Having
completed the rigging tutorials, carry out visual and written research into
examples of 3D gameplay animation cycles. Cite any sources you have used in
your research, both written and visual.
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Animation in games is much more complex than animation in films. One of the reasons is that in films the animation is only viewed from a single angle (which starts being not true as some films and videos now allow the action be seen from different angles but that's not important right now). In games, unless it is a 2D game, animation and world can be seen from multiple angles and even from multiple perspectives! The player can trigger 1st or 3rd person view and rotate camera as he/she goes along.
Another major aspect is that animation in games has to be interactive. In films they only animate several shots and only them. In games however, animator has to make all sorts of different animation cycles depending on how many actions there are available. So for example an animation for walking, running, punching, ducking, rolling, walking with a weapon, idle, etcetera. Furthermore all animations have to fit together by either short animations-transitions from state to state or by most having the same beginning or end frame (which sometimes doesn't work). Some animations also require to be able to repeat multiple times which usually applies to walking or running or other moving animations.
"Games, however, are meant to be interactive. When you play a game, you’ll have complete control of the character and the camera. You’re the one driving the story forward and making the character move. So not only does the animation need to look good, it needs to look good from every possible angle". http://blog.digitaltutors.com/how-animation-for-games-is-different-from-animation-for-movies/
The other difficulty is about timing. Not only it applies to working fairly fast for prototyping and overall requirements of the industry but also for animation to be fairly short for a player to respond quickly in a game and long enough to seem realistic.
"Since there is less time to refine your work, you will need to have a greater understanding of the animation and the purpose of it, and what you want the player to feel. Game animation isn’t about creating top-notch performances like in Frozen, but about ensuring the animation will work well for the player". http://blog.digitaltutors.com/how-animation-for-games-is-different-from-animation-for-movies/
"Games, however, are meant to be interactive. When you play a game, you’ll have complete control of the character and the camera. You’re the one driving the story forward and making the character move. So not only does the animation need to look good, it needs to look good from every possible angle". http://blog.digitaltutors.com/how-animation-for-games-is-different-from-animation-for-movies/
iAnimate is the website about animation workshops for the game industry
The other difficulty is about timing. Not only it applies to working fairly fast for prototyping and overall requirements of the industry but also for animation to be fairly short for a player to respond quickly in a game and long enough to seem realistic.
"Since there is less time to refine your work, you will need to have a greater understanding of the animation and the purpose of it, and what you want the player to feel. Game animation isn’t about creating top-notch performances like in Frozen, but about ensuring the animation will work well for the player". http://blog.digitaltutors.com/how-animation-for-games-is-different-from-animation-for-movies/