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Character Design for Feature Animation: Ro
Ilari Koskinen
Executive Producer
+358 40 773 7312
ilari@brinkhelsinki.com
Frame-by-frame animation magic: Veikkaus Yökyöpelit
Get ready for some frame-by-frame animation magic with a nocturnal twist!
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Yökyöpelit (Night Rascals) is an online lottery game we produced for Veikkaus in collaboration with Nasta Design and Moido Games. Foxy, Gobby, Horsey, Nosy, Spotty, Vampy, and Biggy form the mischievous crew of bats who call a magical cave—hidden inside an ancient well—their home. Every evening, they reluctantly wake up to start their nightly adventures. After all, starting the night is always easier with friends! Read on to discover how we created the characters, environments, frame-by-frame animations, and other game assets for this whimsical nighttime adventure.
Client
Veikkaus
IN COLLABORATION WITH
Moido Games, Nasta Design
WHAT WE DID
Illustration, Animation, Concept Development
CHARACTER DESIGN
In any frame-by-frame animation production, character design plays a central role. Once the core game concept was established, we began the character design process. This phase wasn’t just about creating the characters visually—it was also about shaping their personalities and unique traits, ensuring that their behaviors felt authentic.
We started by writing short bios for each bat character, giving them distinct personalities and backstories. Then, we produced dozens of initial sketches, exploring various designs and expressions. After several rounds of feedback with the client, we refined the characters into their final designs. Although some ideas didn’t make the cut, this iterative process ensured we delivered a lively, memorable cast.
2D CHARACTER ANIMATION - FRAME-BY-FRAME ANIMATION
We selected frame-by-frame character animation for this production to capture the expressive and fluid motion we envisioned for the bats. In this technique, every single frame is individually drawn, creating an organic sense of movement that’s difficult to achieve with other methods. This technique—considered the gold standard of 2D animation—allowed us to fully explore each character’s personality through detailed gestures and expressions.
ROUGH FRAME-BY-FRAME ANIMATION
The frame-by-frame animation process began with planning and blocking key poses. We first established the keyframes that defined each bat’s motion and personality. Then, we created in-between frames to smooth out the movements, ensuring the animations felt natural and lively. This rough animation phase provided the client with a clear preview of the animation before moving into final cleanup and coloring.
We also created a visual guide to show how different expressions and poses evolved throughout the animation process. Since frame-by-frame animation can easily balloon in complexity, we carefully managed the number of poses to balance quality with efficiency. This approach ensured seamless transitions between expressions and actions without overwhelming the production pipeline.
CLEAN-UP ANIMATION
Once the rough animations were approved, we advanced to the cleanup stage. During this step, we replaced rough lines with polished, clean outlines and finalized the line art for each frame. Simultaneously, we developed a method for applying final color to the bats’ wings directly in the game engine. This approach allowed us to reuse wing animations across different characters, helping optimize the game’s file size. This final stage ensured that the frame-by-frame animation remained consistent, colorful, and visually aligned with the game’s overall style.
GAMEPLAY FOOTAGE
Below you can check out gameplay footage that showcases the final frame-by-frame animations in action—along with the delightful sound design that brings each bat’s personality to life.
CONCLUSION
Working on Yökyöpelit allowed us to fully embrace the creative freedom and charm that frame-by-frame animation offers. From expressive character designs and fluid animations to richly illustrated backgrounds and playful branding, every aspect of this project came together to create a unique and engaging game experience. If you’re interested in bringing your own characters to life with frame-by-frame animation, let’s create something unforgettable together!
If you’re interested in frame-by-frame animation and various animals and characters (such as bags), feel free to explore our other 2D character animation projects for Veikkaus, like Cranky Bags and Delicazoo!
