Starcraft Zergling Animation Starts
Pvt_Hudson
Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2019Members
Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2019Members
<div class="IPBDescription">dilemma and solution</div> i got the permission from therougeknight to animate his zergling. starting now.
although there is an issue that i want u guys to know about.
as we all know, zergling moves on 4 legs in a hop movement, which means that it's front claws has to be in teh movement ( run/walk ) animation.
on the other hand, zergling attacks by slashing it's front claws and the dorsal appendages.
so here is the problem, the front claws can not be used by these 2 types of animation at the same time, since half life engine blends the attack and movement animation together, u can do one of them , but can't do both.
so we can either:
let it hop on it's hind legs only when it moves, ( this really sux, since it's just not like zergling )
OR
let it attack with it's dorsal appendages only. ( pretty good with consistency, but the attack animation is kind of boring, since the front claws are not used )
i thought about it, and here is my solution to this problem.
ok, think about it, when zergling attacks a marine, what else does it do? it JUMPS. and it jumps all over the place. Since when a model jumps, the jump animation will override all the other animations ( including attack animations), what i can do is make the jump animation involve the slashing of front claws and appendages.
Since when a skulk attacks a moving targets ( marines ), it will jump for the most of the time, so the attack animation will looks pretty good with the front claws involved !!!! <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
PROBLEM SOLVED. !!
the only thing about this solution is that when it attacks stationary targets, ( ie, when it does not jump and attack at the same time ) , the attack animation only involves the dorsal appendages. ( kind of boring )
so i think it's the best solution for this problem.
although there is an issue that i want u guys to know about.
as we all know, zergling moves on 4 legs in a hop movement, which means that it's front claws has to be in teh movement ( run/walk ) animation.
on the other hand, zergling attacks by slashing it's front claws and the dorsal appendages.
so here is the problem, the front claws can not be used by these 2 types of animation at the same time, since half life engine blends the attack and movement animation together, u can do one of them , but can't do both.
so we can either:
let it hop on it's hind legs only when it moves, ( this really sux, since it's just not like zergling )
OR
let it attack with it's dorsal appendages only. ( pretty good with consistency, but the attack animation is kind of boring, since the front claws are not used )
i thought about it, and here is my solution to this problem.
ok, think about it, when zergling attacks a marine, what else does it do? it JUMPS. and it jumps all over the place. Since when a model jumps, the jump animation will override all the other animations ( including attack animations), what i can do is make the jump animation involve the slashing of front claws and appendages.
Since when a skulk attacks a moving targets ( marines ), it will jump for the most of the time, so the attack animation will looks pretty good with the front claws involved !!!! <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
PROBLEM SOLVED. !!
the only thing about this solution is that when it attacks stationary targets, ( ie, when it does not jump and attack at the same time ) , the attack animation only involves the dorsal appendages. ( kind of boring )
so i think it's the best solution for this problem.
Comments
You sure you want it to hop around? That'll look a little ... unusual when it's hopping along the ceiling.
THERE'S A ZERGLING MODEL!?
OMG OMG OMG OMG PIX! WHERE R TEH PIX!
Yeh that sounds like a good idea. Is it going to bite too? Cause why have those ferocious teeth if you aren't gonna use em. Iunno, I haven't seen the model so I wouldn't know how it'd look.
You sure you want it to hop around? That'll look a little ... unusual when it's hopping along the ceiling. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
well, that's how the zergling moves, in all reference materials ( in starcraft game and in cinematics )
it makes a hop movement on 4 legs
as for walking on ceiling, there is really nothing i can do about it , unless NS team decide to code crawl animation in the game when a skulk walking on wall and ceiling.
yes, as for bite movement, i can animate it in teh attack animation, too.
So now there are 2 movements in teh normal attack animation ( bite and dorsal appendages slash )
as for jump attack animation i mentioned above, i don't think bite is necessary though, since the front claws and dorsal appendages will reach way before the head
as for the model itself, look at teh skulkling thread posted by therougeknight, he made teh model.
-GF
yes, but they can be animated in teh jump animation
-GF <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
The Hydralisk's run animations are not too accurate. If you watch the starcraft movies you should see a hydralisk running (using the tail like a snake to move and also clawing at the floor)
The Hydralisk's run animations are not too accurate. If you watch the starcraft movies you should see a hydralisk running (using the tail like a snake to move and also clawing at the floor) <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
i have explained before the clawing thing when it moves can't be done due to the half life engine, same reason as this one with zergling.
althought i do agree i'm not satisfied with the hydra movement animation myself.
Quick example: the tail spines are 6-sided cones... that's probably 2-3 more sides per spine than you really need; I have a feeling that 3-sided spines would look just as good, especially since the tail is likely to be in motion and the zergling itself will be very fast.
i don't think that's a good idea though, since hydralisk's slash attack is sort of trade mark, besides i have never seen it bite an enemy before <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
Or maybe if you don't want bite, maybe you could make the Hydra smash its "head" into the target or something.
I don't understand how it can move around and not move its arms a single bit. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
I think that's the perfect answer to all your problems. It doesn't use it's claws, but the animation looks better because it also uses it's upper body to get more forward momentum. In the current one the upper body is all stiff so it looks like crap. As for the tail it does about the same thing as it does in the current animation...
<img src='http://www.battle.net/images/battle/scc/zerg/pix/units/Hydralisk1.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
Secondly, you may be suprised by this but in Starcraft the zergling never, ever uses it's front legs to attack. It never leaves the ground and always attacks stationary. The torso lunges foreward rapidly (w/ feet planted on the ground) as it gnashes it's teeth and slashes with it's dorsal appendages repeditavely. The same way the bite works on the skulk. A quick pulsating movement. The tusks could also be incorporated in this attack.
Thirdly there is a fairly simple solution to this "leap dilema"... and I'm sorta suprised u didn't think of this b4: There is an attack called....(get ready for this).....LEAP. You can get that hop-like look you want by reanimating this attack. A zergling never hurls itself through the air in-game, ever. The leap attack will fit nicely for the look ur goin for as stated in your original post.
Secondly, you may be suprised by this but in Starcraft the zergling never, ever uses it's front legs to attack. It never leaves the ground and always attacks stationary. The torso lunges foreward rapidly (w/ feet planted on the ground) as it gnashes it's teeth and slashes with it's dorsal appendages repeditavely. The same way the bite works on the skulk. A quick pulsating movement. The tusks could also be incorporated in this attack.
Thirdly there is a fairly simple solution to this "leap dilema"... and I'm sorta suprised u didn't think of this b4: There is an attack called....(get ready for this).....LEAP. You can get that hop-like look you want by reanimating this attack. A zergling never hurls itself through the air in-game, ever. The leap attack will fit nicely for the look ur goin for as stated in your original post. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
great suggestions , thanks <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
/ me uses
the dilemma i was talking about is the front claws issue, it has nothing to do with leap. Front claws can't be used in both attack adn movement animation.
yes, i'm aware that leap is a good one to replace the actual jump animation i was talking about. But that's not the point i tried to convey in this thread.
thanks for the suggestions though <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
I'd say have the attack animation be the bite and back claws, and add the front claws for the leap.
i think u are totally mistaken by what i mean, we are talking about the different things here.
u are talking about leap animation, in which skulks can slash it's front claws. I agree with u, and it does work in game, i have already tested it. And yes, this is animation i am gonna use for zergling's jump animation, so that it can slash it's claws.
what i was talking about is that should we use front claws in movement animation or attack animation? since we can't use it in both. My way of doing it is to use it in movement animation. let the attack animation only involves the slashing of dorsal appendages and it's front big teeth. at teh same time, animate its front claws in the jump/leap animation to produce variety.
what i was talking about is that should we use front claws in movement animation or attack animation? since we can't use it in both. My way of doing it is to use it in movement animation. let the attack animation only involves the slashing of dorsal appendages and it's front big teeth. at teh same time, animate its front claws in the jump/leap animation to produce variety. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Perfect
<img src='http://www.sclegacy.com/features/wc3/ling-attack.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
<img src='http://www.sclegacy.com/features/wc3/ling-left.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>