Some ideas:

I would create a tree-like structure describing my model in full-3D (only the coordinates, orientation, etc.), and apply all the motions, tweening, inverse kinematics and stuff to this model to achieve the final pose; then I would apply my 2D model to the 3D model from a by-side view and render... of course, there comes the question: what if the model needs to display multiple sides of it, eg. like Kyo and his flaming uppercut where he performs a full turn around himself? Well, one could draw several 2D images of his model''s components (arms, torms, etc.), 8 for instance, 4 for the four general directions (forward, backward, left side, right side - these last two can just be the same image reversed) and another 4 for the in-between poses... so at render-time, the program can choose which pose to use according to the general orientation of the model... requires some nasty math though, and it is more of a hack than a real solution... surely there are other, more efficient ways to do this...

-----------<<>>-----------
Flareman (a.k.a Ga1adaN)
Primus ante Adain
flareman@freemail.gr
-----------<<>>------------

quote:Original post by leiavoia
If we''re talking street fighter, SFII just used straight up full-frame sprites i believe.

nah. i was originally looking for a workaround to finding someone to draw me a few hundred sprites (i can''t draw), and then i thought, "hey, i could do it this way, and fit in even more animations!"

anyway, between some toying around and some of the suggestions here, i am going to:

define each character as a collection of sprite "parts", which are linked together by 3D bones and joints. each frame, the position of each part will be calculated based on the usual skeletal animation technique. the parts will then be rendered at those angles and positions, with foreshortening being simulated by simply stretching/squishing (technical terms, huh?) the part sprites. depending on the part sprite, i may use multiple sprites based on the angle they are at (i.e. faces), although generally it won''t be necessary because of the cartoony look i am going for.

feel free to keep discussing it, as i am far from done with this. i just thought i should update the thread since i haven''t actually said much

Any progress on this? I''d like to see how it turned out...

eh, it has fallen victim to my short attention span... while it is far from "thrown out", i am working on other things at the moment, between playing other people''s games