Initial sketchwork
done, it was time for animation, a critical element of the game.
In an action game, the correct execution of the martial arts moves
and the body language has to be very strong. Correct posture, anticipation
and follow through of characters is of outmost importance and makes
the difference between an impressive and a mediocre game.
The animation for the mobile game included creating the the walk
cycles, aggressions (like punches, kicks and special moves) and defenses
(such as jumps, blocks and so on).
Before working on the mobile
screen, the animation team created its rough animation on paper. They
studied a lot of Martial Arts movies and it helped that the project
manager Andy happens to be a Karate Black Belt. He demonstrated a lot of
poses for the animators.
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Sketch of a
360 Kick |
Paradox Studios'
Art & Animation Project Manager Anand Rajwanshi demonstrates
a Flying Kick
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Sketch of the
lower kick |
Anand Rajwanshi
demonstrates a lower kick
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Sketch of a
high kick |
Anand Rajwanshi
demonstrates a high kick
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Anand Rajwanshi
demonstrates an in between
for a flying
kick |
Talking about the action poses, Andy explained how
they laid emphasis on the anticipationThe
backward motion that occurs before the forward action is executed.
and the follow
through Nothing that is in motion stops all at once. This property
of nature is called follow through. to make the action
look as elegant and impactful as possible.
It should also be noted that 2 player action games usually have
a side profile of both the characters. Commenting on this demand
Andy quipped,"Suppose I referenced a kick from a movie and I decided
to include it in the game. The movie has the kick as a front shot.
For the game, the move has to be in side profile. So I drew a side
profile and gave it to the 2D animation team who animated the same
and gave it to the pixel artists"
Van Damme and his
action instructor themselves got closely involved with the action
sequences. Van Damme asked them to incorporate some additional kicks
including his signature move - The split punch! The action super star
also suggested some names for the moves, which added flavour to the
game. The super star's association until the end helped the game through
all the stages of game development.
*(Animation
'xpress case studies are now enabled with Text Tips. Hover your mouse
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The
Development Life Cycle |
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Back to intro |
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Credits & Team Pics
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