How to animate like Valve & Kostamoinen

[UML5]

I need help. only speed i can choose is kinda slow
Or I probably just need a new graphics card...

[EmperorFaiz.wav]

There's no shortcut to animate as good as them. Learn the basic of animations and practice.
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1840/discussions/0/2741975115066297037/ , skim to PART 4, #1 for animation-focused tutorials. Mind you you need to master the basics of SFM first before jumping into animation territory.

I assume your PC is too weak to run SFM unless I'm wrong, share your PC specs here.

[Mittens]

years of learning and practice. it will never look as good straight away but if you're passionate, you'll get there

[Capt Fuzzy]

Animation is like learning to play an instrument.., the more you learn and practice, the better you will get.
Most animators spend a lot of time not only practicing their art, but also educating themselves on the latest techniques and improvements.
You get out of it what you put into it.
Beethoven didn't just wake up one morning and start writing symphonies.
Eddie Van Halen wasn't born being a guitar virtuoso.
They, and those like them, have had to put in countless hours of study and practice to do what they were able to do.
Animation is no different.

[Iván]

Since no one is directly addressing your problem, here's a few common mistakes beginners make:

1. Inserting key frames too far apart from each other

2. Not paying attention to the graph editor. Movement is represented with curves, the common terms are: linear, step and Bezier. A linear curve doesn't have a change of speed, so it will look dull for most character animation. Whereas a Bezier will have slow-in and slow-out. And a stepped line is completely static/flat until the next key frame is reached, this is useful for the early animation process called "Blocking"

3. Maybe it is that SFM is laggy, but don't blame it on your computer too much, as far as I remember, the Source engine in general is more dependent on the CPU than the GPU.

[UML5]

Originally posted by EmperorFaiz.rar:

There's no shortcut to animate as good as them. Learn the basic of animations and practice.
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1840/discussions/0/2741975115066297037/ , skim to PART 4, #1 for animation-focused tutorials. Mind you you need to master the basics of SFM first before jumping into animation territory.

I assume your PC is too weak to run SFM unless I'm wrong, share your PC specs here.

shared them on another discussion.

[UML5]

Originally posted by E3D Iván:

Since no one is directly addressing your problem, here's a few common mistakes beginners make:

1. Inserting key frames too far apart from each other

2. Not paying attention to the graph editor. Movement is represented with curves, the common terms are: linear, step and Bezier. A linear curve doesn't have a change of speed, so it will look dull for most character animation. Whereas a Bezier will have slow-in and slow-out. And a stepped line is completely static/flat until the next key frame is reached, this is useful for the early animation process called "Blocking"

3. Maybe it is that SFM is laggy, but don't blame it on your computer too much, as far as I remember, the Source engine in general is more dependent on the CPU than the GPU.

I've been putting keyframes close to each other. sfm does kinda lag sometimes... and i never knew about the graph editor part. thank you!

[UML5]

I'm close to Plant's animation quality.

[UML5]

I think I just found out about the secret method, Using Half Playhead and smooth.

[Simurai]

It takes 10000 hours of learning

[steve.squelcher]

You aren't going to instantly be good at animating near the levels of Valve.
They hire industry veterans a lot, the animators they have likely have YEARS under their belt.