*newb alert* Sprite Animation

[Little_Wamp]

Sorry if this is the wrong area to ask but I made my first little sprite and I wanna make a walking animation for my first game. How do I do it? I have seen these little animation strips that are like 4-8 pictures of the animation, is that what I have to do?
Draw 8 different pictures and run them together?
...and this is my little wizard dude/first thing I ever actually tried to make>>>

[triptych]

Yeah, to make an animation you need to individually draw(or sprite, idgaf what it's called) each frame and then "run them together" as you put it in a program that allows you to save animated .gif files

[Little_Wamp]

Yeah, to make an animation you need to individually draw(or sprite, idgaf what it's called) each frame and then "run them together" as you put it in a program that allows you to save animated .gif files

Okay thank you very much.

Now this was the first one i've drawn, I did alittle searching and I can't really find what i'm looking for. Is there a reference somewhere that I could use as a guideline to tell me how to draw a walking animation?
Keep in mind my sprite doesnt have visible legs.

[Lexou Duck]

As for your fist sprite, Let me just point out that the feet are barely noticeable, the head is hexagonal, the arms are way too short, and the colors lack contrast.

[Little_Wamp]

As for your fist sprite, Let me just point out that the feet are barely noticeable, the head is hexagonal, the arms are way too short, and the colors lack contrast.

Okay, I can make the head more round. but what do you suggest I do about the feet?

[[robo9]]

As for your fist sprite, Let me just point out that the feet are barely noticeable, the head is hexagonal, the arms are way too short, and the colors lack contrast.

Okay, I can make the head more round. but what do you suggest I do about the feet?

Make them larger.

[Little_Wamp]

Okay so I lied. I'm using game maker and I cant figure out how to make his head more round in 32x32 without redrawing the whole thing. haha

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Better?

[brandman1996]

Okay so I lied. I'm using game maker and I cant figure out how to make his head more round in 32x32 without redrawing the whole thing. haha

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Better?

Really? Of course you can I'm sure. You just have to put a little effort into it is all. Ask anyone, I'm the king of circles. Although, I haven't experimented much with the sprite creator in game maker, I'm sure you can have larger sprites or compensate at least for the limited amount of room. Why don't you try making your sprites first inside paint then import them to gamemaker? Once again, not too familiar with gamemaker, but I am almost positive you can do that. And, the feet don't look any better. Crap, lemme give you an update.



That is my edition to your sprite. First, the head as you can see, is a circle. Second, there are no feet? Why? Because the robe should cover them, with the exception of drastic animations like dashing or tripping. Notice the robe, it has a whole new pallet and added details. Before you couldn't see the second shade. Now you can see the second with an added third shade, along with your three shades on your head. The staff doesn't have much change, except the knob at the end to give more color and complete the feel of a wizard.

Use as a base if not actually in your game, I don't really care. But there you go.

[Little_Wamp]

I would love to use that and thanks for taking the time out to help. Now my problem is I was making a running animation and now I have to start over(no big deal). How would I draw him running? He does have feet. haha

[brandman1996]

I would love to use that and thanks for taking the time out to help.

Your wellycome.

Now my problem is I was making a running animation and now I have to start over(no big deal). How would I draw him running? He does have feet. haha

He should I would hope. Well it depends. Well first, often times games have separate animations for running and walking. I'll take from what you said and just say you are going to animate a running pose for your character. Games also happen to have more complex animations depending on the system. Take Super Mario Land II and New Super Mario Bros. for example. SML2 has only one frame for standby, while NSMB has at least 70 or 80 frames. That is about 20% more frames. See the difference from the first Nintendo handheld to the latest? Now for running, SML2 has four frames, while NSMB has 18 frames. Seeing that your sprite has more GBA qualities. So you want to try to get it in the middle. Kind of like Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland. It has 8 frames.

Though these are all platformers. Different games have different rates. What kind of game are you planning to make? Basically, depending on the genre, find a game on the spriters resource, find a character, and model different poses for your character based on that character.

[StarSock64]

Okay I only read parts of this thread but

I'm gonna go ahead and say you should really learn how to sprite basic things before trying to make animations or games. -Really-

Really

When it comes to art you have to learn things, you can't just jump in and start making projects and then have it come out good. There's a lot of basic concepts that you don't even know. You're going to have a lot of difficulty and it's not even going to come out right. If you want to learn how to sprite then you have to focus on improving, not getting productions right away. This whole thing is doomed to fail unless you up your skills first.

[brandman1996]

I'm gonna go ahead and say you should really learn how to sprite basic things before trying to make animations or games. -Really-

Really

When it comes to art you have to learn things, you can't just jump in and start making projects and then have it come out good. There's a lot of basic concepts that you don't even know. You're going to have a lot of difficulty and it's not even going to come out right. If you want to learn how to sprite then you have to focus on improving, not getting productions right away. This whole thing is doomed to fail unless you up your skills first.

Although I completely agree with you, I still helped him. He did have a newb alert. Isn't that what everyone should? I guess it's just me because I have a nice streak or something unlike *cough*Cure For Cancer*cough*

[Little_Wamp]

He should I would hope. Well it depends. Well first, often times games have separate animations for running and walking. I'll take from what you said and just say you are going to animate a running pose for your character. Games also happen to have more complex animations depending on the system. Take Super Mario Land II and New Super Mario Bros. for example. SML2 has only one frame for standby, while NSMB has at least 70 or 80 frames. That is about 20% more frames. See the difference from the first Nintendo handheld to the latest? Now for running, SML2 has four frames, while NSMB has 18 frames. Seeing that your sprite has more GBA qualities. So you want to try to get it in the middle. Kind of like Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland. It has 8 frames.

Though these are all platformers. Different games have different rates. What kind of game are you planning to make? Basically, depending on the genre, find a game on the spriters resource, find a character, and model different poses for your character based on that character.

Wow. thanks alot for the sheets you posted.

This game is a platformer with a very cartoonish art style.
After lookin at the sheets I think the style is closest to the GBA sprites so i'm gonna work on sprites of the quality.

[brandman1996]

Wow. thanks alot for the sheets you posted.

Your wellycome.

This game is a platformer with a very cartoonish art style.
After lookin at the sheets I think the style is closest to the GBA sprites so i'm gonna work on sprites of the quality.

Okay platformer with cartoony pizazz, emulating GBA styles and functions... Good. You've got your premise. Find a game in the GBA section (may I suggest Mario or Kirby) and pose your wizard after the main character (Mario or Luigi; Kirby). Please post what the results are.

[Little_Wamp]

Brand i'm gonna work on it all night. i'll post the embarassment 2morow haha