LE mod idea: while idle in combat mode - weapon holding animations

[consorts]

I noticed mods on most common forms of player/npc animation;

taking out and putting back your weapon, standing, walking, running, jumping, sitting, even combat itself.

 

one glaring animation mod omission seems to be when you are battle ready but idle, which is how most of us spend our time while puzzle solving, looting, or just deciding which way to go next - all while enemies are nearby.

 

I thought a talented animation editor/creator would enjoy replacing the standard "weapon out and at the ready" bobbing animation with something that is more weapon and possibly even gender specific. let me brainstorm here by weapon type and see if it inspires you (assume each sequence gradually returns back to the original battle ready position);

 

1h dagger: slide it's center in your palm and spin it -or- toss it up, one rotation, catch it by the hilt

1h sword: hold it out and up near your face as if to see if the blade is sharp

1h mace/axe*: let the head fall down as if attached to your hand by a strap, then flip is back up into your grip

2h sword: lift and angle it to rest on your shoulder for a moment

2h mace/axe/hammer*: let the head rest on the ground and lift it up and down as if to bang debris off the head

2h bow/crossbow*: point it toward the floor and pull the string to check it's strength

2h staff: hold it vertical to the floor to one side like a walking stick used for balance.

1h shield: slip it down your hand to the floor and let it rest against your leg (can alternate with 1h weapon animation)

1h magic: the glowing ball vibrates a little as we rotate each hand around it's aura

 

since most players see themselves in battle ready mode from behind our avatar, all these animation ideas should display more to the side of our character, not directly in front where we are unlikely to notice them. in case a player is viewing in first person, make sure the animation is not too high up blocking their field of view. I noticed many NPC's have idle weapon animation such as dungeon enemies, town guard patrols, and bandits on the road, blacksmiths - perhaps you could lift a few of them to apply for the player weapon at the ready idle animation. if a player is in the crouch position while sneaking, this should disable any extra mod animations.

 

*we could brainstorm more animation ideas so each gets it's own unique type, or unique based on weapon size/scale. this might be a great school project work product demonstration for students in the animation field, or simply be a fan art contribution to the modding community - whatever self motivates you, I do hope someone peruses this idea.

Edited January 15, 2015 by consorts

[DoctorKaizeld]

 

1h dagger: slide it's center in your palm and spin it -or- toss it up, one rotation, catch it by the hilt

1h mace/axe*: let the head fall down as if attached to your hand by a strap, then flip is back up into your grip

2h bow/crossbow*: point it toward the floor and pull the string to check it's strength

1h shield: slip it down your hand to the floor and let it rest against your leg (can alternate with 1h weapon animation)

1h magic: the glowing ball vibrates a little as we rotate each hand around it's aura

these require animations that the modding community does not have the ability to make. mostly because it takes a lot of animation for them and most of these require blue screen work.

 

 

1h sword: hold it out and up near your face as if to see if the blade is sharp

this is possible, but odds are it would look terrible.

 

 

2h staff: hold it vertical to the floor to one side like a walking stick used for balance.

this has been done before... though i cant find the mod for the life of me.

 

 

which is how most of us spend our time while puzzle solving, looting, or just deciding which way to go next - all while enemies are nearby.

 

also i dont see why you would just stand around with your weapon drawn. i almost never have mine out while i do most things in the game, and when they are it's only for how long it takes to kill the guy/woman. so dont generalize by saying most, because that's not true.

 

dont get me wrong some decent standing around animations would be great, like the ability to rest weapons on your shoulder. i'd love to see that, but remember animations are more then a guy sitting at a computer. you cant get really cool ones like tossing weapons around while standing and doing nothing easily.

[lofgren]

There is a mod called Zweihander which rests your weapon on your shoulder if it is drawn but not fighting.

[DoctorKaizeld]

 

There is a mod called Zweihander which rests your weapon on your shoulder if it is drawn but not fighting.

i know but i want something where you walked around with it on your shoulder. also more idles would be nice anyways for when your weapons are out. anything to improve the vanilla one would be appreciated.

[lofgren]

 

 

There is a mod called Zweihander which rests your weapon on your shoulder if it is drawn but not fighting.

i know but i want something where you walked around with it on your shoulder.

?? Yep that's what the mod does...

[DoctorKaizeld]

 

qwertyzeldar, on 15 Jan 2015 - 5:07 PM, said:http://forums.nexusmods.com/public/style_images/underground/snapback.png

Quote

 

There is a mod called Zweihander which rests your weapon on your shoulder if it is drawn but not fighting.

i know but i want something where you walked around with it on your shoulder.

?? Yep that's what the mod does...

it does!? when the mod author made it, it was only when standing still... huh... should really have kept up tabs on the mod