Link HD - Progress Still Really, Really Slow

It took almost entire month to finish the second Intro animation for Link. BUT, it is awesome looking, and it was well worth the time I spent on it. I made Link on Epona with his sword raised in the air as Epona reels back just like in Twilight Princess. Then Link will jump off Epona as Epona rides off screen. The whole sequence is two Epona animations. Just, two. And it took three weeks to make. The only other animation I made besides that horse animations, was Link's quick, standing attack. Instead of a jabbing attack, Link has his shield bash. It fits in perfectly.

Now that both of Link's intro animations are complete (doesn't feel like it but it is), I am now on Link's victory animations. I have completed the outline for Link's victory 1 animation, and his victory 2 animation is still at 0% progress. In fact, Link's progress from last month to this month has only risen by 2%. But let me tell you, that 2% difference, is major. It's one of the most complicated animations I have to make for Link. This current victory animation I'm making for him, which is his, "I'm flicking and swishing my sword around in an epic way," is 35 frames. that means 35 new sprites, for one animation.

However, these sprites are relatively simple and the most complicated of them are already done. A lot of it at this point is copy/paste a lot of body parts and fitting them together as they move around, as opposed to making new sprite pieces from scratch. So it's tedious, but not nearly as grueling. I'm confident I'll be finished with it, or at least 75% done with it this weekend. But I'm betting I can get it done. I certainly will before December is over.

After that, I'm getting the last victory animation out of the way, which shouldn't be too difficult at all. Midna will make an appearance in that one which should be the most challenging part of that animation. But it's a difference between seven sprites vs 35 - 40 of them. Victory and introduction animations have always been the most grueling of character animations, and Link is a huge reminder of that. But after December, Link's progression should pick up quite a bit. Happy Yultide.