Exclusive Look at Our First Social Interactions
Hi, Anna here!
Today I’m excited to show you new interactions we included in the game! Those are all basic interactions between characters, which are crucial to start implementing all the social systems needed for a real life sim game. Relationships are a big part of the game and this one of the biggest parts of live mode we are tackling right now.
This post is for Patrons only so please don’t share, thank you!
💑 A Preview of Three New Social Interactions
Without further ado, here are the three new animations we included in the game!
Handshake
This animation will eventually be used for formal greetings and maybe sealing a deal with a client or negotiating with your boss to get a raise!
Your favorite mustache man is a very polite person!
Hugging
This hug animation might be used for more personal greetings or interactions between your Para’s loved ones.
A warm hug makes everything better.
Kissing
This kissing animation was designed by Alice to be a basic kiss (maybe a quick “kiss goodbye”) animation between two lovers, but there will be more passionate animations later down the line!
It’s almost Valentine’s Day, hope you have some chocolates ready!
🎯Mini Dev Diary: the Height Adaptation Challenge
I don’t know if you noticed on those previous GIFs, but our animations are now working with characters of different heights!
Indeed, one extra challenge we have in Paralives is the effect of the height slider on the animations. The interaction animations created by Alice are made using two characters with fixed size, so if we just put them as they are in the game and change the height of the characters, the animation will look weird!
Handshake animation on two different sized characters before procedural adaptation.
Kiss animation on two different sized characters before procedural adaptation. That kiss on the forehead is very cute, but that’s not what we wanted to do!
We cannot possibly ask Alice to do an animation for every size of character with the correct hand positions, so this is where procedural animations come handy! (see what I did there 🤝) I’ve talked a bit about it in a previous post quite some time ago. For now we’ve managed to automatically adapt the Kiss and the Handshake animation for small height differences. We will probably need other animations for “extreme” height differences: just as in real life, very small people can’t just lean towards their tall partner to kiss them but need to get on their toes or maybe need their partner to bend a lot more!
During the adapted handshake animation (at the beginning of this post), you can notice that the hands are adapted to meet, but also that the heads rotate a little bit so the character can look at each other when shaking hands. For the kiss animation, both the heads of the character rotate towards the lips of the other character, while hands need to be placed at precise points on the body of the other character, as Alice intended to in the original animation.
That concludes my post for today. Hope you liked those new animations!
We can’t wait to show you more things from the social part of the live mode!
Anna
ʕ ꈍᴥꈍʔ
Comments (101)
The last bug looked like a cute forehead kiss. I love it and maybe it could be a idea that's tossed around?
If/When you add left-handedness to the game, it'd be fun if, when a lefty and righty shake hands, there was a chance for the normal handshake animation to be replaced with an extended one where they first accidentally reach out with opposite hands and one has to switch the hand they're holding up. It'd be a fun little bit of realism! (It's also something that ends up happening to me a lot haha)
Nice job! I love the way these interactions work between different heights. This adds a lot to the game.
Very smart with the procedural generation! I'd like to ask, will we see longer hugs between paras who are more affectionate or have a closer bond with each other? I would also be amazed to see paras give hugs for emotional support, such as when one is sad.
Mhm. I'd like a hug animation where the para who is in a good mood and has good relationship last longer or be more exited to hug. Similarly, if say, the mom para asks their child to hug grandma or grandpa they could be really fussy about it haha
Now I am remembering all the 'how to kiss your tall/short lover' memes, it would be fun to incorporate some of them into the game but also as a fan mod later down the line once it gets released. I am really excited about the animations are working with the various heights and am excited to see how that will play out when they are interacting with the world, since height can give you an advantage in certain scenarios. I am curious about their facial expressions since you don't have a good view as they perform the animations
Little random thought, really short person trying to initiate a kiss brings out a stool out of nowhere so they can kiss their very tall lover XD
the procedural height correction is awesome and works so well with the natural flow of these animations
This is so impressive! I do think the hug animation looks just a little stiff in the arms - maybe a bit of an elbow bend / less straight arms could look just a little more natural? - but otherwise I love what I'm seeing. I agree with the poster above that I like how the para who initiates the interaction reaches out first and then the other responds - SUCH a nice touch! And I'm so, so impressed at the animations working with the height differences. Can't wait to see more!
I loooooooooove these especially the kids but the hug looks a little stiff in the arms in the beginning. Maybe adding a slight bend at the elbows?
Really cute animations, love how with the handshake and hug, one para reaches out first before the other responds. This looks more natural imo than both characters leaning in at the same time. The kiss between the tall guy and short girl is so cute, the height slider will make for some really cute and unique moments. Just very impressed in general with the procedural part of the animations. Everything so far looks very natural, I can't wait to see some of the animations needed for the extreme height differences.
I'm so excited for this game!! AAAAAAA
I love the animations!!! Also, I wonder if we could choose the way to wave at other Paras (it would be a great detaill).
While I know it wasn’t intended, that kiss on the forehead was adorable! I hope there will be an interaction like that, on purpose😂
everyone loves a cute lil forehead kiss, I'd love to see this specific interaction available!
Amazing stuff. Just wondering can modders create animations too?
Looks amazingly good. Good job, you've put a lot of thought into this!
Amazing work! Thank you Anna.
Can’t wait to see how the animations are fleshed out more and made to look more natural, but this is AMAZING! These are really wonderful!! So fabulously natural!! I love them!! 3I’m blown away by how good the animations look with the procedural compensations for height difference
"Seal the deal with a client"...hmm, is that a partial spoiler about one of the jobs to come? 😀
In any case I’m excited to have work related interactions outside of work. We won’t get active careers (which i don’t mind) but being able to talk to your boss outside of work about work and even asking for a raise makes it just that much more immersive, like your paras dont just leave to nowhere but actually have a real job
Love it 💕
Wow!! I’m blown away by how good the animations look with the procedural compensations for height difference. That’s some next level stuff, not just for life-sim games but for any sort of social animation in games
These are really wonderful!! So fabulously natural!! I love them!! I have one question about the handshake. I love that one Para puts their hand out first to shake. I'm wondering if there is some system behind which Para actually puts their hand out first. My immediate thought was that I expected that the Para clicked on to shake would put their hand out first. But then I realised that handshakes would happen between strangers/associates, and the stranger/associate would most likely be an NPC. I assume that, with the reason you've mentioned - job acquisitions and deals, this is why you've made the opposite Para put their hand out first? But then again, down the road I expect that our controlled Paras might reach the higher status's too. Or is there a personality thing about who puts their hand out first: the most extroverted first, for example. Or perhaps it could be simply the Para who has the highest opinion of the other Para when they relationship bars are compared. Or could it be status (like profession ranking status for example, where doctors and CEOs would always shake first), since you mentioned that the handshake might be used on the sealing of deals or getting a raise. Will it always be the opposite Para who initiates the shake or will it be connected to personality or relationship bars or status or some other thing?
omg im gonna cry, you guys got over the height issue that the sims couldn't
I love it, I do wish to have a animation with the forehead kiss. It would be a cute interaction between parents and their children too. Thank you for all the updates🥰
Ahhh the animations are looking so good!!! Thank you for all the updates, it makes me feel like a part of this journey.
Glad you liked the post, thank you so much for following us along this journey :)
The inclusivity~ the animations got me excited but the new clothes, hairs and accessories made me internally scream. Thank you. I needed that
We're glad you enjoyed it, thank you for the kind words! :)
I quite like the idea of being able to kiss another para on the forehead or head like a parent would their child!
Omg I’m loving this! I would love a cheek kiss for non-romantic paras, it’s super common in many families and with friends. Can’t wait to see how the animations are fleshed out more and made to look more natural, but this is AMAZING!
good job i can't wait to see it polish but i agree that a second animator would be a good idea !! keep going guys, we support
Oh man, I've never been more excited for patreon post to go public. When the day comes, it's gonna make a wave. Promise
I'm wondering: How long does it take Alice and the rest of the team to get an animation like this game ready? How ling is the process creating the actual animation, setting up the procedural adjustments, importing it into the game and hooking it up with the interaction system?
It's hard to give an exact answer! It really depends on a lot of factors and the time required to research an animation, build it, approve it, and then making the necessary procedural ajustements can widely vary. Some are also more complex than others while others need less adaptation work. However, now that we've built a sturdy set of systems, it only takes a few minutes for the animations to be imported and hooked up to the game :)
Loving the different height animations. This is already shaping up to be better than some other simulation games. Good job, you all! Keep it up! I just can't wait until early access! 😊
Thank you so much! 😊
You mentioned perhaps needing to make special animations for extreme height differences, and now I'm wondering: what will the minimum and maximum heights for adult Paras be? Will we be able to create little people (or should I say, little paras) for example? What about 7 or even 8 feet tall Paras? Is this currently possible, being worked on, or planned for the future at all? I think these sorts of heights would be another wonderful piece of diversity and inclusivity!
We haven't set the final limits on height yet but there will have to be some to guarantee that the animations will work. Modders will be able to disregard those limits to have shorter or taller Paras but it will be at the risk of breaking some animations😅
Ah yes, a formal greeting in just your underwear. That sounds like my kind of formal wear!!
I'm having a bad day today, but this update just put a smile on my face. Thank you for that. Keep up the good work Parateam, you're doing great❤
Thank you so much for your support❤️
"Negotoating with your boss to get a raise" 😃 that sounds cool.
Great progress, great use of procedural animations, but I think hiring another animator would be a good idea. It seems to be a lot of work for a single animator, even with the help of procedural systems. Also, I have to agree: Hugging looks a little stiff. It could use some polishing.
The hug seems a little stiff but other than that it looks great! So excited!
Are Maggie’s arms going through the other Para during the hug or am I going crazy?
New characters are adorable also
Looks great
The team is so so so good
Hey I’m crying 😭
Please keep the forehead kiss!
Is this the first time we’re saying two paras interacting? Cause this feels like a big thing, its like watching your kids grow up 😭😭 maybe im just weird idk LOL
I'm guessing "Valentine" is a placeholder character but now I want to give her a whole backstory
I hope they're not a placeholder. Paralives rarely disclosures the names of their placeholder characters. We finally have two new character names: Valentine and Will. I really hope they stick 😭
Mustache Man looks very profesh 😂😂😂
Ask for a raise in your undies to assert confidence
Wow you guys weren't playing 2023 has been blowing me away with these huge leaps of progress 😱
Oh wow I love how natural these animations look! And who are these super cute new characters?
Wow! The height differences, incredible work!
I love all the animations but the kiss! Oh my goodness it's so cute! And the height difference once - absolutely adorable even if it wasn't intended.
The interaction animation is looking smooth and effortless, it's wonderful! I enjoy all the excellent work you create and you sharing with all of us! And I agree with everyone about the forehead kiss animation, please keep it in the game!! I recall being kissed on my forehead as a kid often by parents and grandparents, which evoked some fond memories and made me smile just now ...thank you! Sometimes, accidents lead to great things!! 😄😎
IM GONNA DIE, THE FOREHEAD KISS WAS SO CUTE EVEN IF IT WASN'T INTEANDED
The forehead kiss is very cute 😍 And I am excited to know you are working on the height difference 😉
The forehead kiss is very cute 😍 And I am excited to know you are working on the height difference 😉
For larger height differences and kissing, I think it would be cute if the shorter para went up on their tiptoes as one option.
Aww that would be an awesome detail, thank you!
I'm thrilled that you got the animations working with height differences!! Also, you should put in the forehead kiss as a separate interaction with young family members, it's adorable.
This is awesome to see! Seeing the difference between animations when Paras are different heights is great. Also, I know they’re just example Paras, but it’s cool to see more examples of what they can look like.
Kiss on forehead would be cool for parents and children! 🙂
My thoughts exactly!! I hope they keep for that very reason. 🤞
The procedural animation is looking great so far! Also really like the hairstyles and outfits of the paras used, can't recall if they've been showcased before. It's mentioned that the handshake would probably be used for formal greetings and to enforce deals/negotiations, but I think it would also be great if paras who are shy or don't like hugs/physical contact would use it as automatic greeting even if they get along well with others. And I agree that the forehead kiss bug would be awesome as a feature. Maybe between lovers and parents-kids as a greeting/goodbye.
Thank you for the kind words, it would definitely be super cute to have the forehead kiss in the game! 🥰
Love seeing these B-t-s!!!
Okay, but that forehead kiss is ADORABLE!!! I now want to see something like that for adult/elder Paras to kids. :D Regardless, great work on the height differences!
Hehe we might just consider keeping it😄
amazing work expecially with the height differences! this really is what was needed
Well, now we need a forehead kiss animation, that was too cute 🥰
Sometimes bugs can unexpectedly lead us to new features...👀
Really amazing!! Love the animations
Thank you so much!
I can't stop laughing at how perfect that forehead kiss was even though it was a bug 😭 in any case, these look amazing! Great job as always
Thank you Manny! :)
THE HEIGHT DIFFERENCE KISSES OMG 😍
It's the sweetest🥰
The kiss animation is PERFECT! It's so *normal!* The handshake and hug are fantastic too, to be sure, but that kiss blew me away. I also noticed the hand placement was slightly different across the two sets of Paras which was really cool! I just love how natural it is. Thank you so much for your hard work!!
Thank you so much for the kind words!
amazing as always. thanks for the post anna. i will keep my fingers crossed that the forehead kiss stays in as it is incredibly cute and i really hope it works for kids too (as in seb doing it to eli).
That would be so cute! Thank you for the kind words Stewby😊
This is minor but I love how you can see that one Para goes for the interaction first. Like when they shake hands, they don't both reach for the handshake at the same time, one offers the hand, the other then moves to shake it. Great attention to detail!!
Thank you Lena, and great eye! :)
i’m so glad i get to see the behind the scenes of stuff like this!! i’ve been so curious to see how this would work. thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you for supporting us! We're really glad you enjoy our behind the scenes posts😊
How exciting!!!
It really is!!😊
This is so cool! I love these posts; learning about the bumps that come along the way in game design. I’m so excited to create characters of different heights. I would love to be able to make my D&D characters one day. Thank you for all the hard work you’ve been doing. Take your time, I’ll be waiting and super excited to play it!
Thank you so much for your support Amber! :)
The interactions and how you’ve worked around the height of the paras is amazing!! 😲😍 brilliant work! I love how close you’re all getting!! ✨♥️
Thank you, Becky🥰
YOOOOO this is for real such a next level concept, thank you for killing it too it looks great and it just gets me (and I’m sure many others) stoked! The detail and dedication is what makes this such an incredible team to follow and support
Thank you so much for the kind words! 😊