Animation for Games

Animation for Games 36-????-01 (new course)

Course description

This course starts by introducing fundamental animation techniques and the basic principles of animation in the context of game design; a large part of this course addresses issues specific to gaming such as scripted animation, optimization, and interactivity. Building on the concepts introduced in 2D Art for Games, students will storyboard from original ideas and create interactive animations that include environments, characters, and interface design. Students will complete the course with several pieces for their portfolio including a larger interactive animated work.

Course rationale

Creating game animation involves new challenges. Although basic principles of animation* that can be used in several disciplines will be addressed, this course spends a significant amount of time covering issues specific to the game design field. This course is a required course in the Game Major’s Game Art Concentration.

Goals and Objectives

1. Understand the basic principles of animation (squash and stretch, anticipation, etc.)

2. Storyboard animation sequences, and prototype animation with scanned storyboards

3. Understand foundational concepts of animation such as key frames, tweens, and animation cycles

4. Understand creative and technical challenges particular to game animation

5. Create a portfolio of work that includes research, documentation, sketches, storyboards, and completed interactive animation

• The Twelve Principles of Animation (The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston)

1. Squash and stretch

2. Anticipation

3. Staging

4. Straight-ahead versus pose-to-pose action

5. Follow-through and overlapping action

6. Slow-in and slow-out

7. Arcs

8. Secondary actions

9. Timing

10. Exaggeration

11. Solid drawing

12. Appeal