This first 8-week module lays the fundamentals of gameplay animation. You identify what sets game animation apart from film animation: here, responsiveness comes before the beauty of the movement, because players must instantly feel what they command.
After choosing your character (rig, moodboard, Character Bible), you produce your first gameplay animations: idle, walk, run, simple jump and light attack. Each one is integrated and tested in Unreal Engine as soon as it is created. The module ends with a polish pass to deliver a first coherent, functional portfolio.
What you will cover
This module transforms the way you look at animation: in gameplay, an animation only truly exists once it becomes playable. You start by defining your character’s identity (references, Character Bible), then animate, one by one, the building blocks of a responsive character that feels good to control.
The main topics covered:
- The movement foundation: idle, walk and run designed for readability and responsiveness in game, not just for the beauty of the motion.
- The jump: finding the right balance between anticipation and instant response to the player’s input.
- The first attack: understanding the three phases of a combat action and how they feel, controller in hand.
- The studio reflex: every animation is integrated and tested in Unreal Engine, before a polish pass that delivers a first clean portfolio.
What you will get
An experience close to a real feature-film production.
Live sessions with a working mentor, in small groups.
Shots tailored to what recruiters expect.
A certificate of completion for professional training.
Guided by a feature-film professional
Vanessa Ruffra
Senior Character Animator Gameplay · Quantic Dream, Ubisoft
Video game animation is a craft of its own: where film can polish every shot, games demand interactivity, real time and the feeling of control. It is a demanding, technical…
Filmography:
Heavy Rain · Beyond: Two Souls · Assassin’s Creed · Ghost Recon · Prince of Persia
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