about a direct take, given that we aren't just trying to take off SoM wholesale, but rather an "inspired by" kind of thing. That's my understanding of it, in any case.

Well, then I'll skip the female charset I was thinking of. I was thinking of making one based of the girl in SoM.

And with "take" I mean just base them on. I would not just take one of the character and state it as mine, but rather just use the style of the animation. Like I wouldn't make a rabitte but maybe something like it, or the main character in the game but something resembling him.