Stencyl: Creating a walking animation from Piskel

Web Craftie
28 Jul 201606:11

TLDRThe video script details the process of creating a walking animation in Stencyl using Piskel. It explains duplicating frames for simplicity, resizing to 32 pixels for ease of use, and adjusting the character's leg positions to create a walking motion. The tutorial also covers exporting the sprite sheet in a 2x2 layout, flipping the animation for a 'walk left' version, and importing both animations into Stencyl. It concludes with a brief mention of adjusting collisions and changing other graphics, suggesting a comprehensive guide for character animations.

Takeaways

  • 😀 The process involves duplicating frames to create a walking animation without redrawing each time.
  • 🔄 The speaker opts for simplicity by using a four-frame animation cycle for the walking motion.
  • 🎨 The speaker converts the animation to a 32x32 pixel size for easier work and familiarity.
  • 👣 The animation includes alternating leg movements to simulate walking, with one leg moving forward and the other backward.
  • 🖌️ Adjustments are made to the shading and positioning to ensure the animation looks natural and fluid.
  • 🔧 A higher frame is used occasionally to give the impression of a slight bounce during the walk.
  • 📐 The sprite sheet is laid out in a 2x2 grid to accommodate the four frames of the walking animation.
  • 🔄 For creating a 'walk left' animation, the 'walk right' frames are flipped horizontally.
  • 📁 The animations are exported and imported into Stencyl, with the correct layout settings applied.
  • 🔢 A mistake of not multiplying the size by ten is corrected by resizing and re-exporting the frames.
  • 🔄 The speaker mentions the need to adjust collision settings for the 'walk left' and 'walk right' animations, but does not detail the process.
  • 🛠️ The audience is encouraged to apply the same concepts shown for the walking animations to other movements like jumping or running.

Q & A

  • What is the purpose of duplicating the frame in the animation process described in the script?

    -Duplicating the frame simplifies the animation process by reducing the need to redraw the character for each frame, ensuring consistency in timing and making it easier to maintain the character's appearance throughout the animation.

  • Why does the script suggest converting the animation back to 32 pixels?

    -The script suggests converting back to 32 pixels because the creator found it easier to work with that size, providing a better control over the details and making the animation process more manageable.

  • What is the significance of the 'previous shade' mentioned in the script?

    -The 'previous shade' refers to the color or shading used in the previous frame of the animation. It is used to maintain continuity and ensure that the character's appearance is consistent across the animation sequence.

  • How does the script describe creating the illusion of the character's leg moving forward?

    -The script describes adjusting the position of the character's leg to give the appearance of movement, suggesting a slight forward motion to create the illusion of walking.

  • What is the purpose of making the character appear 'a little bit higher up' on certain frames?

    -Making the character appear slightly higher on certain frames is intended to create a 'bouncing' effect, which adds a sense of natural movement and dynamic action to the walking animation.

  • What is the 'sprite sheet' and how is it used in the script?

    -A 'sprite sheet' is a collection of images or frames used in a 2D animation, arranged in a grid. In the script, it is used to organize the walking animation frames into a 2x2 layout for easy export and import into Stencyl.

  • Why is it necessary to export the sprite sheet with specific layouts in the script?

    -Exporting the sprite sheet with specific layouts, such as 2 columns by 2 rows, ensures that the animation frames are correctly organized and can be easily imported into Stencyl for the character's walking animation.

  • What is the process described for creating a 'walk left' animation in the script?

    -The process involves flipping all the frames of the 'walk right' animation to create a mirrored 'walk left' animation, and then exporting this new set of frames as a separate sprite sheet.

  • How does the script handle the resizing and re-exporting of the animation frames?

    -The script mentions resizing the frames by multiplying the dimensions by ten, realizing the mistake, and then correcting it by resizing and re-exporting the frames in a 2x2 layout.

  • What is the final step described in the script for integrating the new walking animations into Stencyl?

    -The final step involves importing the new 'walk left' and 'walk right' images into Stencyl, setting the correct layout, and then assigning these images to the corresponding behaviors in the game engine.

  • Why does the script mention changing the collisions for 'walk left' and 'walk right'?

    -Changing the collisions for 'walk left' and 'walk right' is necessary to ensure that the character interacts correctly with the game environment when moving in different directions, maintaining gameplay integrity.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Animation Frame Duplication and Editing

The script describes an animation process where the animator opts to duplicate frames instead of redrawing them for efficiency. It mentions converting the animation to 32 pixels for ease of working and then adjusting the character's movements in the frames to create a walking motion. The animator also discusses the use of a sprite sheet layout of 2x2 for the four frames of the walking animation, exporting it, and then importing the sheet into a program for further editing. The process includes flipping frames for a 'walk left' animation and resizing elements, which were initially forgotten but later corrected.

05:02

🔄 Adjusting Animation Behaviors and Collisions

This paragraph details the steps to replace existing graphics with new ones in an animation software. The animator discusses adding 'walk right' animations, ensuring the sprite sheet layout is set to 2x2, and then implementing the new graphics into the software's behaviors for both 'walk right' and 'walk left'. It also touches on the need to adjust collisions for the new animations, which were overlooked initially but are essential for the animation to function correctly. The animator suggests that the viewer should apply the same concepts learned from the previous steps to make these adjustments.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Piskel

Piskel is an online pixel art editor used for creating sprites and animations. In the context of the video, it is the tool used to create the walking animation for a character in the game development software Stencyl. The script describes duplicating frames and adjusting pixel art within Piskel to create a smooth walking motion.

💡Sprite Sheet

A sprite sheet, also known as a texture atlas, is a 2D image containing multiple smaller images or sprites, organized in a grid. In the video, the creator exports the walking animation as a sprite sheet with a layout of two columns and two rows, which corresponds to the four frames of the animation.

💡Animation

Animation refers to the process of creating the illusion of motion by sequentially displaying images. The video script details the creation of a walking animation, where the character's movement is broken down into multiple frames, each slightly different from the last to create a fluid motion.

💡Duplicate Frame

Duplicating a frame in animation means creating an exact copy of an existing frame to be used in the sequence. The script mentions duplicating frames to simplify the animation process and maintain consistent timing between frames.

💡Pixels

Pixels are the smallest units of a digital image, and in pixel art, they are used to create visuals by manipulating individual pixels. The script mentions working with 32-pixel units, emphasizing the precision required in pixel-based animation.

💡Stencyl

Stencyl is a game development platform that allows users to create games without writing code. The video's transcript discusses importing the animated sprite sheet into Stencyl and setting up the character's walking behavior within the platform.

💡Behaviors

In Stencyl, behaviors are scripts that define how game objects act and interact. The script describes replacing the default behaviors with new ones that incorporate the custom walking animation created in Piskel.

💡Collisions

In game development, collisions refer to the interactions between objects in the game world. The script briefly mentions changing the collision settings for the character's walk left and walk right animations to ensure they function correctly within the game.

💡Flipping

Flipping in the context of animation means creating a mirrored version of an image or animation to change the direction of movement. The script describes flipping all frames of the walk right animation to create a walk left animation.

💡Export

Exporting in this context means saving the animation from Piskel in a format that can be used in Stencyl. The script mentions exporting the sprite sheet in a specific layout and then importing it into Stencyl for use in the game.

💡Resize

Resizing in the script refers to adjusting the scale of the animation frames. The creator mentions needing to multiply the size by ten, indicating a need to adjust the scale of the animation for use within Stencyl.

Highlights

Creating a walking animation by duplicating frames to simplify the process.

Choosing to work with 32 pixels for easier animation.

Regrabbing the shade to maintain consistency in the animation steps.

Adjusting the leg position to create a forward movement.

Switching colors to enhance the visual effect of the walking animation.

Erasing and refining the animation to achieve a decent look.

Exporting the sprite sheet with a 2x2 layout for four frames.

Flipping the frames to create a 'walk left' animation.

Importing the sprite sheet into Stencyl for the 'walk right' and 'walk left' animations.

Multiplying the size by ten for resizing the animation.

Correcting the collision settings for the walk left and right animations.

Applying the new graphics to the walk right and walk left behaviors in Stencyl.

Testing the idle and walking animations to ensure they work correctly.

Adjusting the jumping or running animations using similar concepts.

Encouraging users to apply the same ideas to change other graphics.