🥊 Episode 4 · Improver · Animation

Make Them Move
Episode 4: Animations

An animation is a list of sprites shown in order. In this episode you read and write .air animations, learn about timing, and understand the action number that states call.

👶 Ages 10+ ⏱️ ~50 mins 🥊 MUGEN ✓ Free workshop
🎞️ Action blocks ⏱️ Timing 🔁 Loops 🎯 Action numbers
🏃 Start Step 1 ← All Episodes
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Level 1
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Build it in our MUGEN Studio too: set up a fighter, add sprites and poses, place hitboxes and export a real fighter folder in the browser, with no install. Open the MUGEN Mod Studio →
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Ember says: animation code is just lines of "show this picture, for this many frames". Once you see that, the .air file becomes readable.
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🎞️
One Action Block
The shape of an animation
Active
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Goal for this step

Read a [Begin Action] block.

  • 1Each animation starts with [Begin Action N] where N is the action number.
  • 2Then one line per frame: group, image, x offset, y offset, ticks.
  • 3Ticks is how long the picture stays on screen.
[Begin Action 0]
0,0, 0,0, 8
0,1, 0,0, 8
0,2, 0,0, 8
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Fill in the Blanks
+15 XP
Each animation block starts with Action and a number.
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Knowledge Check
+15 XP
What is the last number on an animation line?
AHow long the frame shows
BThe sound number
CThe damage
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Timing and Feel
Slow and punchy
Locked
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Goal for this step

Adjust timing to change how a move feels.

  • 1Bigger tick numbers make a move feel slow and heavy.
  • 2Small tick numbers make it snappy.
  • 3A punch should snap out fast and hold a moment on the hit frame.
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Fill in the Blanks
+15 XP
A snappy move uses tick numbers.
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Knowledge Check
+15 XP
A punch should feel fast. What timing helps?
ASmall ticks out, a longer hold on the hit
BVery large ticks everywhere
CZero ticks
3
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Loops and Idle
Breathing in place
Locked
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Goal for this step

Make a looping idle animation.

  • 1An idle animation loops: the engine shows the action again and again.
  • 2Keep the first and last sprite similar so the loop does not jump.
  • 3A gentle idle makes a fighter feel alive.
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Fill in the Blanks
+15 XP
The idle animation should so the fighter keeps breathing.
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Knowledge Check
+15 XP
Why keep the first and last idle sprite similar?
ASo the loop does not jump
BTo save memory
CIt is a rule
4
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Action Numbers
The link to states
Locked
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Goal for this step

Understand how states call animations.

  • 1A state says anim = 200 to play action 200.
  • 2Keep a list of your action numbers so you can find them.
  • 3Common actions: 0 standing, 20 walking, 200 a punch, 5000 getting hit.
✏️
Fill in the Blanks
+15 XP
A state plays an animation with anim = (or whichever number you chose).
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Knowledge Check
+15 XP
How does a state know which animation to play?
ABy the action number
BBy the file name
CIt guesses
🎉✨🏆🎉
Your Fighter Moves!
You can read and write animations. Next you connect the controller to those animations with commands.
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Total XP
1
Level
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Best Streak
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Accuracy
Next: Episode 5: Commands →