ABSTRACT
A video game character’s lines of movement are the player’s primary means of expression because they determine the mode of movement within the game’s virtual space. For the purpose of storytelling in games we are less concerned with movements of a character’s hand or facial expressions, for instance, because such animations are often too subtle to be noticed in the midst of action, on a character that takes up a small percentage of total screen space. Our primary concern is for broader animations that remain readable at every resolution, which includes character jump arcs and lines of movement. Before we explore the aesthetic effects of movement, we must make an important distinction between the two principle forms of character interaction: guided and synchronized characters.
