Animations are awful

CapuchinSeven

The flow/smoothness is fine, don't misunderstand me, just the actual animation on so many skills and mostly weapons. I have some understanding of European weapons and every weapon looks wrong, daggers, swords, 2 handed swords.

Mostly on light heavy attacks -

2 handed weapons look like an ape is swinging a stick, it's just not what a 2 handed sword looks like when used, it's not so heavy that your entire body looks like it's about to spin in a circle.

DW weapons look like some crazy waving of arms in the air that happen to be holding bladed weapons.

And so on.

Animations in games like The Witcher and Dragons Age 3 put ESO to shame, even the staff animations look amazing in Dragons Age 3.

Selique

Suspended Belief. Its what allows us to play Lizard and Cat people, as well as sling magic out of sticks and kill demons.

McLukos

Enjoy Dragon Age 3 and the Witcher then...

cesmode

I agree with the OP that some of the animations are very annoying, slow, and..clunky. I understand that a heavy attack needs to take longer than a light attack, but it feels like 3+ seconds for a heavy attack with a sword...It is why I don't use heavy attacks unless I parry/block and have a chance to knock the mob on their a$$...but even then, whats the point? The mobs that can be knocked down via a block and heavy can easily be taken out by my puncturing sweep 10x faster...and the mobs that I might use a heavy attack, won't get knocked down often.

Overall, I find the usefulness of a heavy attack with a melee weapon kind of lackluster. I suppose its different for staff and bow though

CapuchinSeven

Selique wrote: »

Suspended Belief. Its what allows us to play Lizard and Cat people, as well as sling magic out of sticks and kill demons.

I don't really see it that way, sure it's not a major issue and it doesn't bother me that much but this game is, without a doubt the best looking MMO I've ever played and is very well put together visually and as a world as a whole.

It's just a shame and for me it lets the game down in this area, it's a stunning visual game and then you swing a two handed and you look like a chimp.

McLukos wrote: »

Enjoy Dragon Age 3 and the Witcher then...

This comment is so dumb I can't even be bothered to finish typ

KenjiJU

You say this as if the other ES games(and FO) had good animations. Even worse, especially with the very 'floaty' engine. They didn't even have 8-way run.

In line with this though.. there was supposed to be an improvement to the basic run animation with 1.5 I think. I didn't see a difference. In fact, it once again broke my resto staff run animation (desyncs) and it happens quite often.

Not expecting any magical changes as far as their animation dept is concerned. I think we'll just have to deal.

CapuchinSeven

KenjiJU wrote: »

In line with this though.. there was supposed to be an improvement to the basic run animation with 1.5 I think. I didn't see a difference. In fact, it once again broke my resto staff run animation (desyncs) and it happens quite often.

Not expecting some magical change as far as their animation dept is concerned.

Yes, I'd waited out 1.5 until I posted this I don't see a difference either.

MornaBaine

Speaking of bad animations... can I have the identity of the oaf who came up with the vampire feeding animation please? So I can make a voodoo doll of them and stick pins in it every darn time my vampire feeds by leaping up like a dog drinking from a garden hose????

CapuchinSeven

MornaBaine wrote: »

...my vampire feeds by leaping up like a dog drinking from a garden hose????

Which, interestingly is what the Resto staff animations look like, someone firing off a hose.

eventide03b14a_ESO

Speaking of the delay. I agree it really isn't worth the time it takes for a heavy attack animation to go off. They really should either speed it up or have it do significantly more damage. And the DW light attack is ridiculous.

Bloodfang

Firstly I don't understand why would someone compare ESO combat animations with the Witcher ones? Witcher combat animations are 3 steps ahead of any other RPG game, and here you are comparing it to an MMO?

I came back to update 5 and I can admit sound, visual effects and combat animations look way better than in update 4. Others may have not noticed such drastic changed but I did.

Also with the changes to heavy armor I finally feel like a tank. And heavy attack is something I use very often when fighting a world boss. You see I'm a templar and I just pop my blazing shield and heavy attack, occasionaly use some CC or other stamina spell etc., but you catch my meaning.

I am by no means saying that animations shouldn't be improved, all I am saying is we are already looking at the MMO with the best combat animation system. I wouldn't put this as a priority. At the moment we badly need that champions system.

CapuchinSeven

Despair9 wrote: »

Firstly I don't understand why would someone compare ESO combat animations with the Witcher ones? Witcher combat animations are 3 steps ahead of any other RPG game, and here you are comparing it to an MMO?

Age of Conan. Even simple light attacks in Age of Conan. A perfect example of real European sword and dagger animations.

Secret World.

Star Wars TOR.

Terra.

Star Wars Galaxies. A game made made 12 years ago.

That's just MMOs.

Despair9 wrote: »

Others may have not noticed such drastic changed but I did.

And it still looks like a wavy arm chimp swinging a stick.

Despair9 wrote: »

all I am saying is we are already looking at the MMO with the best combat animation system.

..? We don't.

Despair9 wrote: »

I wouldn't put this as a priority. At the moment we badly need that champions system.

If the people designing the champion system are the people designing the animations that would probably explain why they are so bad.

I don't really hold out for a change, just giving feedback for whatever good it will do.

Bloodfang

CapuchinSeven wrote: »

Despair9 wrote: »

Firstly I don't understand why would someone compare ESO combat animations with the Witcher ones? Witcher combat animations are 3 steps ahead of any other RPG game, and here you are comparing it to an MMO?

Age of Conan. Even simple light attacks in Age of Conan.

Secret World.

Star Wars TOR.

Terra.

That's just MMOs.

You are trying to say? If you've played witcher you'd see why there isn't a game that can compare with it.

CapuchinSeven wrote: »

And it still looks like a wavy arm chimp swinging a stick.

To me it never really looked bad. Maybe too much realistic for your taste? To me it feels like I'm swinging a battlehammer not a stick.

CapuchinSeven wrote: »

..? We don't.

You don't. If you would ask all the people ingame right now, they for sure wouldn't criticize animations badly as you are.

CapuchinSeven wrote: »

If the people designed the champion system are the people designing the animations that would probably explain why they are so bad.

Yet again, in my opinion they are pretty nice, even though I'm playing the most "boring" class in the game.

CapuchinSeven

Despair9 wrote: »

Yet again...

You didn't actually once say that, you're welcome to your view that's fine.

Your statements on the combat animation changes are strange if that's what you're referencing because they didn't change the combat animations. They are the same, swinging a piece of metal like it's too heavy to lift ape swing that they've always been.

The animation changes they talked about before is different to that.

cesmode

MornaBaine wrote: »

Speaking of bad animations... can I have the identity of the oaf who came up with the vampire feeding animation please? So I can make a voodoo doll of them and stick pins in it every darn time my vampire feeds by leaping up like a dog drinking from a garden hose????

Dude, I actually think that animation is boss...love it haha.

MornaBaine

cesmode wrote: »

MornaBaine wrote: »

Speaking of bad animations... can I have the identity of the oaf who came up with the vampire feeding animation please? So I can make a voodoo doll of them and stick pins in it every darn time my vampire feeds by leaping up like a dog drinking from a garden hose????

Dude, I actually think that animation is boss...love it haha.

C r e t in. You have no soul!

Ignore the outdated graphics, this is how it should be done:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=LyYSdTW6q4U
A similar animation from behind the target since you have to sneak up behind them would be perfect.

Bloodfang

CapuchinSeven wrote: »

Despair9 wrote: »

Yet again...

You didn't actually once say that, you're welcome to your view that's fine.

Your statements on the combat animation changes are strange if that's what you're referencing because they didn't change the combat animations. They are the same, signing a piece of metal like it's too heavy to lift ape swing that they've always been.

The animation changes they talked about before is different to that.

Sorry it's taking time again to get used to the "quoting"
I respect your opinion though. I'm playing most of the time with just 1-handed weapon, and for me, it looks pretty good.

Also there are 221 documented changes in the "art & animation" category since launch, so they must be doing something after all?

cesmode

MornaBaine wrote: »

cesmode wrote: »

MornaBaine wrote: »

Speaking of bad animations... can I have the identity of the oaf who came up with the vampire feeding animation please? So I can make a voodoo doll of them and stick pins in it every darn time my vampire feeds by leaping up like a dog drinking from a garden hose????

Dude, I actually think that animation is boss...love it haha.

C r e t in. You have no soul!

bahumbug! whenever I see the animation in videos(cuz im not a vamp), its like a bloodthirsty fiend that can't get enough blood quick enough...wipes his mouth mid way like a barbarian...freakin awsome.

Zershar_Vemod

*Sips Lipton Tea*

Voodoo

how can you compare a single/multi player to a MMO ,,they are not the same thing!

Tandor

CapuchinSeven wrote: »

I have some understanding of European weapons and every weapon looks wrong

The game is set in Europe? I hadn't realised that, I thought it was set in Tamriel.

The animations are fine so far as I'm concerned.

MornaBaine

Tandor wrote: »

CapuchinSeven wrote: »

I have some understanding of European weapons and every weapon looks wrong

The game is set in Europe? I hadn't realised that, I thought it was set in Tamriel.

The animations are fine so far as I'm concerned.

Was that necessary? If you have any understanding of swordsmanship and/or other medieval and renaissance weaponry, the weaponry ESO weapons are CLEARLY based on, you will know that fighting styles evolve that make the best use of said weapons. The people who design the combat animations for this game seem to have very little awareness of how the real weapon counterparts for these "fantasy" weapons work. For me personally, it's not a big deal. The vampire animations bug me way more. But CapuchinSeven's assertion is correct, whether the animations bother you or not.

Preyfar

Some of the animations are a bit rough in parts, but nowhere near as bad as this thread makes it out to be. Not only that, but one of the animators stated a while ago they're looking to migrate to a new animation system and can potentially do a better pass then.

It'd be easier if you provided a full list of animations you didn't like and the reasons why. Something the art/animation team can look into and tweak if needed.

CapuchinSeven

Voodoo wrote: »

how can you compare a single/multi player to a MMO ,,they are not the same thing!

For the guy that didn't bother to read.

Age of Conan.

Secret World.

Star Wars TOR.

Terra.

Star Wars Galaxies. A game made made 12 years ago.

All beautiful realistic weapon attacks, not an ape swinging a stick.

Tandor wrote: »

CapuchinSeven wrote: »

I have some understanding of European weapons and every weapon looks wrong

The game is set in Europe? I hadn't realised that, I thought it was set in Tamriel.

The animations are fine so far as I'm concerned.

RIGHT makes total sense, for some reason master swords men with two arms and two legs in Tamriel using Earth European weapons found out that actually letting go of the weapon with your hand and letting it swing so far behind you that you can't easily swing it back around again and letting your opponent stab you in the chest really IS the best way to handle a two handed bladed weapon.

Makes total sense. Tamriel weapon systems FTW.

There's a reason blades have a point, it's so people that knew what they were doing could stab idiots swinging swords around like apes.

CapuchinSeven

MornaBaine wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

CapuchinSeven wrote: »

I have some understanding of European weapons and every weapon looks wrong

The game is set in Europe? I hadn't realised that, I thought it was set in Tamriel.

The animations are fine so far as I'm concerned.

Was that necessary? If you have any understanding of swordsmanship and/or other medieval and renaissance weaponry, the weaponry ESO weapons are CLEARLY based on, you will know that fighting styles evolve that make the best use of said weapons. The people who design the combat animations for this game seem to have very little awareness of how the real weapon counterparts for these "fantasy" weapons work. For me personally, it's not a big deal. The vampire animations bug me way more. But CapuchinSeven's assertion is correct, whether the animations bother you or not.

Thank you, you've made the point perfectly. It's not a big deal, it's simple feedback, the animations are poorly thought out in what is an otherwise beautiful game.

Also the vamp animations bug me as well. I don't understand how a game this beautiful can have animations that ugly. Maybe just a time issue.

Gix

Animation 101: realism doesn't always feel right. The uncanny valley is applied to so many things including movement. That's why mocap on its own is not recommended and we hire animator to adjust the movements.

Swords shouldn't make the "Sh-ling!" sound when you unsheathe it but we do it anyways because, otherwise, it doesn't feel right.

There are a few animations that seemed a bit odd to me but if you say "this isn't how it's done in real life" then all I got to say is that it's intentional.

Edit - On the subject of the Witcher: as great as those animations are, the legs are locked to that attack animation. ESO, like all Elder Scrolls (since Morrowind) have independent torso/leg animation blending. So the weight of the swing has to be sold from the upper body alone. That's a technical choice, not an art thing.

jackleminer55

KenjiJU wrote: »

.. there was supposed to be an improvement to the basic run animation with 1.5 I think. I didn't see a difference.

Can you give me source of where they said the running animation would be changed? I would LOVE for it to be changed, as it doesn't not look natural at all.

CapuchinSeven

Gix wrote: »

Swords shouldn't make the "Sh-ling!" sound when you unsheathe it but we do it anyways because, otherwise, it doesn't feel right.

They shouldn't no, that would just dull the blade. But then I've yet to play a game that doesn't just stick weapons on your belt, I'd love a game to actually put a skin over the weapon when it's put away.

Esha76

Running is pretty bad. Some of my characters look as if they need a body cavity search when running.

I'd like to see a little flare with dual wield. Flurry just looks like a drunken brawler. But I don't think anything so bad to write any scathing /feedbacks. Overall, I think they are pretty good, some just need some minor tweaking.

Regardless of realism, uppercut and executioner never get old.

As far as unrealistic looking weapons, we should be grateful they didn't over do it to the point of some WoW and Final Fantasy weapons that are almost twice the size of the characters themselves. Different kinds of entertainment...

McLukos

CapuchinSeven wrote: »

Selique wrote: »

Suspended Belief. Its what allows us to play Lizard and Cat people, as well as sling magic out of sticks and kill demons.

McLukos wrote: »

Enjoy Dragon Age 3 and the Witcher then...

This comment is so dumb I can't even be bothered to finish typ

So dumb you forgot to explain why you have an opinion?

SP an MP games should not be compared. Grats on having an opinion tho i guess...

CapuchinSeven

McLukos wrote: »

SP an MP games should not be compared. Grats on having an opinion tho i guess...

Grats on not reading, if you're going to engage at least read, if not don't bother. One more time.

Secret World.

Star Wars TOR.

Terra.

Star Wars Galaxies. A game made made 12 years ago.

All MMOs. All with beautiful realistic weapon animations.

Your comment was so past pointless, at no point was a comment made on either of those games being better than ESO or more to my taste. Simply that they are fantasy games that got animations right.