Animation is a popular term in the entertainment world. The technology is widely used in the making of many fun programs. This includes cartoons and movies like Tom and Jerry, Ice Age, Shrek, and Finding Nemo.
Moreover, animation has promoted the growth of the gaming industry. It has paved the way for the development of various animated games that are fun to play.
As a matter of fact, according to statistics, the mobile game animation market has grown over the years. It is currently valued at US$60 billion, a 10 per cent steady annual growth rate since 2018. Let us take you through the role of animation in the gaming industry.
What is Animation?
It is the art of making still images, inanimate objects, or successive drawings that appear to move. The process turns both three-dimensional and two-dimensional images into movement. Animators carefully plan each scene to portray the interactions and emotions of the characters.
Undoubtedly, many industries utilise this art. For example, advertising, engineering and architecture professionals use it to improve their designs. It helps them to come up with more detailed imaging for their projects.
Types of Animation
Animation is divided into two popular types, and they are used in various ways. Learn about them below.
3D Animation
The most common type of animation today is the 3D type. But, despite being used on computers, it requires more work than 2D animation. Animators use computer software to manipulate and create digital objects.
3D animation allows animators to develop more realistic objects, environments and characters. They are better than those of 2D animation and are ideal for showing altered realities, crowds and large landscapes.
Additionally, this type creates visually compelling and excellent-quality scenes. Here are some of the most popular 3D animation games:
- FIFA Soccer
- Genshin Impact
- Minecraft
- Asphalt 9: Legends
- Call of Duty
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They are some of the safest platforms to gamble at, and you can claim a welcome bonus to extend your experience. Also, visit a comparison site where you can read guides on which titles have the best 3D animations.
2D Animation
It is the basic type that has been present for a long time. First, it involves painting or drawing pictures on transparent celluloid sheets. Then, the animator photographs them, places the static images side by side, and flips them quickly. This makes the photos appear to move on the screen. Some of the early 2D animation games include:
- Mega Man 2
- Donkey Kong Jr.
- Street Fighter II Turbo
- Tetris
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Super Mario Bros. 3
However, 2D can be improved with vector-based animations. They are computer-generated 2D animations using mathematical values in resizing the images. It is better than the stored pixel values of the traditional 2D animation. The process allows the animator to create cleaner and smoother animations.
How animation is used in gaming
1. Deliver realistic experiences
Animations allow game developers to deliver realistic experiences to players. They help in designing environments that react realistically to your actions. For example, you can destroy various buildings or fly an airplane as it would be in reality.
In addition, characters in games also have emotions. They react to your instructions as you play and interact with the environment. Characters sparkle, move, appear, and disappear during gameplay.
Also, game companies add matching sounds to the video game for the different environments. The sound fully immerses you in its world as you play. This explains why some games are as good as being real.
2. Promote storytelling
Storytelling in different video games has also been made easy with animation. In fact, game developers use the technology for visual storytelling. It helps in character development, game world construction, and building emotional connections.
Good enough, animation supports all the different types of game storytelling, including:
- Linear storytelling: It is popular for strong-narrative games like Half-Life 2, Alan Wake, and Dead Space.
- Non-linear storytelling: Game developers use it in open-world games such as Beyond: Two Souls, Fallout 4, and The Witcher.
- Emergent storytelling: Here, the story emerges from your gameplay and you can create unpredictable stories as you play. This type is popular in games like 2 Fallout New Vegas and 4 Frostpunk.
Without a doubt, animation brings any game story to life.
3. Create unique elements
It promotes the creation of exceptional game concepts that hook many players. One of the best things about animation is that it doesn’t have any limitations. So, animators can create almost any game they imagine.
Game companies use 2D and 3D animations to create new games regularly. Players also have a wide choice because more titles are released from time to time.
Animation has developed the gaming industry
The gaming industry has greatly benefited from animation in many ways. It helps game developers to create an emotional, immersive, and engaging experience for players. Also, animation has a limitless potential in video game development.
