The game with most impressive animation of this gen?

[DanteLinkX]

A shame that the game with best animations isnt even on the pool, FFXV is by far the game with most and better animated animations, look at this and tell me there are better animations than that, I remember digital foundry saying it back then too.



I mean look at how they even fist bump, or pat each other in the head, or push each other, grab each other, there is one animation that one of the character even drops its glasses and the other picks it up and throws it back at him, they even swap weapons during some of these, throwing the weapon at each other, and a lot of other details in a 9 minute long video of UNIQUE animationes, its all on the little details, no other game has all these animations and this sense of impact, its a shame the game doesnt explain the link system in depth, so most people didnt get to see half of these animations.

Also look at this:



Squareenix went all out on this game, out of all of their work this is by far the most impressive, it would take an hour long video to see all the diferent animations this game has. Also a shame this is dlc royal edition only (and locked behind a long ass sidequest of sorts) but look at all that, simply awesome.

 

[jett]

I'm sorry, but apart from Cuphead those are all titles that make extensive use of mocap. That disqualifies it for me.

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Motion capture is highly massaged by hand by animators, and a lot gameplay animation is purely keyframed regardless. Basic stuff like hand/finger motions aren't picked up by mocap either.

 

[thomasmahler]

Motion capture is highly massaged by hand by animators, and a lot gameplay animation is purely keyframed regardless. Basic stuff like hand/finger motions aren't picked up by mocap either.

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Yes, I completely understand that, but cleaning up Mocap and doing Keyframe animation from scratch are still 2 completely different pair of shoes. Most of the titles listed in the OP to me fall flat when we're discussing excellence in Animation. This has nothing to do with Animation as an artform anymore and I much, much prefer proper keyframe animators over mocap cleaners all day every day.

Case in point, if an Animator who worked on these games (I'm talking Uncharted, Red Dead, God of War,...) would apply at Moon, unless they have an extremely strong reel showing off their Keyframe Animation Skills, they wouldn't have any chance of landing a job with us. To me, the success of MoCap is one of those tragedies in this industry that's actively killing an artform. Quite a few of the videos posted on these pages just don't show great animation - I can smell that Mocap from a mile away and it always ends up looking wooden and completely ignores a lot of the techniques that could be used in wonderful ways to enhance gameplay. For example, at Moon we use tons of Squash 'n Stretch in order to make movement and attacks way more satisfying - You can't do this kinda stuff with Mocap.

Don't wanna come off as too snobby, but I grew up loving Animation, I'm a huge proponent of Keyframe Animation in games and sadly, there's way too little of it right now - and seeing a thread like this where people go bananas over Mocap animation just makes me sad.

 

[tr1b0re]

Thats now how anyone would run down a slope, it would be impossible to actually run in that manner

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I didn't say it was realistic haha
It's just exaggerated on purpose anyway

 

[Joris-truly]

Don't wanna come off as too snobby, but I grew up loving Animation, I'm a huge proponent of Keyframe Animation in games and sadly, there's way too little of it right now - and seeing a thread like this where people go bananas over Mocap animation just makes me sad.

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I agree, but i'm maybe snobby in the opposite way. I'd preferred if game animation went more on the procedural end of animation generation. Creating more dynamic interactable animations on the fly.

It's way hardware intensive and not a 'back of the box' selling point. But it would makes action games endlessly more replayable.

Give you a good idea on why it impressive, even to this day, but also why it's difficult to create and implement. I hoped it would be in more mainstream use by now, proprietary tech or otherwise.

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Bridge demo from 2007

 

[Geobros]

Cuphead for me!!!

 

[Falchion]

Uncharted 4's were the most impressive to me because unlike Red Dead 2, they were still really fast and responsive and I didn't feel like I just had to sit back and wait for my character to respond to inputs before I could do something else.

 

[Sub Boss]

it has to be DOOM 2016 👌

 

[More_Badass]

In terms of little details and gameplay impact, I'd have to say DMCV or RDR2

But in terms of emotional impact and storytelling through visuals, I'd have to say Playdead's Inside. So many moments in that game hinge on these small impactful animations details. Like walking in queue and the boy hunching in fear, glancing over his shoulder, hand clenching. Or the mix of fluid movement and gross detail of the finale.

 

[s y]

I'm sorry, but apart from Cuphead those are all titles that make extensive use of mocap. That disqualifies it for me.

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The Last guardian was 100% Key Frame animation

http://www.gendesign.co.jp/qa_01/interview04en.html

I'd like to move on and talk about the animation since there were many questions about that as well. To summarize, the main question was: "How did you create so much amazing animation?" Many people think you used motion capture.


Tanaka: I should mention straight away that we did not use motion capture in The Last Guardian. It was all done by hard-working animators using keyframe animation.

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[Memento]

Uncharted 4/TLL

The animations are incredible AND responsive

 

[Deleted member 4869]

More FFXV examples:

 

[piratethingy]

I love Spiderman and Red Dead was much too slow for me but I still have to give it to Red Dead. Those horses walk around like horses.

 

[Memento]

Does anybody have the God of War gifs from Sunhi? I remember being blown away by the combat animations

 

[laxu]

https://i.imgur.com/3iG5mUk.gif

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Nothing particularly great in this GIF IMO. While I like the Euphoria physics, this is just a refined version of what was already in GTA IV. Physicswise your player character is mostly like drunkard, stumbling and falling over the smallest rocks at times. Anything climbing related is still completely awful like in every Rockstar game. The game has tons and tons and tons of good canned animations but I don't think it stands out for dynamic ones. Naughty Dog games are far better in this regard where they hit the sweet spot for player control vs animation and compared to a similar game like Shadow of the Tomb Raider you can just tell how UC4 just has better..well, everything. Less rubberbanding to climbing spots, less jank.

From Software games this gen still have some of the best animation when it comes to making them have the impression of weight and power behind them. God of War 2018 is also great in this regard. The SF V animations to me lack this completely making the characters seem like they are thrown around effortlessly, they aren't animated like human weight characters to me.

 

[Spaltazar]

this is what you get for going low hp ;_;. yeah this game has some really amazing animation work, both in quality and quantity

 

[Theef]

Cuphead took more talent and creativity than the others, the others are impressive technically but Cuphead wins this race.

 

[M1chl]

I also think that DMC 5 is the right answer, because it just feel so good to play that game why it cut no corners in animation or graphical department. Also INSIDE.

 

[AtomicShroom]

I absolutely adore the animation Nintendo have been putting into their games recently, especially Mario Odyssey.

There's an immense amount of attention to detail to making everything seem organic and natural, smooth, with proper elasticity. Contrary to motion capture, nothing feels wooden or stiff. I mean just look at this:

Look at how everything looks like actual mass of fat giggling around. This is just one example that I could find, but every boss in Mario Odyssey grabbed my attention with their fluid and elastic animations.

 

[The Artisan]

Red dead redemption 2 is the most amazing thing I have ever seen on a console and I've only ever played it a handful of times for a few minutes

I don't even own it

 

[mxbison]

Not a huge fan of the RDR2 animations. A person doesn't stumble like that when he walks over a rock or slight slope....

Maybe thats more a physics thing than animation though. Either way, it has to be Cuphead.

 

[Lylo]

INSIDE has some impressive animations.

 

[Deleted member 57361]

Can I vote on TLoU Part II based only on the gameplay demo?

 

[Normanski 2.0]

I'd probably give it to Inside. The blends are practically flawless with different anims produced for any potential scenario the player could do. It's a mind boggling amount of work and attention to detail that AAA would never be able to do due to production demands and scheduling etc.

 

[Alex840]

Overwatch should have been a poll option.

 

[MarvelousIntent]

As much as I love FFXV and have enjoyed RDR2, I've got to give it to Uncharted 4. DMCV comes closest compared to other games mentioned, but Uncharted 4 still blows it and all of its competition out of the water.

 

[Normanski 2.0]

I absolutely adore the animation Nintendo have been putting into their games recently, especially Mario Odyssey.

There's an immense amount of attention to detail to making everything seem organic and natural, smooth, with proper elasticity. Contrary to motion capture, nothing feels wooden or stiff. I mean just look at this:

Look at how everything looks like actual mass of fat giggling around. This is just one example that I could find, but every boss in Mario Odyssey grabbed my attention with their fluid and elastic animations.

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Odyssey's animation is fantastic, with the sole exception of Mario's walk cycle covering too much ground which makes the feet noticeably slippy. I can assure you from experience that was probably a design decision.

 

[Thera]

I was most impressed by Metal Gear Solid V and Uncharted 4.

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Both those games wins by having impressive animation while being reactive to input.
TLG and RDR 2 have really impressive animation, really, but at the cost of being too slow to react.

 

[Hieroph]

Detroit's animation is most impressive when you're actually controlling the characters. Of course the QTEs and cinematics have great animation, but it's actually more impressive when you're moving around the world and your character is reacting to people and objects.

 

[Equanimity]

Spider-Man PS4.




2. Uncharted 4
3. RDR 2
4. The Last Guardian
5. God of War

 

[Bit_Reactor]

I also think the animation sets in Nier Automata are a good competitor. While not "as flashy" or numerous as some of the other picks here, the fact that there are different followthrough animations for each attack and combo, and the animations end differently depending on where you stop the combo, and the followthrough on some of the movements I also think it's a great looking game.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

I've been playing The Last Guardian and for me I really think that has to be the winner. Trico is an incredible amalgam of dog and cat, with characteristics of both and utterly wonderful little details, like the the way it will become captivated and watch a flame if it sits next to it, or if it can't reach a barrel with its mouth it paws at it to try and get it within reach, or how it goes crazy at the stone guards and whacks the pieces around with its feet or bounces on the remains even after they're already smashed.

I've never been so captivated by a creature or NPC in a game before. It just looks so wonderful and utterly convincing.

 

[s y]

I've been playing The Last Guardian and for me I really think that has to be the winner. Trico is an incredible amalgam of dog and cat, with characteristics of both and utterly wonderful little details, like the the way it will become captivated and watch a flame if it sits next to it, or if it can't reach a barrel with its mouth it paws at it to try and get it within reach, or how it goes crazy at the stone guards and whacks the pieces around with its feet or bounces on the remains even after they're already smashed.

I've never been so captivated by a creature or NPC in a game before. It just looks so wonderful and utterly convincing.

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and it's all keyframed, no mocap.

the boy is amazingly animated as well. so much character in his animations.

 

[Swift_Gamer]

I'm sorry, but apart from Cuphead those are all titles that make extensive use of mocap. That disqualifies it for me.

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Lol? Pixar movies also use mocaps.

 

[AzureFlame]

No Monster Hunter World!?

 

[haradaku7]

Monster Hunter world for me, 1000s of hours and those animations are still as satisfying as the first time I did them. also there is no game matches it's monsters....

 

[Tarot Deck]

Sekiro

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

Where is Luigi's Mansion 3

 

[Cocolina]

Where is Luigi's Mansion 3

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Thread is from a month before it was released

 

[Alanood]

FFXV's animation was impressive.

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

Thread is from a month before it was released

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That it was! Lol.

 

[Crossing Eden]

Lol? Pixar movies also use mocaps.

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Uhhhh? No they don't. Disney and Pixar explicitly avoid using motion capture for feature length films.

 

[smashballTaz]

Is no one saying Dead Cells? Because Dead Cells.

 

[benzy]

Yeah, FFXV is missing.




From Sunhilegend

 

[djplaeskool]

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Haters gonna hate

 

[Ojli]

Knack 2, baby!

(Red Dead)

 

[Kellemann75]

Ori and the blind forest. (Will of the wisps looks even better)
Inside

 

[Alive2007]

Monster Hunter World

 

[M. Wallace]

It's RDR2 and it isn't even close.

 

[Elixist]

voted for Cuphead. but I think i might pick Death Stranding, i swear Sam has like hundreds of different animations for different situations.