This is going to be a bit of a noob question, I think, but how do I add custom sprite animations?
For example, I've got this floating robot in my game. I've drawn all 12 sprites needed for 4 directional movement, but then I want to have a lot of other unique animations for my characters such as ones for laughing, throwing hands up in the air, fainting, etc.
I'd like to be able to pause on these frames as well for different reasons.
Where do the sprites for these go exactly? And how do I change them during gameplay with an event?
Thanks.
Adding custom sprite animations?
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Make another sprite sheet with the emotes you want to include. Using the 'move event' command you can then change the graphic of an event.
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Make another sprite sheet with the emotes you want to include. Using the 'move event' command you can then change the graphic of an event.
Awesome, I think I see how it works, but how do I select a certain sprite? I would set movement to face right or face down, etc, but like, there's 12 in a set, so what if you want to select say the bottom left one?
Also, is this how you'd set these sheets up? The ones on the right are the normal movement and idles and the ones on the right are going to be where I'd put emotes. I've only done one as a test, which is in the top left. -
Also, is this how you'd set these sheets up? The ones on the right are the normal movement and idles and the ones on the right are going to be where I'd put emotes. I've only done one as a test, which is in the top left.
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That's the right idea.
Use the setup you have at the minute, make each 'row' of the emote character one animation (3 frames) where the center one is the one you want to pause on. Then use change graphic and turn character to select the row you want (third row = turn right). I'm not sure if there's a way to pause on a 'stepping' frame (the left and right frames). -
That's the right idea.
Use the setup you have at the minute, make each 'row' of the emote character one animation (3 frames) where the center one is the one you want to pause on. Then use change graphic and turn character to select the row you want (third row = turn right). I'm not sure if there's a way to pause on a 'stepping' frame (the left and right frames).
Ah right, thanks. I got it working in my tests. Can't wait to make a ton of different sprites for all these characters.
I'll keep searching for a way to target specific stepping frames, but still this is great. If it comes to it, and I really need a pause for something, I'll just make duplicates for that row. Bit wasteful, but that's okay.
You know if I'll run into performance issues if I have a lot of different character sheets like this?
Thanks for the help as well. This community is so good. -
You’d have to go pretty crazy with the sprinting to get any lag from character sheet numbers alone. :) have fun!
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Alternatively, you can use Doodads, if the character isn't walking I find Doodads to be a much easier way to make character animations. You can control the speed, and when they play with switches.
Technically, you could do a walking character with doodads as well, but that would get pretty complicated fast. -
Alternatively, you can use Doodads, if the character isn't walking I find Doodads to be a much easier way to make character animations. You can control the speed, and when they play with switches.
Technically, you could do a walking character with doodads as well, but that would get pretty complicated fast.
Are you talking about Yanfly's doodads?
Just to elaborate a bit on what I'm doing: it's a cut-scene and dialogue heavy narrative adventure game, so I'm using a lot of events.
Let's say I had a character who walks over to a box during one of my cutscene events. She then reaches in and spins around and has a gun in her hand. Is that sort of thing easily doable with doodads?
Are there any tutorials you know of that show how to use doodads for character sprite animation? -
Yes, Yanfly's doodad's could do that easily. I was actually thinking about making a character animation doodad tutorial on my YouTube channel.... no promises.
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Yes, Yanfly's doodad's could do that easily. I was actually thinking about making a character animation doodad tutorial on my YouTube channel.... no promises.
I will hold you to that tutorial promise, heh.
Seriously though, guess I better start looking into using these doodads. They sound great. -
I use them for soooo many things. They are a must have if you ask me.
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I use them for soooo many things. They are a must have if you ask me.
So, I was googling for my info and I came across this post by you, oddly enough.
Utilize the triggers option in the doodad menu.
What I do (if I understand your aim correctly) is Place the event with the image of the NPC or character. Write into the event a switch at the point where I want the animation to start, use a move route to make the character transparent.
(if you set your doodad up to appear when the switch is turned on, what will happen is, your character will disappear at the moment the doodad appears.)
The transition between event character and doodad is seamless. If you want to return to the event image and erase the doodad, just reverse the process(using the switch). I have character/doodad animations interacting and moving around the map during cut scenes in several instances of my game already. It's extremely useful. (in cases where your event is in one spot, moving events would be easier to do with character sheets)
I'm doing a test and almost have this working, only I can't find any 'triggers' section in the doodads menu... -
When you are ready to place a doodad on the map press "T" this will bring you to a menu with a bunch of options including (about 60% of the way down) "switches".
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When you are ready to place a doodad on the map press "T" this will bring you to a menu with a bunch of options including (about 60% of the way down) "switches".
Oh, I see. I think I might've had to get the extended doodads plugin as well.
Just so I'm understanding your workflow correctly, here's what I'm trying to do as a quick test, which is make an NPC disappear and be replaced by a doodad.
I've got a character standing there. After some dialogue, I have it set so it turns on a switch called Play Anim Test. I'm just using one of the default doodads. Trying to turn him into a house plant. So, I place the houseplant doodad into the scene where the NPC is. I've made it so the event running the cutscene hides the NPC. This is where I'm lost.
What do I have to do to actually make the doodad hidden until I want it to be visible? And how do I actually show it when I want to?
Sorry for all the questions and thanks for the help so far. -
Yes, you have the right idea. Once you get the extended doodad plugin, you will see the switch option. Then the very same switch that makes the npc disappear, will make the house plant appear.
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Yes, you have the right idea. Once you get the extended doodad plugin, you will see the switch option. Then the very same switch that makes the npc disappear, will make the house plant appear.
Ok, yep, I got it working! This is great. Too bad it's not built right into the editor, but oh well.
Can I go crazy with these doodads all over the place and be okay with performance do you think? My game is sci fi, and at the moment I'm using three different wall autotiles that I mix and match so it all doesn't look the same. But these doodads have given me the idea that I could just use the one wall set and use doodads all over them to add wear and tear variations + indents or whatever. -
I use hundreds of doodads on a few maps, I don't notice a performance issue.
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I use hundreds of doodads on a few maps, I don't notice a performance issue.
Oh, awesome. I'm going to go wild with them then.
The only issue I've found so far is that they don't work well with Galv's camera control script. That adds some inertia like effect to the camera when you move around, which is nice, but it makes the doodads shake in their place a little when it happens. I'll probably just turn that off though.
Thanks again for the help! You've opened my eyes to the awesomeness of doodads. -
I'm glad I could help! It's my pleasure :)