Platformer - iPhone Game Blueprints - page 209

• Tilt of the figure : It is commonly known that walking can be characterized as
controlled falling , but falling is something that was moved from equilibrium,
so the position of the character will not be stable. Like a falling tree, it must
tilt in the direction of movement (tilting in the opposing direction is usually as-
sociated with slipping on ice). The degree of the tilt depends on speed. When
a character walks slowly and on an even keel, the angle is small. When he
rushes or is running very quickly, the angle is pretty big.
• Pose contrast : It is one of the ways to express a motion vividly. To use this
contrast based on opposite moves, there must a general gesture and a back-
ground gesture, which is less active. If you lift the right hand and move it
forward, the left hand will move backward. The viewer feels the difference
between these motions and the sum of impressions is bigger. Like in math-
ematics, the difference between opposing numbers (1 and -1 for instance) is
greaterthanthatbetweenthenumberandzero(1and0).Moreover,thepose
contrast is natural for a human walking cycle. I'm talking about the behavior
of arms, they always move in opposition to legs: if the right foot is in front, the
right arm is behind. This is particularly noticeable when a gait is rapid and the
arms are more involved. Try for yourself to break that rule, walk in a room,
take large firm steps, and attempt to swing your arms parallel to feet. This will
need some additional attention and control and will look very weird. Hence,
always try to illustrate an individual move by moving other parts of the image
in the opposite direction.
• Contact : Remember that the ground is a surface, and in most cases, it is
solid and so part of the character cannot penetrate it. You have to draw a
line that will symbolize the ground level (this can be done using guides). Try
to avoid situations in which a foot or other elements cross the line. In other
cases, it can be described as "walking in a pastry"—the character caves in
and slips. Another important thing about contact with the ground is the con-
vincing expression of figure support . The viewer should be sure that the
character really stands on the ground using its legs and is not simply float-
ing in the air, swinging his legs. Thus, always illustrate that the character has
mass and when the foot touches the ground, it is affected by this mass and it
supports the entire figure.
Using these principles, you can create the starting point for the walking cycle. At its
base, the second main phase can be easily generated. You only have to change the
legs and arms of the character. As mentioned before, the third main phase is created
upon duplicating the first one. The early draft of animation is now ready. If the motion
tweens work properly, the character begins to walk. Of course, the result is far from