Animation

An animation is a sequence of images displayed one after another to show an action. The images could show something like a character walking or a star exploding. The effect of the animation is assigned an action value and starts when that action is set for a sprite.

Create an animation for an action

First, an animation object is created for an action. If the animation is going to show a character walking, the action is set to Walking:

enum ActionKind {
    Walking,
    Idle,
    Jumping
}
let anim: animation.Animation = null
anim = animation.createAnimation(ActionKind.Walking, 1000)

This animation has an interval of 1000 milliseconds which means that each frame will show for 1 second before the next one is shown. This is the speed of the animation or the frame rate.

Add frames to the animation

The animation is built by adding frames. A frame is an image that is added to a list of other images set in the animation.

enum ActionKind {
    Walking,
    Idle,
    Jumping
}
let anim: animation.Animation = null
anim = animation.createAnimation(ActionKind.Walking, 1000)
anim.addAnimationFrame(img`
d d d d d d f f f f d d d d d d 
d d d d f f f 2 2 f f f d d d d 
d d d f f f 2 2 2 2 f f f d d d 
d d f f f e e e e e e f f f d d 
d d f f e 2 2 2 2 2 2 e e f d d 
d d f e 2 f f f f f f 2 e f d d 
d d f f f f e e e e f f f f d d 
d f f e f b f 4 4 f b f e f f d 
d f e e 4 1 f d d f 1 4 e e f d 
d d f e e d d d d d d e e f d d 
d d d f e e 4 4 4 4 e e f d d d 
d d e 4 f 2 2 2 2 2 2 f 4 e d d 
d d 4 d f 2 2 2 2 2 2 f d 4 d d 
d d 4 4 f 4 4 5 5 4 4 f 4 4 d d 
d d d d d f f f f f f d d d d d 
d d d d d f f d d f f d d d d d 
`)

More frames are added to the animation until the action is complete. When the animation is started, the frames are shown in the order in which they were added.

let anim: animation.Animation = null
anim.addAnimationFrame(img`
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d 
d d d d d d f f f f d d d d d d 
d d d d f f f 2 2 f f f d d d d 
d d d f f f 2 2 2 2 f f f d d d 
d d f f f e e e e e e f f f d d 
d d f f e 2 2 2 2 2 2 e e f d d 
d f f e 2 f f f f f f 2 e f f d 
d f f f f f e e e e f f f f f d 
d d f e f b f 4 4 f b f e f d d 
d d f e 4 1 f d d f 1 4 e f d d 
d d d f e 4 d d d d 4 e f e d d 
d d f e f 2 2 2 2 e d d 4 e d d 
d d e 4 f 2 2 2 2 e d d e d d d 
d d d d f 4 4 5 5 f e e d d d d 
d d d d f f f f f f f d d d d d 
d d d d f f f d d d d d d d d d 
`)
anim.addAnimationFrame(img`
d d d d d d f f f f d d d d d d 
d d d d f f f 2 2 f f f d d d d 
d d d f f f 2 2 2 2 f f f d d d 
d d f f f e e e e e e f f f d d 
d d f f e 2 2 2 2 2 2 e e f d d 
d d f e 2 f f f f f f 2 e f d d 
d d f f f f e e e e f f f f d d 
d f f e f b f 4 4 f b f e f f d 
d f e e 4 1 f d d f 1 4 e e f d 
d d f e e d d d d d d e e f d d 
d d d f e e 4 4 4 4 e e f d d d 
d d e 4 f 2 2 2 2 2 2 f 4 e d d 
d d 4 d f 2 2 2 2 2 2 f d 4 d d 
d d 4 4 f 4 4 5 5 4 4 f 4 4 d d 
d d d d d f f f f f f d d d d d 
d d d d d f f d d f f d d d d d 
`)
anim.addAnimationFrame(img`
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d 
d d d d d d f f f f d d d d d d 
d d d d f f f 2 2 f f f d d d d 
d d d f f f 2 2 2 2 f f f d d d 
d d f f f e e e e e e f f f d d 
d d f e e 2 2 2 2 2 2 e f f d d 
d f f e 2 f f f f f f 2 e f f d 
d f f f f f e e e e f f f f f d 
d d f e f b f 4 4 f b f e f d d 
d d f e 4 1 f d d f 1 4 e f d d 
d d e f e 4 d d d d 4 e f d d d 
d d e 4 d d e 2 2 2 2 f e f d d 
d d d e d d e 2 2 2 2 f 4 e d d 
d d d d e e f 5 5 4 4 f d d d d 
d d d d d f f f f f f f d d d d 
d d d d d d d d d f f f d d d d 
`)

Attach to a sprite

The animation needs a place to show at. Animations are attached to a sprite and shown in the image area of the sprite. This means the animation moves with the sprite so its action is displayed wherever the sprite is at.

enum SpriteKind {
    Player,
    Enemy
}
let anim: animation.Animation = null
let mySprite: Sprite = null
mySprite = sprites.create(img``)
animation.attachAnimation(mySprite, anim)

Start the animation

Animations are started by activating its action. To start the Walking animation, the walking action is activated for the sprite it’s attached to:

enum ActionKind {
    Walking,
    Idle,
    Jumping
}
let mySprite: Sprite = null
animation.setAction(mySprite, ActionKind.Walking)

More actions

You can choose a different action or create a new one and add it to the ActionKind enumeration. Also, a new action is added by chosing Add a new action... in the action drop down list for ||animation:create animation||.

enum ActionKind {
    Walking,
    Running,
    Idle,
    Jumping
}

If you wanted a the character in the examples above to run as well as walk, you could make a second animation for the Running action:

enum ActionKind {
    Walking,
    Running,
    Idle,
    Jumping
}
let walker: animation.Animation = null
let runner: animation.Animation = null
walker = animation.createAnimation(ActionKind.Walking, 1000)
runner = animation.createAnimation(ActionKind.Running, 250)

The same frames can go into the Running action but the interval is shorter so the character seems to run instead of walk in the second animation.

Walking and running

To see the animation effects of both walking and running, two animations are attached to a sprite. The Walking action is started and plays for 4 seconds. Right after that, the Running action is played for 4 seconds. Each of the actions are then repeated in that order.

enum SpriteKind {
    Player,
    Enemy
}
enum ActionKind {
    Walking,
    Idle,
    Jumping,
    Running
}
let runner: animation.Animation = null
let walker: animation.Animation = null
let mySprite: Sprite = null
let walk = false
walk = true
mySprite = sprites.create(img`
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
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`, SpriteKind.Player)
walker = animation.createAnimation(ActionKind.Walking, 1000)
walker.addAnimationFrame(img`
d d d d d d f f f f d d d d d d 
d d d d f f f 2 2 f f f d d d d 
d d d f f f 2 2 2 2 f f f d d d 
d d f f f e e e e e e f f f d d 
d d f f e 2 2 2 2 2 2 e e f d d 
d d f e 2 f f f f f f 2 e f d d 
d d f f f f e e e e f f f f d d 
d f f e f b f 4 4 f b f e f f d 
d f e e 4 1 f d d f 1 4 e e f d 
d d f e e d d d d d d e e f d d 
d d d f e e 4 4 4 4 e e f d d d 
d d e 4 f 2 2 2 2 2 2 f 4 e d d 
d d 4 d f 2 2 2 2 2 2 f d 4 d d 
d d 4 4 f 4 4 5 5 4 4 f 4 4 d d 
d d d d d f f f f f f d d d d d 
d d d d d f f d d f f d d d d d 
`)
walker.addAnimationFrame(img`
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d 
d d d d d d f f f f d d d d d d 
d d d d f f f 2 2 f f f d d d d 
d d d f f f 2 2 2 2 f f f d d d 
d d f f f e e e e e e f f f d d 
d d f f e 2 2 2 2 2 2 e e f d d 
d f f e 2 f f f f f f 2 e f f d 
d f f f f f e e e e f f f f f d 
d d f e f b f 4 4 f b f e f d d 
d d f e 4 1 f d d f 1 4 e f d d 
d d d f e 4 d d d d 4 e f e d d 
d d f e f 2 2 2 2 e d d 4 e d d 
d d e 4 f 2 2 2 2 e d d e d d d 
d d d d f 4 4 5 5 f e e d d d d 
d d d d f f f f f f f d d d d d 
d d d d f f f d d d d d d d d d 
`)
walker.addAnimationFrame(img`
d d d d d d f f f f d d d d d d 
d d d d f f f 2 2 f f f d d d d 
d d d f f f 2 2 2 2 f f f d d d 
d d f f f e e e e e e f f f d d 
d d f f e 2 2 2 2 2 2 e e f d d 
d d f e 2 f f f f f f 2 e f d d 
d d f f f f e e e e f f f f d d 
d f f e f b f 4 4 f b f e f f d 
d f e e 4 1 f d d f 1 4 e e f d 
d d f e e d d d d d d e e f d d 
d d d f e e 4 4 4 4 e e f d d d 
d d e 4 f 2 2 2 2 2 2 f 4 e d d 
d d 4 d f 2 2 2 2 2 2 f d 4 d d 
d d 4 4 f 4 4 5 5 4 4 f 4 4 d d 
d d d d d f f f f f f d d d d d 
d d d d d f f d d f f d d d d d 
`)
walker.addAnimationFrame(img`
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d 
d d d d d d f f f f d d d d d d 
d d d d f f f 2 2 f f f d d d d 
d d d f f f 2 2 2 2 f f f d d d 
d d f f f e e e e e e f f f d d 
d d f e e 2 2 2 2 2 2 e f f d d 
d f f e 2 f f f f f f 2 e f f d 
d f f f f f e e e e f f f f f d 
d d f e f b f 4 4 f b f e f d d 
d d f e 4 1 f d d f 1 4 e f d d 
d d e f e 4 d d d d 4 e f d d d 
d d e 4 d d e 2 2 2 2 f e f d d 
d d d e d d e 2 2 2 2 f 4 e d d 
d d d d e e f 5 5 4 4 f d d d d 
d d d d d f f f f f f f d d d d 
d d d d d d d d d f f f d d d d 
`)
animation.attachAnimation(mySprite, walker)
runner = animation.createAnimation(ActionKind.Running, 250)
runner.addAnimationFrame(img`
d d d d d d f f f f d d d d d d 
d d d d f f f 2 2 f f f d d d d 
d d d f f f 2 2 2 2 f f f d d d 
d d f f f e e e e e e f f f d d 
d d f f e 2 2 2 2 2 2 e e f d d 
d d f e 2 f f f f f f 2 e f d d 
d d f f f f e e e e f f f f d d 
d f f e f b f 4 4 f b f e f f d 
d f e e 4 1 f d d f 1 4 e e f d 
d d f e e d d d d d d e e f d d 
d d d f e e 4 4 4 4 e e f d d d 
d d e 4 f 2 2 2 2 2 2 f 4 e d d 
d d 4 d f 2 2 2 2 2 2 f d 4 d d 
d d 4 4 f 4 4 5 5 4 4 f 4 4 d d 
d d d d d f f f f f f d d d d d 
d d d d d f f d d f f d d d d d 
`)
runner.addAnimationFrame(img`
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d 
d d d d d d f f f f d d d d d d 
d d d d f f f 2 2 f f f d d d d 
d d d f f f 2 2 2 2 f f f d d d 
d d f f f e e e e e e f f f d d 
d d f f e 2 2 2 2 2 2 e e f d d 
d f f e 2 f f f f f f 2 e f f d 
d f f f f f e e e e f f f f f d 
d d f e f b f 4 4 f b f e f d d 
d d f e 4 1 f d d f 1 4 e f d d 
d d d f e 4 d d d d 4 e f e d d 
d d f e f 2 2 2 2 e d d 4 e d d 
d d e 4 f 2 2 2 2 e d d e d d d 
d d d d f 4 4 5 5 f e e d d d d 
d d d d f f f f f f f d d d d d 
d d d d f f f d d d d d d d d d 
`)
runner.addAnimationFrame(img`
d d d d d d f f f f d d d d d d 
d d d d f f f 2 2 f f f d d d d 
d d d f f f 2 2 2 2 f f f d d d 
d d f f f e e e e e e f f f d d 
d d f f e 2 2 2 2 2 2 e e f d d 
d d f e 2 f f f f f f 2 e f d d 
d d f f f f e e e e f f f f d d 
d f f e f b f 4 4 f b f e f f d 
d f e e 4 1 f d d f 1 4 e e f d 
d d f e e d d d d d d e e f d d 
d d d f e e 4 4 4 4 e e f d d d 
d d e 4 f 2 2 2 2 2 2 f 4 e d d 
d d 4 d f 2 2 2 2 2 2 f d 4 d d 
d d 4 4 f 4 4 5 5 4 4 f 4 4 d d 
d d d d d f f f f f f d d d d d 
d d d d d f f d d f f d d d d d 
`)
runner.addAnimationFrame(img`
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d 
d d d d d d f f f f d d d d d d 
d d d d f f f 2 2 f f f d d d d 
d d d f f f 2 2 2 2 f f f d d d 
d d f f f e e e e e e f f f d d 
d d f e e 2 2 2 2 2 2 e f f d d 
d f f e 2 f f f f f f 2 e f f d 
d f f f f f e e e e f f f f f d 
d d f e f b f 4 4 f b f e f d d 
d d f e 4 1 f d d f 1 4 e f d d 
d d e f e 4 d d d d 4 e f d d d 
d d e 4 d d e 2 2 2 2 f e f d d 
d d d e d d e 2 2 2 2 f 4 e d d 
d d d d e e f 5 5 4 4 f d d d d 
d d d d d f f f f f f f d d d d 
d d d d d d d d d f f f d d d d 
`)
animation.attachAnimation(mySprite, runner)
game.onUpdateInterval(4000, function () {
    if (walk) {
        animation.setAction(mySprite, ActionKind.Walking)
    } else {
        animation.setAction(mySprite, ActionKind.Running)
    }
    walk = !(walk)
})