Day 16

I finished My independant project in june. I got the character to move in all directions, but I decided not to make a crouch animation. I know how to do it, Its just a matter of not wanting to do it.

I made a completely new form for the movement functions. Basically, I made it so I can make custom buttons, so when a certain  button is pushed, his animation changes. So the "W,A,D" buttons make him move Up, Left, and right, respectively. And the spacebar makes him jump as well. but after that, I had to make is to he moved, so to do that, I just made it so when the "A" or "D" button is pressed, he starts to move in the "X" axis by 1 unit, and for the opposite direction, I implemented a direction switch relative to the direction he is facing by -1 Unit. Making him move in the opposite direction. 

I learned that one of the reasons why my jump animation wasn't working, was because my running animation would always override it, so I couldn't find a solution other than to make a new variable based on a flipbook, and called it "Player"

Here is a closer look at the functions. I have 3 comments on 3 groups of nodes, These each controll a certain function whether it be jumping, Moving Left, or moving right. I made it so whenever a button is pushed, it activated a node that sets the relative rotation, then sets the flipbook animation. Then when the button is released, the Animation returns to the idle animation and stops movement. Except fot the Jump action, when he is in the air, he won't move down until he has reached the Apex of his jump. But his animation does return to the idle animation once the button is pushed, which is a bit of a bug that I do need to fix, but I don't feel it is very necessary to include in this project. 

Here is a video I recored of the final product. 

Day 15

Today, I continued trying to make the jump animation activate once I jump. I made it so the character actually DOES jump, but the animation still doesn't update. I tried many different combonations of nodes to try to make it work, but so far, nothing. But I did find a tutorial on how to do it, but it isn't very good, and it is hard to understand. I will try to find one on monday, or on my spare time over the weekend, then attempt to make it so the animation does update.

That is my entire blueprint set up. The middle is the main function of movement, the top is the animation for the running activating, and the below animation is the jumping animation.

As you can see, I am trying to mimic the running animation, but it has not been working, but I feel I am very close to figuring out my problem. I don't know necessarily where my problem is. The wierd thing is, I think I am just missing some nodes, because it has no problem compiling. I'm sure if it has a problem compiling, It would tell me, because it still works as a game, just the animation isn't working. I think I may have to find a way so the jump animation overrides the running animation, seems how that is the animation that plays when my character jumps. We'll see...

Day 14

Today I attempted to make a jump animation when my character jumps. The video series I was watching does provide a tutorial to make a jump function, but it doesn't show me how to update the animation at the same time. So I had to kind of take what I know and then utilize it to try to update the animation. So far I have made progress, Somewhat.

So I have it so when the jump funtion is activated, it sets off the 

Add Movement, which tries to make it move along the "Y" Axis, but it is only moving the Z axis, which I have to try to trouble shoot, then it tries to set the Flipbook animation, which is where my first problem is, so I have to try to fix that next class.

Day13

Today I resized my idle sprite, but at the price of my idle animations legs. See, when I went to edit my photoshop file, I had the wrong picture, because I didn't save the one I actually used, and I didn't have limbs for the one I saved. So I had to Draw them on so I could accomplish something this class and not waste my time resizing a bunch of ropes.

But I did end up getting the proper size and it looks pretty good, considering it is all short time to design these sprites. Now I must design a jumping and a crouching animation, but as I said Before, I will not be making a loop for the jumping animation, just a single animation. No loop. I havn't thought of how I will be doing this, but I can't imagine it would be too hard for it. I think I just have to go into the flipbook animation and there is probably a check box, similar to Photoshop where it says loop once, loop forever, or don't loop, something like that. 

Day 12

Today, I finished what I was trying to do, and I resized the RUnning Animation too. All I had to do was go into the Character Viewport, and resize it. But another problem came, when I do that, it also resizes the other one. So I still have yet to find an easier method of resizing the other one without going into photoshop and resizing them, though I feel like that might be the easiest way of doing it. Then I must make a crouching and a jumping animation. And for that particular animation, I will make it so It doesn't loop and look goofy.

Day 11

Today I started to add input controls. In Unreal's Blueprint function, it is Relatively Easy. All you have to do is make these things called nodes. They are components which basically replace the need of any C++ knowledge, but it is still good to have. This blueprint method is a bit more broad than actually ysing a sourcecode, but it does usually get the job done. I have not finished the Tutorial Video yet, But I am close. All I have to do is make it so my running animation only starts when I input a controll on the Keyboard. And resize. It is currently too big to fit completely on the platform. I don't think the video I am watching will teach me how to fix this. So I will have to learn how to do it on my own, but from what I already know about Unreal, It shouldn't be that hard to figure out, I just have to go to each indevidual sprite and resize it and make it so they're all the same size.

Day 10

Today, I created my new game. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be, even post watching the tutorial. I got my character into there and now I need to make movement controlls in the blueprint files. Then I will make a Jump and Crouch animation and make a stage for my character to adventure around in.

Then after that, I don't have any plans for anything else in this Unit of mine,l but I may change my mind and think of something. 

Day 9

Today I encountered a problem, when I try to play my game, My camera doesn't stick to my character. Because I have been using an example game, and just editing it, I will probably just make a new game. Just to avoid any future problems and so I know exactly where to go if similar problems happen. It will make it much easier to follow the video guide I am watching too, that way, I don't have any files that  I don't know what they do.

But other than my current problem, I succesfully loaded my sprite into Unreal and Made them Characters, though I still need to make controls for them. 

Day 8

I forgot to post yesterday. But Yesterday, I finished the legs and put it together. My character has a Running animation now, and now I just need to make it so I can use him as a Playable Character. I will watch the video above. Then I will make Jumping and Crouching Animations just to tie everything together.

Day 7

Today, I worked on my running animation all class. To do that, I just put everything into one group then duplicate it. and After that, I move every component seperately from eachother. I am making the feet move in a windmill kind of manner, and the arms are normal, more or less. I still have to add the ropes, and I might add a few more frame of the right leg going behind the body, otherwise, it is done, and I just have to import it into Unreal and make a Flip Book animation from it, then make an actual controllable character.

I still have to re watch the part one of that video series I am watching, and take what I learn and transfer it and try to swap out the current character that Unreal provides, and put my own into there. Then make the control scheme.