The BIGGEST problem with Hedgewars is its GRAPHICS (No Squash & Stretch)
Created an account just to post this.
When I first played Hedgewars like 10 years ago, I couldn't figure out why it felt so different to Worms, despite the graphic style being very similar on paper. Still, Hedgewars just felt very lifeless and stiff compared to Worms.
Revisiting the game ten years later, I've finally figured it out: Hedgewars' graphics don't adhere to the principles of animation, chiefly squash and stretch, the most important one.
Check out this video for an in-depth explanation (highly recommended, super fascinating):
The gist is that objects should change shape (stretch) when in motion to give the impression of fleshiness, flexibility, and life. The amount of stretch depends on the softness of the object. Important: volume stays the same.
You can see this all the time in Worms: when worms jump, their body elongates, in their idle animation they constantly bounce up and down. Even the oil barrels and crates are an example for this, you'll notice they're constantly bouncing up and down, only landmines don't.
In Hedgewars, the characters behave more like bowling balls, they DO also bounce up and down in their idle animation, but their shape stays exactly the same circle. Same applies when they fall from height and get fall damage, no change in shape. That's why they feel very stiff. Same applies to oil barrels crates etc.
So tl;dr by suggestion is giving the graphics of Hedgewars an overhaul implementing the principles of animation, Squash and Stretch in particular. Make the characters flatten out when they hit the ground and stretch vertically when they jump. Include some miscellaneous idle actions (e. g. looking around, picking their nose, momentarily nodding off). Make background objects like crates and such bouncy.
I lack the time and experience atm, but I may be able to create the sprites necessary some months/years down the line if the community is interested and no one else is willing to do it.
Honestly, that would require their legs to be the thing that's animated when they land, but I honestly like most animations as is. Besides, not all Worms games have the crates and oil drums bouncing up and down, it's more of the early games than those which are new. The game could use more idle animations, but that's pretty much all that's mandatory for 100%.
Yes, I agree with this post. Jumps and walking isn’t the only issue IMHO, hedgehogs in general lack good animation, they’re a bit simplistic and static. I’ve posted this in the bugtracker even.
Whether the solution is streching and squishing like you suggest, I don’t know (I’m not an artist) but I feel like animations of hedgehogs in general definitely have room improvement. How this improvement could look like in practice is something artists can say more about, I’m sure.
So what you say makes sense, but there’s a problem: There needs to be someone doing the animation work. And art isn’t my area of expertise, so any help is appreciated. If someone were to contribute nice animations, I would be more than happy to include it and write the neccessary code.
Hi, I am a Hedgewars developer.