Animating a Core Action Set (Idle, Run, Jump, Attack)

Almost every action game character needs the same short list of animations. Get this core set right and the character already feels alive. In this guide we'll make it in one pass.

The core set

• Idle: the resting loop. The character spends the most time here, so a little breathing or sway matters.
• Run (or walk): the movement loop.
• Jump: take-off, peak and landing.
• Attack: wind-up, hit and recovery.
• Hurt and death: feedback when the character takes damage or falls.

Make them in one pass

Open your character in the editor and click Animation set. Choose the platformer preset: idle, run, jump, attack, hurt and death, six animations for 100 credits. They're drawn together, so every action matches the character exactly, at the same size, with the feet on the same ground line. To animate several sprites at once, open the multi-animator: pick the sprites from your library, choose a preset under Mode (or None and write one prompt for all of them), and press Animate.

Add single actions

For anything outside the preset (a dash, a block, a special move) use Animate this image and describe it: "dashing forward", "raising a shield". Each is 16 frames for 15 credits.

Loops and one-shots

• Loops: idle and run play continuously, so the last frame must flow into the first. Turn on Loop mode in the animation options and each clip ends on the image it started from.
• One-shots: jump, attack, hurt and death play once, then the game returns to idle.

Timing over frame count

For jump and attack, timing sells the motion more than extra frames. A quick wind-up and a punchy hit frame make an attack feel strong. Tune the frame rate in your engine before you regenerate anything.

Export and wire up

Each animation has a menu with Download (frames as a ZIP) and Add to sprite sheet. Import the sheets into your engine, or ask the game agent to use them by name, and switch between them from the character's state.