Devlog 19 - Fewer Files, More Animations

Summary

This update was mostly about making the animation workflow easier to maintain.

Jackstrap has a lot of hand-drawn animation, and the amount of files was starting to become heavy. So I changed how directional animation files work and reduced the number of files I need to maintain.

What changed?

• Reworked the directional animation workflow.

• Reduced the number of direction files from 8 to 5.

• Some directions are now generated from the opposite direction:

  • west from east
  • northwest from northeast
  • southwest from southeast

• Added special handling so flipped animations can still keep lighting and shadows looking correct.

• Exported a much larger batch of Jack animations.

• The current exported set includes hundreds of Jack animation variations once directions and variants are counted together.

• Continued updating the animation progress table.

• Continued work on the combo and upgrade UI:

  • choosing attacks
  • choosing movement actions
  • combining them into a sequence

• Started reusing small parts of existing animation work where it makes sense.

What I'm unsure about?

• I have been thinking about whether some punishment-game ideas could fit Jackstrap's humor.
• There might be something there, but I am not sure it fits the game yet.

Next steps

• Build a proof of concept for a combo with attacks and movement actions.
• Test a sequence with 3 attacks and 2 movement actions.
• Finish missing southeast and southwest movement and attack animations.
• Finish missing northeast and northwest attack animations.
• Fix remaining export issues.
• Export the full spritesheet set.

Media