Ayla's animations for the game fall into two main categories; player controls & enemy interactions. I want both to feel energetic and clean but with player controls it's also important to consider playability. Ayla need to be able to snap into a jump from any point in her idle, or quickly break into a run, etc. An easy way to do that is to forego animating transitions between different states, which risks sacrificing smoothness and could make some changes feel jarring or abrupt. Really quick transitions, limited to only a few frames, can keep a character responsive without feeling heavy or overly animated.

Like lots of things, all of that is easier said than done. The real trick is taking those bits of sagely advice and actually applying them. Even with this test, I might end up dropping a frame or two from her turn animation if it ends up feeling too sluggish. One major aesthetic goal for Cretaceous Seas is to emulate the look of an animated cartoon. The animation process is a constant balance to keep player responsiveness in the her moves while maintaining a visual experience that doesn't break immersion.

She's nude for this test because her (barely there anyways) outfit is part of the follow-through animation that I add as a separate layer once the body mechanics look right to me.

To support the ongoing game development, check out the link below. The game features Ayla in all sort of perilous and adventurous scenarios, set the heart of a prehistoric jungle world full of mystery and danger.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/cretaceous-seas-ayla-s-story-stretch-goals/x/22959064#/

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