DoomStorm (Beta Released 06-08-12)

[DBThanatos]

Well, indeed. It'd seem that the offset animated versions are winning. In a way Im getting convinced that they do look better. However, I'll always miss the choppiness

Now, is a shame this is taking this long. Adding offsets per tic in an animation that lasts around 50 tics, is certainly time consuming.

[Vaecrius]

One possible work-saving approach is to just change the animation so that the muzzle flash is over by the time the gun's recoil becomes visible... might look even more convincing that way.

[DBThanatos]

True. Though that'd mean sacrificing 5 tics of smoothness

Here's another comparison.



You'll have to excuse if the video quality is somehow different, but since my monitor died this morning, I've been working with my TV screen, and somehow, nothing looks the same here (and I even had to change resolutions) :/

[wildweasel]

On the "smooth" version of that weapon, I notice that there's a relatively long period where the gun is sitting still doing absolutely nothing during the time between shots. I try to make those instants a bit more interesting by taking the weapon's on-screen momentum into account, perhaps adding a jolt in some direction to indicate something being inserted into the weapon. Think about what the wielder is actually doing with the weapon - he's not thinking "hmm, I need to wait X amount of tics" - he's probably digging a fresh cartridge...or flail, I guess...out of his pocket and ramming it into the weapon.

[DBThanatos]

Actually, if you mean the period of time before first 2 the explosions (the sprite where you can see the thumb of the right hand), is expected to do nothing, since the bombs are remotely detonated when you press fire again.

[wildweasel]

Ah, I misunderstood that, then...my apologies.

[DBThanatos]

Allright. All the weapons that needed offsets have been finished. Im definitely keeping the offset animated version, but just for curiosity, here's the last two weapons.

Bouncer

That weird tiny one-pixel movement at the end of the offsetted ones, is because of a certain issue regarding the offsets

Penetrator

[wildweasel]

That weird tiny one-pixel movement at the end of the offsetted ones, is because of a certain issue regarding the offsets

I get around this by using A_WeaponReady(WRF_NOFIRE), which resets the offset to 0,32.

[DBThanatos]

Ahh1 So that's what they meant in that topic! Thanks for that. But I'll also add the flag to prevent bobbing, just in case

[Xaser]

Hmm, for the Bouncer, it really looks like there should be one more frame (in the physical sense, not the offset sense) at the end of the animation, since the jump from the end of the recoil animation back to idle is huge.

Otherwise, not bad.

[DBThanatos]

The main issue I see, is how the hand magically appears in that last frame. Since I cant really add any new frames, I'll try something different. For the firing sequence, besides all the already seen offset changes, I'll put the animation lower in the screen, so at the end of the animation, that missing frame is compensated with a rising motion to progressively show the hand, instead of making it magically appear.

[wildweasel]

Ahh1 So that's what they meant in that topic! Thanks for that. But I'll also add the flag to prevent bobbing, just in case

Actually, you don't want to prevent bobbing, as that's what resets the offsets. However, if you want a weapon without autofire to have a longer animation but a quicker rate of fire, padding the end of the fire states with A_WeaponReady(WRF_NOBOB) will allow the player to click to fire another shot sooner, while the offset animation is still going.

[Zombieguy]

Ohhhh daddy, I can't wait to get my hands on that flailgun. I used it in AEoD V6, and it just feels soooo nice to get a zombie all wraped up in that chain and then detonate it.

[DBThanatos]

@wildweasel: Thanks for the A_WeaponReady nobob clarification.

@Zombieguy: IMO, it feels better now that you can kick the "flailed" monster into a bunch of other monsters

[DBThanatos]

...and



I think this is as good as I can make it without adding new frames. At least the hand doesnt seem to magically appear anymore.