5 replies to this topic

[Impyrium]

If there's one thing that has never really impressed me about MW:O, it's the animations. They're not bad, but they're not... great. In my eyes anyway. I'm not sure if it's for practical reasons, or just an inexperienced animator, but they've never really come across as fluid or heavy.

The reverse jointed 'mechs seem to be the worse. They're either too stiff, or have a weird stride that suggests anything but a giant war machine stalking through the battlefield. The Timber Wolf is the worst offender IMO, though admittedly I'm not entirely sure how to describe why I dislike it. It just appears... straight, stiff, like it's dragging itself along the ground rather than running forwards. And yes, 'mechs are supposed to be able to run.

This entire post was caused because I saw these for the first time, made by Sentinel373 for a film project of his. I'm guessing most would have already seen them, but somehow I missed it last year.




Honestly I just find these inspiring. Sadly he stopped working on the project, but this is the kind of dynamic animation I really want to see on new bird-legged 'mechs. Walking is a slow, deliberate stalk, whereas running sees it break into a long, bouncing stride. MWO 'mechs... don't really seem to have this kind of fluidity, or even have any real differentiation between walking and running.

What do you think? Do you like the animations in MWO, or did you prefer animations from previous games/films? I'm really hoping the animator/s will see this and take some cues from it, but that's just me.

[FupDup]

That first gif is sexay.

[El Bandito]

King Crab gait always makes me roll my eyes.

Also the animation really reminded me that pin point accuracy in a moving mech is not something that should be encouraged.

Edited by El Bandito, 24 September 2015 - 05:55 PM.

[Escef]

Part of the issue is the lack of a variable walk/run form. The walk animation is the same as the run animation, just that the run is sped up. Which, of course, seems unnatural to us, because most animals drastically alter the way they move their limbs to facilitate faster movement. (Running is much more metabolically expensive than walking. Which is why most animals only run when they need to, to conserve energy. Speeding X calories to cross Y distance is better than spending a greater than X number of calories to cross the same distance faster. The extra expenditure is justified in hunting and fleeing from danger, because calorie conservation means nothing when you won't be alive to spend those calories.)

[Cyborne Elemental]

To me, animations are a huge part of a Mech's success and appeal.

A mech can look absolutely amazing, but if it walks like an injured donkey or like its floating on air.. my interest in it quickly disappears.

The personality of some of these mechs, specifically the Atlas, that seals the deal.

These things need to look powerful and heavy when they're moving, or like the Atlas, have some swagger and strutting with style.

[William Mountbank]

I actually like the Timby animations from the side at least, I think it has a predatory stride that fits the mech's performance.

On the other hand I really cringe when the pilot torso twists and the arms clip the hips - the same for the King Crab. I really think the arms should raise slightly when the mech over turns so that there is no clipping, even if it gives an unfair advantage to chicken walkers when their arms raise higher than normal.