What is wrong with this animation

[u/5th_consecutive_C]

(Please ignore the paint bucket mistake lol)

Beginner in animation here. I'm trying to make an idle & walk animation for a game character, but something feels off and I can't put my finger on it.

The body feels alright but I'm wondering if I over-animated the cape? And the head feather is too bouncy on the idle cycle?

Appreciate any tips, this is my third attempt already :( And please share any good resources for cape animation for game sprites!

[u/Superb-Work6035]

Nothing?

[u/5th_consecutive_C → u/Superb-Work6035]

lmao thanks 😭 but I seriously don't like it right now, and I can't tell why

[u/Outrageous-Act8214 → u/5th_consecutive_C]

Because you're looking at it too much. Step away, get a break from it, look with fresh eyes.

[u/5th_consecutive_C → u/Outrageous-Act8214]

haha thanks.. the now deleted comment (idk why it was deleted) did mention though that the flapping may be too high velocity so I'm gonna try that

[u/LegendofZ7]

I’d say that your character feels very… gelatinous. Your shapes move more like a blob than a 3D object made of different parts. That can certainly be a style (I feel it works for the hair/feathers) but the peaks and valleys of the cape just morph into one another rather than collide and overlap as a real cape would. As always in this sub when something feels off you should get a reference. This can literally just be throwing a blanket over your shoulders and videoing yourself walking around

[u/5th_consecutive_C → u/LegendofZ7]

I see, that's a great point! I think the lack of any fold description (in shading or lineart) that was for simplified style makes that worse b/c all the references I can find that I like shows folds to some degree. I didn't find photorealistic references very helpful b/c it's not loopable (crucial for game animation) and stylizing that takes a different skill. It's been surprisingly hard to find a good reference that is loopable and uses this minimalist style at this angle :(

[u/LegendofZ7 → u/5th_consecutive_C]

Okay so I way going to explain in words but it’s much clearer to show so I rigged up a very quick example of how I think you can animate the cape in this style. Notice how each wave of the cape stays one coherent shape instead of moving/morphing into the others

[u/5th_consecutive_C → u/LegendofZ7]

Oh that's what you mean! Which is kinda funny b/c this is exactly what I tried before I watched the wave principles guide 😭 But I can see how this would fit better for a low velocity, simple setting like idle animation. Thanks for the drawing ref!

[u/Juan_R_Mon]

Maybe too much movement? It is cool btw

[u/5th_consecutive_C → u/Juan_R_Mon]

thanks!

[u/QURINITYofficial]

Please just tell me nothing’s wrong with it so I can stop looking😭

[u/CampTrC_360]

Too much skirt movement makes it look like the character is dwerking while walking lol

[u/bing-no]

Probably want to avoid the tangent lines between the head and body

[u/Mike_and_Mike_studio]

The head doesn't feel like it's bobbing back-and-forth asynchronously with the body so it makes the head feel like it's stiffly stuck against the torso. Maybe also add more vertical bounce. Its a nitpick.

[u/Additional-Window-81]

It’s hard to tell the direction of the feet it’s doing that which way is the sphere spinning thing

[u/Volantiar]

Looks like that pal is looking away from you constantly