So, my first task is creating a few poses with the character to try and figure out the personality and physical limits. After that I’ll usually do some kind of movement cycle like a walk or a run. I find that seeing the character actually moving in 3D really gives a good sense of what we’re going for and what to expect in the game. If we get this part right then the rest usually comes together later on.

My workflow from this point is pretty common and involves a largely iterative process. The first thing I do is gather video reference, which usually involves me getting in front of a camera somewhere quiet and isolated in the office so that I can make a fool of myself in peace. This step is mainly so I have something to refer to when breaking down the mechanics of the motion I’m going for, and is in no way meant to be copied frame by frame (if you’ve seen my reference you’d know why).

The next thing is to get a rough “first-pass” version of my idea in the game engine as fast as possible so I can see if it’s going to work. As time is precious, it’s important not to waste it by taking the animation too far only to have to start all over again because it doesn’t work in the game. This gives everyone a constant working prototype that allows other parts of the pipeline to start their first pass work, such as VFX and audio.

Once this part is approved and everyone is happy, I’ll keep iterating on it and improving the animation quality.