Animation Improvements?
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posted06/28/2003 02:16 AM (UTC)by
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Starwinderbeta
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Member Since
02/10/2003 10:22 PM (UTC)
I've been meaning to post this for a while and now have a chance to. I've been studying the animation in MKDA for quite some time now. I find it "plain". It's good, no doubt, but "plain".

Let me start with the attack animation. The animation is above average, but could be better--much better. When I look at a kick or punch sometimes, I feel that there are some frames missing. Some punches, if executed in real life, probably wouldn't be as fast as some of the punches in MKDA. Don't get me wrong, I love speed (No, not the drug smile), but it would look much nicer and cleaner if there were much more frames in a punch or kick. Spinning attacks bother me as well. The spin is way too fast. For example, Kano's B+4. I'd like to see it portrayed more realistically. This leads to my combo animation section.

The combo animations in MKDA were nicely done, but could be improved. The combos don't seem to look like the strikes are transitioning from one to another. Maybe it's just me, but I don't see--let's say a combo like "Punch, kick, sweep). I don't see the hand retracting after the punch has been executed. I just see the forward strike, then the kick animation begins. I'd like to see hands and legs retracting and other limbs transition smoothly from one to another.

On to Taunt/Neijin Animation. I actually have one problem here. Some of the taunt animations did not fit the characters' personalities. Drahmin is a perfect example. I didn't expect him to bow to his opponent. What surprises me even more is that it's supposed to indimidate the opponent. It would be great to have actual taunts that are laced with the characters' natural attitude. So far none of the Neijin have that problem, but it's good to notice for future references.

Before/after battle animation. Like in all other fighters of this age, it would be extremely appreciated if the MK Team could include before battle scenes (Even better if the character's have more than one based on certain situations). As for after battle animation, it would be nice to have two to four for each character. It would also be nice if they pertained to the character's personality. Reused animations for characters (Attacks, Neijin, Taunts, Combos, and Post-battle) detract a lot from the game's originality.

Finally, casual animation. By casual, I mean the animation used in the mini-games. Nothing wrong here, but it would be nice if the characters looked even more realistic than they already do. It would be great eye candy.

I'd like to hear others' comments.
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The-Mortal-God
06/22/2003 01:18 AM (UTC)
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Personnaly, I think that the graphics in MK:DA are awesome. It's not as smooth as Tekken or Virtua Fighter 4 but these graphics have a style of its own that greatly fit the MK attitude. Make no mistake here, MK:DA is a HUGE improvement to MK4 on just about all the main aspects: graphics, gameplay, differences between characters, animation, etc... The gameplay doesn't go as deep as VF4 or Tekken in terms of fighting possibilities but sincerely, who cares ? I had way more fun playing MK:DA than the other 2 fighting games I mentioned. You have it right with the after-battle winning poses for the characters. They should all have different winning poses that better reflect their personnalities with more unique voices for the characters. But hey, since MK6 will use an upgraded version of the fighting engine used in MK:DA, I'm sure that this time, Ed Boon and his team will have more time to work on the graphics and the little details. It's evident that the gameplay engine for MK:DA ate a lot of the time that the team had to complete the game.
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Blaze_Rocks
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About Me
'man how the fuck you get a scar from eatin pussy?'
'I was in a fight man.' 'And he gave that to you?'
'man you should see what i did to the other guy.'
06/22/2003 03:18 AM (UTC)
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i agree w/ mortal god. its so lame that every character has the same finishing stance. But hey, mk6 is coming. is there a month set for release? i know its too early for an exact date, but maybe what quarter of what year? Anyone know?
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Satyagraha
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About Me

"You see, I face a whole new Monster!! I face a man, who represents, the Nintendo Entertainment System..."

06/22/2003 06:14 AM (UTC)
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The-Mortal-God Wrote:
The gameplay doesn't go as deep as VF4 or Tekken in terms of fighting possibilities but sincerely, who cares ?


Uh, me grin. Yah, I love the artistic style that DA has achieved. However, I to am a bit disapointed in the animation. Though, this was more true at first release then now. At fist everything seamed to move hella stiff, and still does, but I seam to have accepted it as just the style. Oooorrrr, im getting used to crap grin. I have no doubt the afor' mentioned complaints/concerns will be adressed in MK6. If not, ugh. Peace and love ya'll.
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nindz
06/22/2003 05:17 PM (UTC)
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everything was fine in MKDA, it lacked only in defence...here's what i think they should for mk6
reversals should be taken out completly, its too cheap. instead, as midway has focused on styles, they should focus on style orientated defense.
for example karate uses various parries for defense.
snake kung fu will snake shaped hand movements for defense. eagle claw will use acrobatics.
wing chun uses simaltenous attack/block.
jujitsu will use more joint locks that would temporarily disable his/her opponents kick or punch and force them to use other techniques until the blood flows back into that limb.
wrestling/aikido would use more throws.
boxing will uses parries and ducking.

characters will react accordingly to different techniques.

for example, I
Lets us the scenario of sub-zero doing a roundhouse kick, here some possible defenses:

Cage(Jeet Kune Do) would use a sweep as as subbys kick comes around.
Kitana(Eagle Claw) would use a backflip, eagle claw being the acrobatic style that it is.
Cyrax(Ninjitsu) and Kano(Aikido) would roll away, falling backwards.
Jax(Muay Thai) would duck under the kick.
Raiden(Jujitsu) would apply a joint lock on subs leg, not making sub lose enrgy but simply making him limp and render his leg helpless for a few seconds forcing him to use hand techniques instead.
Quan Chi(Escrima) would strike his back quickly as subzero spins.
Cage(Karate) would parry and move to the side of subzero.
etc

you get the general idea, it would be sweet to do so.
And instead of holding the block button, it would be about timing instead, you have to time pressing block to effectively defend. it would bring much better gameplay, and it would also seem like a martial art movie too.

Let me give u guys another example,
Scorpion's sweep -
Mavado(wing chun) would simply raise his front leg to avoid contact.
Shang Tsung(Snake) would jump over scorpion's legs.
Sonya/mokap(Tae Kwon Do) would jump over scorpion's legs and strike him in the face whilst in the air.
Kitana(eagle claw) may flip over scorpion behind him.
scorpion(hapkido) somersault in the same position avoiding contact (much like scorpion did when fighting kung lao in mkconquest)

There is so much varety and the styles itself would amaze the player and it would feel as if he really using tae kwon do, eagle claw etc.

Another example
Kung Lao using a mantis punch (attack1)-
Shang Tsung(snake) would use snake like hand movements to parry the mantis punch.
cage(Jeet Kune Do) would use footwork and move backwards or to the side.
mavado(wing chun) would use the simaltaneous attack/defense found in wing chun.
Raiden(Jujitsu) would apply an armbar as the punch comes in, not neccessarily disable it but the jujitsu style of parrying.
Kano(Aikido) woud use circular hand movements much akin to steven seagal movies to throw his opponents on the floor, hence (neutralising his opponents).
Reptile(Hung Gar),Nitara(Leopard and Fu Jow Pai) would use claw like hand movements to parry the punch
etc.

i hope you guys get where i am coming from.



My opinion, take the reversal out and concentrate on styles....thier attacks and defense.
Use timing for block, so that no novice players can hold block to get away with it.
Then my friends, you'd have an excellent mortal kombat game, based on martial arts and gameplay alone.
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Starwinderbeta
06/28/2003 01:31 AM (UTC)
0
You've got some pretty sweet ideas, nindz. I agree with you 100%.
nindz Wrote:
everything was fine in MKDA, it lacked only in defence...here's what i think they should for mk6
reversals should be taken out completly, its too cheap. instead, as midway has focused on styles, they should focus on style orientated defense.
for example karate uses various parries for defense.
snake kung fu will snake shaped hand movements for defense. eagle claw will use acrobatics.
wing chun uses simaltenous attack/block.
jujitsu will use more joint locks that would temporarily disable his/her opponents kick or punch and force them to use other techniques until the blood flows back into that limb.
wrestling/aikido would use more throws.
boxing will uses parries and ducking.

characters will react accordingly to different techniques.

for example, I
Lets us the scenario of sub-zero doing a roundhouse kick, here some possible defenses:

Cage(Jeet Kune Do) would use a sweep as as subbys kick comes around.
Kitana(Eagle Claw) would use a backflip, eagle claw being the acrobatic style that it is.
Cyrax(Ninjitsu) and Kano(Aikido) would roll away, falling backwards.
Jax(Muay Thai) would duck under the kick.
Raiden(Jujitsu) would apply a joint lock on subs leg, not making sub lose enrgy but simply making him limp and render his leg helpless for a few seconds forcing him to use hand techniques instead.
Quan Chi(Escrima) would strike his back quickly as subzero spins.
Cage(Karate) would parry and move to the side of subzero.
etc

you get the general idea, it would be sweet to do so.
And instead of holding the block button, it would be about timing instead, you have to time pressing block to effectively defend. it would bring much better gameplay, and it would also seem like a martial art movie too.

Let me give u guys another example,
Scorpion's sweep -
Mavado(wing chun) would simply raise his front leg to avoid contact.
Shang Tsung(Snake) would jump over scorpion's legs.
Sonya/mokap(Tae Kwon Do) would jump over scorpion's legs and strike him in the face whilst in the air.
Kitana(eagle claw) may flip over scorpion behind him.
scorpion(hapkido) somersault in the same position avoiding contact (much like scorpion did when fighting kung lao in mkconquest)

There is so much varety and the styles itself would amaze the player and it would feel as if he really using tae kwon do, eagle claw etc.

Another example
Kung Lao using a mantis punch (attack1)-
Shang Tsung(snake) would use snake like hand movements to parry the mantis punch.
cage(Jeet Kune Do) would use footwork and move backwards or to the side.
mavado(wing chun) would use the simaltaneous attack/defense found in wing chun.
Raiden(Jujitsu) would apply an armbar as the punch comes in, not neccessarily disable it but the jujitsu style of parrying.
Kano(Aikido) woud use circular hand movements much akin to steven seagal movies to throw his opponents on the floor, hence (neutralising his opponents).
Reptile(Hung Gar),Nitara(Leopard and Fu Jow Pai) would use claw like hand movements to parry the punch
etc.

i hope you guys get where i am coming from.



My opinion, take the reversal out and concentrate on styles....thier attacks and defense.
Use timing for block, so that no novice players can hold block to get away with it.
Then my friends, you'd have an excellent mortal kombat game, based on martial arts and gameplay alone.

Avatar
Starwinderbeta
06/28/2003 02:16 AM (UTC)
0
The-Mortal-God Wrote:
"Personnaly, I think that the graphics in MK:DA are awesome. It's not as smooth as Tekken or Virtua Fighter 4 but these graphics have a style of its own that greatly fit the MK attitude."

If by graphics, you mean the animation, then how does looking stiff while attacking "greatly fit the MK attitude"? It diminishes the feel of the MK attitude.

"Make no mistake here, MK:DA is a HUGE improvement to MK4 on just about all the main aspects: graphics, gameplay, differences between characters, animation, etc...

Of course. I agree with you there.

"The gameplay doesn't go as deep as VF4 or Tekken in terms of fighting possibilities but sincerely, who cares ? I had way more fun playing MK:DA than the other 2 fighting games I mentioned."

I guess that's your opinion. I'd rather play Tekken 4 or VF4.

"You have it right with the after-battle winning poses for the characters. They should all have different winning poses that better reflect their personnalities with more unique voices for the characters. But hey, since MK6 will use an upgraded version of the fighting engine used in MK:DA, I'm sure that this time, Ed Boon and his team will have more time to work on the graphics and the little details. It's evident that the gameplay engine for MK:DA ate a lot of the time that the team had to complete the game."

I guess those are what sequels are for...
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