Game Animation: Dynamic
Action & Combat
Pro Animators Mentor You to Be Successful
Our mentors are working game-studio animators from Riot Games, 31st Union and beyond, who share weekly feedback and reviews and work with you 1:1 to grow your craft.
Why Take Game Animation: Dynamic Action & Combat at Animation Mentor
Personalized Mentorship
Our mentors are working professionals with years of experience under their belts, and they're passionate about training the next generation of animators. In this course you will learn from your mentor 1:1 from the source, who shares weekly feedback and reviews to improve your craft.
Studio-Level Animation Training
Our program immerses you in studio-like environments, ensuring you're job-ready upon graduation. You'll learn with the same tools and workflows as industry professionals, mastering Unreal Engine to gain skills that set you apart in the competitive game animation industry.
Live Weekly Q&As
Our campus simulates a game studio, enhancing your employability and industry-readiness beyond technical proficiency. Join live weekly Q&A sessions with your mentor on top of on-demand lectures and animation assignments.
Ongoing Rig Access
Keep access to the production-quality game character rigs you train on, with multiple character options and skins, so you can keep building action and combat shots for your reel.
What You'll Be Able to Do
- Master combat mechanics for smooth gameplay and responsive controls
- Explore AI behavior and understand the behavior tree to create intelligent opponents
- Dive into designing combat animations, considering factors like weapon size, speed, and behavior
- Bring enemies to life by animating their movesets and reactions for use by AI
- Animate attacks, combos, and takedowns that read clearly in fast-paced gameplay
- Block and refine dynamic action shots using studio-style game workflows
Skills You'll Gain
Reel Pieces You'll Walk Away With
Dynamic Action & Combat is built around hands-on animation exercises, each one a polished, reel-ready game animation shot that shows studios you can deliver combat and action that reads in real gameplay.
Combat Attack & Combo
A clean, readable attack or combo string animated for responsive, fast-paced gameplay, the kind of shot a combat designer is looking for.
Takedown / Finisher
A dynamic takedown or finishing move with weight, impact, and clear timing, refined into a polished portfolio piece.
Enemy Moveset & Hit Reactions
An AI-ready enemy moveset with reactions and hit responses, animated to bring an opponent to life in gameplay.
The Game Animation: Dynamic Action & Combat Curriculum
Combat Mechanics & Controls
Master the mechanics that make combat feel smooth and responsive.
Lay the groundwork for dynamic, gameplay-ready combat.
- Combat mechanics for smooth gameplay
- Responsive, response-driven controls
- Studio-style game animation workflow
Attacks, Combos & Takedowns
Animate attacks, combos, and takedowns that read in fast-paced play.
Dive into the nitty-gritty of designing combat animations.
- Attacks, combos, and takedowns
- Weapon size, speed, and behavior
- Weight, impact, and timing
Enemy AI & Hit Reactions
Bring opponents to life with AI movesets, reactions, and behavior.
Build intelligent, reactive opponents for gameplay.
- AI behavior and the behavior tree
- Enemy movesets for use by AI
- Hit reactions and combat responses
Ready to Start Animating?
Game Animation: Dynamic Action & Combat is a 12-week, mentor-led course. Apply at Animation Mentor, choose your mentor, and register for class.
- 12-week mentor-led course
- Taught in Autodesk Maya & Unreal Engine
- Weekly live Q&As + 1:1 feedback
- $2,499 USD
Frequently Asked Questions
Combat attacks are the player and enemy actions (strikes, combos, takedowns, and finishers) that drive fast-paced gameplay. In this course you animate them to feel responsive and impactful, considering weapon size, speed, and behavior.
Game animation is taught in Autodesk Maya and Unreal Engine. You'll work the way game studios do, learning Unreal Engine to gain skills that set you apart in the competitive game animation industry.
A game animator animates for real-time, interactive gameplay (responsive controls, AI movesets, hit reactions, and combat that holds up when a player is in control) rather than for a fixed, pre-rendered shot.
You should have completed the prerequisite course or have a working understanding of game animation fundamentals. If you're new to Animation Mentor, you can potentially skip the prerequisite. We recommend reaching out to a Student Success Coach for help.
12 weeks, mentor-led: 12 pre-recorded lectures, 5–7 animation exercises, weekly 1-hour live Q&As, and weekly 1:1 feedback from your mentor, plus over 150 hours of additional content.
Game Animation: Dynamic Action & Combat is application-based. Apply at Animation Mentor, and once you're accepted you choose your mentor and register for class.
