Spider QoL Animation Wishlist

[Canis]

So, we all know that Webber is next on the rework chopping block. He is the one that so desperately needs it the most out of the rest of the cast. However, his spider friends have been just as neglected. Instead of ragging on their almost decade-old AI, I instead want to point everyones' eyes towards QoL cosmetic changes for spiders. If they have more animations and simply interact with the environment more, they can finally reclaim their role as "creepy crawlies" instead of "black circle with legs that roars at you". Im bringing this up now because we got a QoL update coming for us next month, so hopefully Klei may throw some of these ideas into that.

* Crawling on Structures
    When a spider is idle near a structure, it may choose to climb onto that structure. This is purely for visual effect. This can give a nice "overrun" effect when spider eggs are planted within a base (Webber) or large forest/quarry area.

In order to not make Klei Animators want to eat dirt, of course the number of entities spiders can climb on should be limited. I propose this list:
    - Rocks (Normal, Gold, Flint-less.)
    - Trees (Small, Med, Large, includes lunar variants)
    - Science Machine, Alch. Engine, Prestihatitator, Shadow Manipulator)
    - Chests, Ice boxes, Crock Pots

When a spider climbs on a structure, it will tend to stay on that structure for a bit before climbing off. If aggro'd, it will climb off and then roar. If attacked, it will fall off onto it's back with it's legs dangling in the air.

If the entity a spider is on is being interacted with (mined, chopped, used, etc), then the spider will play the same animation as if it was attacked. They won't aggro on Webber, obviously.

As a little technical note, prototyping stations wont play their "idle" animation when a player is nearby if a spider is on it. If the prototyping station is used to prototype something, it will still play the animation and the spider will be knocked off.

* Proper animations for spiders crawling into and out of dens
    Right now, Spiders use their generic "roar" animation when they exit a den, and their "eat" animation when they enter one.

When Spiders exit a den, they could have several animations each depicting a different angle they crawl towards(right, left, and center). The game chooses which animation to use at random. All animations would start with the spider appearing from behind the den. When multiple spiders come out of the den at a time (most likely a spider or the den itself was attacked), then the game will prioritize occupying all 3 "angle" options. If there are more than 3 spiders in the den, it will send out more half a second after the last 3 spiders, to prevent them from layering on top of each other and confusing the player on how many spiders there are in a den.

A similar method could be used for entering a den. Spiders climb onto the den, go above it, and then disappear behind it. If there are no angles for a spider to climb up (ex: there are already 3 spiders climbing), it will wait outside the den for an opportunity.

* Idle Animations
    Spiders are motionless when they are idle. A simple animation like them looking around could put a little life into them.

* Interactions with other spiders
    Perhaps when an idle spider finds itself in range of another idle spider, they can play a "face-off" animation where they hiss at each other. If one of them is a Spider Warrior whilst the other is not, the non-warrior will be intimidated.

 

Those are all of the ideas that I got. Having all of these intricate animations would most likely take a considerable amount of time to produce, so I don't expect everything. If I had to choose one, I'd choose the spider den enter/exit animations.

If anyone else has ideas for QoL animations for spiders, dump 'em here.
 

[Scrimbles]

Animations to tell what friend state a spider is in is a must.

Without mods its very difficult to tell how long a spider is actually going to be helping you out, one minute they are following you, the next they just abruptly leave.

Unlike pigs they don't have happy animations that show that their follow time is high, hungry animations to show that they are close to leaving, and a variety of speech lines to describe their different situations.

 

I don't want any animations to be too cutesy, maybe something like a new roar animation when they are friendliest with Webber, and a irritated snarl when they are about to leave.

[Hornete]

idle animations would be cool, that's all I want really.

Crawling on structures seems very unnessacary.

[Canis]

1 minute ago, Hornete said:

unnessacary.

QoL

[Pikapikap]

I do like some of your suggestions, They are good

Everyone is speculating, but I think if it is not Webber's refresh in September, but other characters, these suggestions can be retained until the next time.

[-Variant]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE IM BEGGING

Ahem, yes. Please, more animations for Spiders are an absolute must, I think them scuttling around on structures would be an amazing addition, I'm itching for more interactivity between spiders and the world.

The lacking of an idle animation has been a bane of me as an animator for eons, finally shooting it would relieve me of the pain.

Hissing and other interactions between each other (Like the Saladmanders) would be amazing to see, it'd spruce up things for other characters too, It'd be a neat welcomed thing. 

I adore all of these additions.

[1bubbainpa]

1 hour ago, Canis said:

So, we all know that Webber is next on the rework chopping block.

Be careful not to hype yourself up. Although Webber is the most popular choice in who will be reworked next, there is no guarantee that Klei will choose to do him next.

[Canis]

1 hour ago, 1bubbainpa said:

Be careful not to hype yourself up. Although Webber is the most popular choice in who will be reworked next, there is no guarantee that Klei will choose to do him next.

If they choose anybody but Webber they're going to disappoint a lot of people on the forums. Plus, he is the one that needs a rework the most, and Klei seems to be going by "weakest first".

[SoupRiced]

Make spiders dance when Webber is dancing

[minespatch]

1 minute ago, SoupRiced said:

Make spiders dance when Webber is dancing

They were dance phobic in the forge.

[Szczuku]

As an idle animation I'd like them to do a stereotypical blinking, y'know, every eye blinks independetly.

As for interacting with other spiders Klei could just make the same animation as in Wurt's short. 

Either way I'm all for creatures receiving new animations and interactions with environment. Dst's flora and fauna feels way to static.

[Well-met]

make their eyes glow in the dark

[DaZoul]

18 hours ago, Canis said:

If they choose anybody but Webber they're going to disappoint a lot of people on the forums. Plus, he is the one that needs a rework the most, and Klei seems to be going by "weakest first".

I'm pretty sure they already chose the next character

[Canis]

1 minute ago, DaZoul said:

I'm pretty sure they already chose the next character

Yes, Webber.

If not then I will literally die.

[DaZoul]

Just now, Canis said:

Yes, Webber.

If not then I will literally die.

I too, am pretty sure he's next, but if he isnt, Im just gonna laugh

[Kelloggs Dogfry]

We’ll have to start a forum riot if Webber isn’t next. And also I too will die.