Lae'zel / Night Elf blademaster

[Bleeq]

So I've been beavering away at the Lae'zel model but I'm getting a bit frustrated with the attack animation.

I feel like I need some advice from a resident Animation Wizard, because I've tried a few different things and it's not really remedying the problem.

what I have atm

and a few notes: the skin is placeholder, and don't worry about the legs. Also with this one I'm not aiming for an exact replica of Lae'zel's attack.

What I'm really fussed with is the weapon and arm swing, it feels too.. like slingy. It's better than a couple of earlier iterations, but it feels too much like.. I dunno hard to describe.
Maybe the swing comes to a stop too abruptly?

If you look at the crappy spell animation I did for the pterodactyl, I get the same feel, especially in this case with the dinosaur rider, the weapon swing feels too much like a windmill rotating.
In that case I think it could be improved by making it more whip-like, have the shoulder rotate, with the elbow and finally wrist following behind slightly, out of synch, doing a flick.
Maybe that gives the effects of variable speed as well, like the final crack of the whip accelerates the weapon?

Back to Lae'zel, things I've considered, but haven't really tried yet (lazy?):

• needs more upper bosy reaction/momentum
• in particular more scissoring at the waist
• Variable swing speed, probably slower at first, peaking at impact?
• making the swing stop less abruptly, say by slowing on her left side, then very slowly 'bouncing back'? kinda contradicts the last point though.
• just a timing problem? swing too fast/slow(simple) or need to desync bone's keyframes(complex)?

The bones and frame are sufficient, I really just think it's a question of knowing what little spice is missing. It's like drawing something as it is, instead of how you think it is.
I've tried acting it out in the mirror (Warning Boomer Alert), And I picked up a few little things that were lacking, but I'm still missing something(s).


So yeah, I think that's everything.
Any brainiacs, professional animators or anatomists, please give me some tips.

EDIT-8/6

Made the swing slower at peak, faster at the end of the fall. Better?


Other shit I'm mostly happy with:

Spoiler

 

[Kyrbi0]

No animation advice to give, but I love the looks of this Lae'zel; pretty good likeness in Warcraft!

 

[Greedy Procrastinator]

cool like from in-game mighty blow...

 

[deepstrasz]

mighty blow...

and stroke: https://www.hiveworkshop.com/attachments/stand1-gif.475449/

 

[Bleeq]

cool like from in-game mighty blow...

You see what I mean about it being 'flicky' though? Any advice?

and stroke: https://www.hiveworkshop.com/attachments/stand1-gif.475449/

Don't get too excited
I'm doing another stand atm where she kneels down, rests sword on her knee and strokes it.... because I'm avoiding the attack animations lol

I'm thinking the portrait can be her peaking from behind the blade, and one of the rare alt stands is her licking it. For the blademaster version, anyway.

 

[Greedy Procrastinator]

yeah, you should add some bounciness for running anim: make feet repel from ground while bone_root descends by little and bone_leg1 rotates by counterclockwise and bone_leg2 rotates by hourly direction.

About flickiness, make her body lean towards fallen sword after the hit and kneel down more

 

[Bleeq]

Walk is just Illidan with the bouncy sword grafted on.
But yeah maybe I should polish it up a bit. Guess I thought if it's good enough for Illidan, it's good enough for her.

You're probably right, the body doesn't react to the strike very much.
It twists left to right, but doesn't bend over. Also probably should bend backwards more before the sword comes down.

ed1 :Maybe I should reinstall Kingdom Come Deliverance and look at the animations

ed2:

e3: You know, looking at this stuff, I think another thing is mine has too much movement in the elbows, and I don't think the arms even ever fully extend. I'm probably looking more for that full shoulder swing. Mine is more like lifting a log and then dropping it. Or soemthing.
Probably should aim for most of the set up being done while raised, then following through with a mostly clean swing with extended arms?

 

[Greedy Procrastinator]

1

2

This blade used by my female knight

You need to look at greatsword, man

Edit: from perspective of mimicing anim from game you got it right, but the Larian studios did very single typed animations for baldurs gate 3 even critical attacks dont change visualy. (divinity os1 had some variety), but I like that picking monk class changes animation.

E1: running animation is cool but limited in practice, isnt it better to hold it above or on shoulder so its easier to defend or attack charge. I think its a bit too anime but our tastes might be different (i did it for knightess model as walk - 2 but during polishing it was removed)

Ed2: i found short youtube video of seniour animator from the larian, he worked since Dos2, unfortunatelly, there is no greatsword.

 

[Bleeq]

This one isn't supposed to be a 1-to-1 copy of Lae'zel's attack.... although I want to do a second one that basically is.
Her standard longsword attack is strangely more like falling forward as an attack, after watching it over and over I think there are actually some issues I have with it. But whatevs it's suppposed to be based on her so just roll with it?
Then as a special attack (Spell Bash, Spell Slam, Crit?) I'd like to do one that is like the "Soul Break" special attack, which is a swipe forward lifting above her head, then coming down.

Re: the videos, yeah okay but this sword is a LOT bigger than his one lol. Is that really representative of a doppelsoldner huge sword? the robinswords style is dueling and parrying etc, where as the lae'zel and what I'm aiming for is more like full body momentum strikes, risks be damned.

Spoiler: reference junk

Her sword is bloody massive.

I didn't know about your knightess I'll taking a look now.

about the walking, my thinking is to keep the basis of most animations to be reasonably similar so the transition between them doesn't result in.. sudden jerking of, for example, the sword.
It's the reason I wanted Stand 1 to have the sword to the side (and not sheathed or on her back or something) and Stand 2 is the rarer variation.
I guess also because that pose is just more memorable XD
I don't remember what her in-combat walk animation is like, which is weird.

Anyway, now I've got the kobold out of my system I'll focus on this again and hopefully have something interesting to report soon instead of all this theorycrafting and excuse making bs.


oh and btw thanks for your thoughts and feedback

 

[Bleeq]

I'm feeling a lot better with what I've got now.
It's not 100% what I'd want, but honestly I might have to settle and move on.

Spoiler: I think Shandris could be good for the Nelf version

With a different weapon, maybe even a glaive/naginata sort of thing?

ED: @Gree-D , you didn't like the old walk, so what about this one?

Resting on her shoulder doesn't really work imo, the sword is just too big, especially the crossguard, and it looked like if she came to a sudden stop it would take her head off.

I wanna do a psionic spell sequence for Lae'zel, but this is the rough idea of the Nelf spells. Also, finally added knees:

 

[Greedy Procrastinator]

Very good progress!

you didn't like the old walk

I didn't dislike your previous run animation, just told that there is more practical view of weapon position. Quote: if something looks epic or cool it's unlikely practical.
Also it would be more practical if she doesn't raise leg in psionic spell but don't get it in mind, Fantasy is Fantasy! Do your best, I think everyone will like it in the end

 

[Bleeq]

Also it would be more practical if she doesn't raise leg in psionic spell but don't get it in mind, Fantasy is Fantasy! Do your best, I think everyone will like it in the end

The psionic one will be like partial-Illitid mind blast, but without all the squidward stuff. Hover off the ground, hand to temple, and them boom with some mid-air kickback. In my head at least ;P
Originally I thought of doing flying variations so she could githborn flight, but is it really worth ~doubling the number of animations for something so niche? (no)

I'm doing the death atm. I had like 3/4 of it done, decided it was trash and started over

Personally, I'm really happy with her skin and that Spell.
----
Face Plant!

I'd call that 90% done. Might just add a little to the arms.

 

[Bleeq]

I'm doing some play testing. There'll be something worth uploading by this weekend, I'd say.
Main issue atm is walk, collision and extents.
Otherwise attack, death, portraits etc are lookin' good

Nearly there

 

[Greedy Procrastinator]

Tskvaaa, looks desirable to download

 

[Bleeq]

Tskvaaa, looks desirable to download

She's minimally complete, just need to transfer the footsteps and blood pools over to Shandris.

Unfortunately it's bedtime in my timezone so upload will have to wait until morning

Knowing my luck I'll probably realise at the last minute that half the portraits are broken or something.

 

[Greedy Procrastinator]

Where do you create anims?