Idle Animations

[TheStoryteller]

Idle Animations

Orientation: Singleplayer(?)/Multiplayer

TL;DR: Idle animations within the game for certain activities.

 

Two of the best things in video games - in my opinion - are both realism and RP elements. I love being able to BE my character when I'm in the game, with other people around me being their characters as well. This is a simpler idea, depending on how you look at it. When I refer to idle animations, I'm talking about if you're running around in the woods, and decide to sit down for a while. The animation doesn't stop until you want it to. I don't know, I just imagine a group of friends sitting around a campfire for the night, the soft glow of the fire illuminating everyone as they sit and talk. 

 

Example: Will and Ted are with their survival group, everyone is sitting in chairs in the meeting room, talking about their next move. After a long, and very helpful group chat, Will stands at the door to will his group farewell as they go out to work. He shakes hands (I realize some animations would just be arduous to code/sprite/make shortcuts for, but whatever works for the game. Some animations could work for certain singleplayer situations, but this would mostly be a multiplayer feature) with everyone, waving as they all exit the room.  

[Ideacake]

I think this would be a great idea, though shaking hands would be pretty difficult since it requires both characters to shake hands. Otherwise, if someone walked up to you and did that without your consent, it would get annoying and wierd. Waving, sitting, hand gestures for talking, and other stuff like that would be really cool. Another I'd add would be a laughing animation, like doubling over clutching your chest if someone told a good joke.

[MadDan]

As much as TIS can do with this, I'm so in. Imagining about sitting at a campfire and talk rather than standing still looking a bit silly, makes me really excited for some reason. I just love small details that add immersion. 

[Viceroy]

Here is another thread that handles more the locomotive side of things but will go great lengths to improve immersion as well, have a read:

 

http://theindiestone.com/forums/index.php/topic/5913-moodle-animation/?hl=animations

[TheStoryteller]

Here is another thread that handles more the locomotive side of things but will go great lengths to improve immersion as well, have a read:

 

http://theindiestone.com/forums/index.php/topic/5913-moodle-animation/?hl=animations

Thank you for the post! It was a nice read, and I happily agree with the suggestion in it. Anything that turns up the immersion and realism factor in games really gets me excited. Just feeling like I could be/am in the game is a really awesome concept for me. I'd love to see any/all of the stuff in that thread in the game, but this post is more for standing still, rather than when you move. Animations that the player does by themselves, almost entirely aesthetically. Things like siting down, lying down, or relaxing on a couch. Possibly interactions with other survivors, things like that.

 

Like I said, just the idea of sitting around a campfire with a group of weathered survivors, or lying in a bathtub, bleeding and tired. I don't know, I'd just really like to see it in the game. It'd really make it a whole new situation for me. I'd really feel like I WAS the character.

I think this would be a great idea, though shaking hands would be pretty difficult since it requires both characters to shake hands. Otherwise, if someone walked up to you and did that without your consent, it would get annoying and wierd. Waving, sitting, hand gestures for talking, and other stuff like that would be really cool. Another I'd add would be a laughing animation, like doubling over clutching your chest if someone told a good joke.

I understand that unsolicited handshaking could be a potential problem, but I had figured it could be added in a way that requests permission from the player who is being offered a handshake. Maybe a little pop-up, or something, I don't know. Nothing too big, or scene-breaking. I'm not sure how it would work, specifically.