Skeleton 1.1 - Easily Create Dynamic Characters, Over 100,000 downloads! Options

[Tahnok]

seems to be working now, but it badly needs gif export and actual frame animation

I've started work on animation now. It will be a while until the new version is ready, but it will be in the next release. Along with some other cool gadgets.

Is there a way to go above his head ? for topdown stuff ? it would be cool if we can spin around him in every direction. Other than that 9/10

Yes, you just need to design the skeleton correctly and apply sprites to it from the correct perspective. Here is a quick idea of what you need to do:



Hope that helps, and shows the flexibility of this program.

[JSoft Entertainm...]

Very nice program. I'll probably use it for my James Bond game and give you credit. I have a couple of suggestions for the next version:

1. Animation sequences like in Pivot
2. Maybe a few default character templates such as man, woman, boy girl in both sideways and top down perspectives. I can help with these if you like.
3. Ability to add objects to the skeleton that are not actually attached to it, eg. weapons.

JSoft

[BazookaDude]

This is pretty cool, Pivots only good for stickfigurs but this could be really nice!

In the next version I think there should be a gif export, frames like pivot,and being able to make objects that arn't attatached.

Keep up the good work!!!

[Kapser]

This is a really useful program! ANimating is very hard, this can be very helpfull!


Nice job and thanks!

[Tahnok]

Animation is coming along quite nicely. The engine for it is pretty much done; I just need to work out some of the user comforts.

Very nice program. I'll probably use it for my James Bond game and give you credit. I have a couple of suggestions for the next version:

1. Animation sequences like in Pivot
2. Maybe a few default character templates such as man, woman, boy girl in both sideways and top down perspectives. I can help with these if you like.
3. Ability to add objects to the skeleton that are not actually attached to it, eg. weapons.

JSoft

1: See my last couple posts.

2: All those would have the exact same skeleton, just different images attached to them. If anything, I'm going to include examples that show that the program can do things other than humans (dog, horse, car, etc).

3: Interesting idea, but I'm not sure I understand how you want it to work. If you detach something from the skeleton, all the convenience of the program is lost; you have to move the detached object for every frame. Also, what you describe can be done with the program in its current state:

To add a weapon, object, etc, to a hand:
<> Add an extra bone to the last bone of the arm.
<> Set the sprite for this new bone to whatever object you want the person carrying.
<> Move the new bone's position slider all the way to the left, to move the sprite over the hand.
<> Set the depth of the new bone to something greater than the hand bone's depth.

This is very similar to what was done with the head in the picture above, but with the depth set below it instead of above it.

This is pretty cool, Pivots only good for stickfigurs but this could be really nice!

In the next version I think there should be a gif export, frames like pivot,and being able to make objects that arn't attatached.

Keep up the good work!!!

The animations will be exported in gif format.

See above about unattached objects. I'm willing to add them, if someone can explain to me a fairly good use. I'm looking to keep the program as clean and easy as possible, so I'm leaning away from something like this.

This is a really useful program! ANimating is very hard, this can be very helpfull!


Nice job and thanks!

Yes, I've also found animation a bit hard since you can't flip between frames easily. Don't worry though, the new version will remedy this, and then some.

[Renight]

I am a complete and total n00b at game maker, but I just don't under stand how this program works. like how do you get the actuall 3-d stuff on the stick guy. After I made a stick man I couldn't figure out what to do next. Can some one PM me how to use this program or something?

[Self_titled]

Ilike it think I may use this

[dahack]

I had been searching for something like this for a long time. Keep the good work, i cant wait for the next release ( the animations inclusion ) .

[kilroy1501]

Ahh, a very nice pivot example! You should implement animation though. I made something like that once, we should talk.

[Smarty]

Wonderful useful little tool. I've thought about making an animation tool myself so that I could place limbs onto a figure, but you are really taking a great deal of work out of out hands.

I know that you'res still working on it, but I hope next (animation-capable) version will offer the following:

• Preview of the animation with changeable animation speed in FPS
• Insert / delete / duplicate / order frames
• Changing the background color (white isn't helpful)
• Flip / rotate the entire skeleton
• List coordinates of the currently selected limb
• Setting transparency and color blending per limb (sprite)

I'm thinking whether anything can be done about changing hilites and shadows, as they all turn with the limbs. This is a problem in sprites made with these applications - you have no real control over the light sources unless you start after-editing them one by one in a paint application.

Finally, an application made in GM that I will use. Looking forward to the next version!

[Tahnok]

I am a complete and total n00b at game maker, but I just don't under stand how this program works. like how do you get the actuall 3-d stuff on the stick guy. After I made a stick man I couldn't figure out what to do next. Can some one PM me how to use this program or something?

This is not a 3D program. The only reason my figure looks 3D is because I used 3D looking sprites. Once you have made a figure, click on one of the nodes to select the bone. Then, press the 'Image' button to add an image onto the bone. Then use the flip, angle, and position sliders to place the image onto the bone exactly how you want it.

Wonderful useful little tool. I've thought about making an animation tool myself so that I could place limbs onto a figure, but you are really taking a great deal of work out of out hands.

I know that you'res still working on it, but I hope next (animation-capable) version will offer the following:

• Preview of the animation with changeable animation speed in FPS
  
• Insert / delete / duplicate / order frames
  
• Changing the background color (white isn't helpful)
  
• Flip / rotate the entire skeleton
  
• List coordinates of the currently selected limb
  
• Setting transparency and color blending per limb (sprite)

I'm thinking whether anything can be done about changing hilites and shadows, as they all turn with the limbs. This is a problem in sprites made with these applications - you have no real control over the light sources unless you start after-editing them one by one in a paint application.

Finally, an application made in GM that I will use. Looking forward to the next version!

Thanks for the kind words.

* Preview, yes, of course. I'm not sure if I had considered this yet, but I will definitely look into it.

* I'm still working out some of the problems that come with adding frames, moving frames, etc. I’m working on it though; I'll see what I can come up with.

* I think the new version will just support background images.

* I'll keep flipping the skeleton in mind. Things like that are kind of at the bottom of my to-do list right now.

* Now that's an interesting idea. It couldn't be too hard to add at least color blending, if not alpha.

Lighting is something that I thought of when I first started this program. I've never been impressed by the super-deluxe lighting engines on here that can't even come close to running at the proper FPS on most machines. However, a lighting engine on this that would only draw on the render might work. Again, it's not very high on my to-do list. It definitely won't be in the next version.

[vietmto]

first you make the skeleton but then how do you put the arms and legs and stuff on it?

[llama man]

Awesome look what i made with it as a test:
http://rapidshare.de/files/26960243/Droid_shooting.zip.html

[3t3rNAL_Payn]

Wow, this is a very professional tool. There are a few bugs, like if you type a relaly really long number into the length, you'll notice. That could be fixed easily, though. Also, you might want to add more sample images. I can create some for you, maybe just different colors of the grey ones. But I do like it very much, and plan on using it alot.

[Omnilith]

This is exactly the type of program I have been looking for. In fact, I was just telling a friend of mine that my animation process would really be helped by something like this. It's like you read my mind.

If you implement the suggestions that Smarty put forward, it would be perfect. I look forward to the next version.

[TheMagnitude]

This is good, however, it took me a while to figure out how to start a new skeleton, I didn't think of clicknig new cause you don't usually need to so that.

Btw I think you need to work on your button sprites, their a bit nooby, with the text coming out of the sides, stretched etc.

[GrimX]

Have you thought about making this so it can do 3D objects in diffrent posses and make it exprot it in GML script???

[flip the master]

very nice you can use it for some sprites

This post has been edited by flip the master: Jul 26 2006, 10:27 PM

[Los Frijoles]

That's really cool!

I am using it on my next game.

[Tahnok]

first you make the skeleton but then how do you put the arms and legs and stuff on it?

See post #31 (just a few posts above yours). It explains how to attach images to the bones. Long story short, select a bone and press the "Image" button.

Awesome   look what i made with it as a test:
http://rapidshare.de/files/26960243/Droid_shooting.zip.html

Cool. I think that's the first thing I've seen someone make with this program. I'm still waiting to see something that doesn't use a human skeleton though (hopefully, I'll be able to release some models that show some other figures).

Wow, this is a very professional tool. There are a few bugs, like if you type a relaly really long number into the length, you'll notice. That could be fixed easily, though. Also, you might want to add more sample images. I can create some for you, maybe just different colors of the grey ones. But I do like it very much, and plan on using it alot.

I'll add that to my bug list.

I'm making more default models for the next one myself. Thanks for the offer though.

This is good, however, it took me a while to figure out how to start a new skeleton, I didn't think of clicknig new cause you don't usually need to so that.

Btw I think you need to work on your button sprites, their a bit nooby, with the text coming out of the sides, stretched etc.

Where, exactly, does the text run over the edge? The text was never stretched either, that's the font.

Have you thought about making this so it can do 3D objects in diffrent posses and make it exprot it in GML script???

This program will never support 3D. There are plenty of 3D programs out there; a 3D program in GM just can't compete.

Someone has brought up the idea of making it so it can export GM code. I've decided not to add it though, since this program is not designed just for GM users.

very nice but how would I load body parts?

See post #31 and the first quote in this reply.