Evolving the animation in Horizon Forbidden West
summary
Animation team builds a controlled descent using a Shell-Walker shield for fast, combat-ready verticality and a rope‑caster grapple for quick updrafts, ships 14 single climb animations to cover common deltas, and tunes melee timing to a 12% slowdown for readable weight. Production uses two body rigs, records ~150–200 unique deaths and ~300 staggers, and implements a new node‑based AnimGraph engine to animate the 55 m Slitherfang with a mixed procedural/keyframe system. Frame rate workflow animates at 30 FPS. Shell-Walker shield AnimGraph engine
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chapters (14)
- 0:00Animation evolution in Horizon
- 2:49Goals for animation
- 3:51Aloy’s character traits
- 8:22Traversal mechanics and verticality
- 13:18Controlled descent mechanics
- 19:16Melee combat overhaul
- 22:05Hit reactions and fluidity
- 26:42Jump-offs and versatility
- 32:20Human enemy AI variety
- 37:14NPC hit response system
- 40:03Enemy personality decks
- 45:16Machine locomotion and combat
- 48:11Slitherfang animation
- 58:07Animation improvements summary
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