Re-doing the walk cycle provides an important opportunity to hone fundamental animation techniques. While the first iteration caught basic motion, redoing the process allowed for more attention to detail, including weight distribution, timing, and hip movement. These changes helped to create a more realistic and fluid picture of walking, making the character’s movements feel natural and grounded.
One of the most important problems faced while developing the walk cycle was the occurrence of knee pops during the up frame. A knee pop occurs when a character’s knee snaps or hyperextends unexpectedly, disrupting the animation’s flow. This issue is most obvious during the up phase when the leg extends completely.