We're going to start all Dating Killmulator 2 posts with this warning:
Anything you view in these posts can and will change. Please don't get attached to any ideas; we're still in pre-production, so stuff is bound to change, that's just how it works.
We also kindly ask everyone not to publicly share any of the content in this post. It will be a secret between you and us.
We can now start talking about one of the biggest changes between Seasons 1 and 2. All characters will now be animated. Yes! You’ll be able to see Abel moving on your screen, as hot as ever.
The following post was written entirely by Martí, who will be taking on a huge role this season animating all your favorite love interests... so get excited!
To animate the character, we first had to divide it into different “pieces”. I asked Núria to separate them in a specific way, and she did it. She sent me the Photoshop file, and then I edited it to make it easier to work with later.
There is a script that connects Photoshop with Spine, the program we use to animate. Basically, if you rename each layer in a certain way, Spine automatically creates skins, slots, meshes...
This is the link if anyone is interested:
https://github.com/EsotericSoftware/spine-scripts/tree/master/photoshop
Skins are PNG images that let you change a character’s appearance without having to animate everything again. This is really useful because we have many outfits, so it saves a lot of time.
Slots are objects in Spine that can contain different attachments. A slot can have many images, but only one is visible at a time. This is perfect for things like mouths or eyes, because you can change expressions without modifying the whole animation. For Abel, I created a slot for each different part of the body, grouping similar elements in the same slot.
Skins work only if the slots have exactly the same names. When that happens, Spine automatically switches the images depending on the selected skin.
This is an example of how Abel’s face is divided into slots and their different attachments:
After preparing everything, I moved to Spine. I created a simple rig by adding bones to control each part of the body. Then I bound the bones to the meshes and painted the weights. This part is slow and a bit tedious, but very satisfying when you see the character finally move.
And then… animation time!
For now, we’re testing different animations to see what fits best in the game. At the moment, we only have an idle animation for Abel. To start, I first place Abel in the pose I want him to begin with, and then I make him move from there.
Spine works with keyframes. Basically, you set a part of the body in one position, then move or rotate it in another keyframe, and Spine automatically creates the frames in between to make the movement look smooth.
There are two ways to work with keyframes in Spine: using the graph editor or the dopesheet. I use both. I learned with the dopesheet, but the graph is more visual and feels more similar to programs like Premiere or After Effects.
Graph:
Dopesheet:
For me, animation is mostly trial and error. I try things, see what works, and adjust what doesn’t. I don’t really have a strict method, just some small rules that help.
For example, with an arm movement:
First, I move the upper arm (starting at keyframe 10).
Then, the forearm (starting at keyframe 15).
Finally, the hand (starting at keyframe 20).
This small delay between each part makes the movement feel much smoother and more natural.
For the face and the hair, I mostly test what looks and feels right. The eyes, however, are the trickiest part in my opinion.
At first, I didn’t really understand how to animate them, but then I realized how powerful slots and attachments are. Basically, I move the upper eyelid down and the lower eyelid up, and when the eye is about to close, I switch the attachment in the upper eye slot. That’s pretty much it.
After that, it’s all about matching the timing with the rest of the face and body. When everything is synchronized, you get Abel’s idle animation.
And this is how easy it is to change skins in one click:
P.S.: We also announced this yesterday, but we haven't said anything publicly yet. Season 2 comes out on March 25th. We will be hosting a beta test for Tier 3 Patreon members VERY SOON, so you can see how this system and the others we're implementing will look on your screen.