The Effects Animation of Hollow Knight

A professional animator explains how Hollow Knight's effects animation makes the game play better!
Watch Dan's first-time playthrough of Hollow Knight here!
• Hollow Knight
To request an episode topic, support New Frame Plus on Patreon!
/ newframeplus
Written and produced by Daniel Floyd
Special thanks to:
-Carrie Floyd
-Eric Luhta
-John Gronquist
-Francis Lord
-Bluesparks
-Jochem Kuijpers
__________
Follow me on Twitter (@DanFloydPlus): / danfloydplus
For more games (and animation geekery), check out our other channel, PlayFrame! bit.ly/2lmGte8
___________
♪ "Nested (Hollow Knight Remix)" by liltommyj
• Nested (Hollow Knight ...
♪ ...and selections from the Hollow Knight official soundtrack.
___________
Want to contribute translated subtitles to this video? You can do so here!
amara.org/en/videos/Vub7konnW...
#HollowKnight #animation #NewFramePlus

[@GMTK]

Eyyyy good timing

[@NewFramePlus]

Your episode was so gooooood

[@raymk]

@@NewFramePlus we need a crossover, fellas

[@ruanvcunha]

Both episodes were amazing!

[@TheRealPairjax]

I was thinking to myself “somebody has to mention the timing of the videos”. Little did I know it would be Mark Brown himself who would do so. This calls for a Dan-Mark Collab!

[@retrocademediaofficial]

Extraordinary timing, Dan Root also posted a video around the same time

[@callowguru2611]

Absolutely right about the audio cues. Playing this game with the sound off is legit harder.

[@Atypical-Abbie]

And a sin.

[@pedroscoponi4905]

So much so that when I have a lot of trouble with a boss, Larkin forgive my sins, I turn off the music. Leaving _just_ the sound cues and nothing else sacrifices the atmosphere for a *lot* of gain in focus. Did that with Pure Vessel, worked like a charm.

[@kootiepatra]

The audio cues are so deeply *visceral*, too. I cringe every time the knight gets hit, because OOF that sounds like it hurts.

[@angelmin8819]

Except in Deepnest

[@ClownLordi]

callow Guru I remember when I first started on Switch, and the controller vibrated really badly every time I got hit, I got sick of it and turned it off. I got much better at it,

[@FlareVortex]

"That is not their official name, but I do not care.... bug knight" This killed me lmaooo

[@erwinlimawan3158]

Flare Vortex The hushed, fervent tone as he says it makes it amazing.

[@dominic4695]

*I do not care.*

[@adribier]

he's an absolute mad lad

[@rasul01]

Really glad that someone else also found that hilarious lmao

[@ingonyama70]

I love that silly-serious tone he gets.

[@past874]

I loved the way the sound become more muffled and distant whenever you got hit. It gave this heart stopping feeling, really selling the intensity and terror of being in pain from an enemy attack. This game was one of the only titles I didn't want to take damage at all, not just because that's bad, but because the intensity made it as close as it could to feeling like you had taken damage in real life as well.

[@navivan768]

Pasta Heart especially with the way you gradually start leaking void as you take more damage It starts seeping out at 3 masks an by 1 mask it is flooding

[@insaincaldo]

Oh yah, they did a good job with that. Even when watching someone play, I hated it every time.

[@imoscared]

The sound muffle is actually really smart since it actually conveys your invincibility frames

[@DeathKitta]

It also disorient you a lil, so it's harder to keep with the battle.

[@nediah]

That or it's meant to be a reminder 'Hey, pay attention. You got hit.'

[@JoCat]

no better time to finally pick up this game

[@_Hollowstrix]

I am so mad at my computer for not being able to handle twitch streams. I am excited to hear that you are playing the game!

[@TapDat52K]

JoCat I sense a future lets play coming on :3

[@Tralldan]

@@TapDat52K You mean present let's play? He already strated one a couple days ago!

[@jonathanpoirier9576]

and I can't wait to watch

[@gutembergcraft]

I love you Jocat

[@shawnheatherly]

Hollow Knight is just so absurdly polished in every aspect. I cannot wait for the sequel.

[@lync254]

No one can!

[@jetlirlajqi6977]

Same

[@harrylane4]

i can but mostly because i still cant beat the gd dream bosses to reach the true ending

[@Sir_Saki]

@@harrylane4 good luck my little knight friend

[@markwheeler4245]

Shawn Heatherly i bought this game on PSN for literally a few quid! I was absolutely shocked how much I enjoyed it and how much content there is! We live in an era of live service crap where games are DELIBERATELY made grindy and where ur hassled to buy bullshit game currency with real money to make things easier! It’s so refreshing when I just buy a game and the games polished and a complete experience! Being an older gamer It makes me smile playing games like this as I remember how it used to be.

[@jpohagan]

I am not an animator. I'm not even an artist. I have trouble drawing stuck figures. But watching you discuss your craft with such joy and detail, pointing out things I've never considered, brings a smile on my face. I may not have the ability right now, but once I can comfortably do so, I am Patreon-ing you so hard.

[@boneor...7022]

You even have trouble typing stick figures

[@hilman567]

"Can i just say i love this game?" Yes, Dan. For the hundreth time. You say that a lot in your other channel too.

[@Kathen]

For good reason, too.

[@alexmcd378]

When you slow down the on hit animation, it looks like Bug Knight takes a moment to look at you accusing and disappointed through the screen, as if to say, "really?"

[@samuelturner6076]

Side note, potential minor spoilers. I think another reason the VFX are so good in this game is they kinda have to pull most of the weight for Bug Knights animations, since if Bug Knights animations were “expressive” they could convey emotion or personality which is not what team cherry was going for due to lore.

[@katsucandy]

Good point! You can still gather some small amounts of expressiveness/emotion from the choices you're given at some points and other subtle stuff, but all in all its left pretty vague whether or not the knight is just a stoic little bug or actually [spoilers]

[@Edgeperor]

I don’t even think you need a spoiler warning, it’s pretty clear that the Knight has almost no personality

[@mrscreamlad6572]

I know that this is 10 months old but the Knight isn't hollow. For one, both Steel Soul Jin and the VoidHeart description state them to have their own will.

[@samuelturner6076]

Mr Scream Lad I don’t know what you mean by Jin but just because the knight has a Will doesn’t necessarily mean he isn’t (or at least for all intents and purposes of the game ect) hollow.

[@rockinmusicquarterly12]

@@samuelturner6076 the thing is, the entire reason they were thrown into the abyss in the first place is for that exact reason; they _weren't_ hollow. they can't talk or make facial expressions, but that's no reason to assume they have no personality or thought in the first place. hell, it's stated enough just by the fact that one of the quests the knight can undertake is taking a flower to a grave for a widow.

[@DennerBob]

BUG KNIGHT!

[@calebflores3389]

I refuse this name with every fiber of my being.

[@ingonyama70]

@@calebflores3389 No. Bug Knight. Bug Knight FOREVER.

[@Rynalus04]

This is one of the most disturbing things that happened to me in this video. but he seems to enjoy calling him "bug knight" tho so I guess it's okay for him . . . . . . . . . Damn I hate this name xD

[@calebflores3389]

@@ingonyama70 Doesn't the name kind of spit in the face of the artistic integrity of this game? "Shovel Knight" is a cheesy name, but it makes sense in the game's context. The other name is cheesy, except it doesn't match with the game's context. You were so disposable that you weren't even given a name or gender. I know I sound pretentious, but I love this game for reasons like this.

[@timothymclean]

FWIW, I think "Bug Knight" is fine. In-universe, it highlights how unremarkable the knight is; it doesn't even identify what _kind_ of bug they are. Suspect is hatless. Out-of-universe, it lets people distinguish "the Knight" from literally every other knight in fiction or history. You can't even nickname Bug Knight after the game they're in, because there's an actual Hollow Knight in the game!

[@dominic4695]

So true, I never actually realized that the animation is mostly effects. It’s hard to imagine hollowknight without them. I should really play this game more, I never got fully into it.

[@safabekr]

I watched this, went and watched Dan’s whole Hollow Knight playthrough, and now I’m back to watch this again. Y’all, Dan is such a good let’s player too. You get to see such a different side of him, he’s so goofy and sweet.

[@Flowtail]

Can i also say i appreciate you using they for bug knight I, too, love them, despite not having played this game

[@mettle753]

So glad this game gets the recognition it deserves. Masterpiece

[@juanrodriguez9971]

I want this game to not to be forgotten and become a general culture videogame.

[@squidsona8509]

i never played it so should i? im not very good at platformers

[@michawojcik5903]

@@squidsona8509 Absolutely! I was never into platformers, metroidvenias or anything related to this game and i love it. It's one of my favourite video games, though I don't play a lot of games, but still. If you wanna pick it up I have some good advice. 1. Make sure to avoid any spoilers (it makes the whole experience so much better) 2. Pay attention to dialogue and try to put together what different people say - it's your main source of information about the plot, next to the world itself and is essential to understanding the deeper lore which I recommend doing.

[@shmarfle47]

The amount of tiny details in Hollow Knight though! Honestly the amount of effort put into this game should price this game at well over $40!!!

[@samadhir]

Shh! Don't give them any ideas!

[@darthfastball1150]

Samadhir if I could go back and donate, knowing what I know now, I would have easily put $100 into this project

[@Binidj]

"Higher beings" I see what you did there.

[@GrahamWiebe]

As an effects artist, its always great seeing episodes like this. I love Hollow Knight and thanks soo much for covering its effects animation here!

[@deluxeloy]

Props to you for pronouncing Jochem's name almost entirely correctly.

[@vleessjuu]

I was pretty surprised by that. It doesn't happen often that English speakers know how to pronounce Dutch names.

[@politicaefutebolsediscutem1157]

This game brings me back to a time when video games felt mysterious and magical. Masterpiece. I just started playing it over a week ago.

[@atleo456]

The animation is one thing-I will admit, but this game entirely is a masterpiece! From the faded backgrounds, the visual effects added to the environments and the entrancing soundtrack, to the challenges of beating hard bosses and the in-depth lore that surrounds the game, (which is pretty big if you haven’t figured that out already). This is by far my favorite game-And only for fifteen dollars! I highly recommend for people to buy this game, especially people who enjoy games that are more than just “Killing and advancing to the plot.”

[@noivernova9016]

One of my favorite parts of hollow knight is how it uses its camera to enhance actions. Like with the actions mentioned in this video, but I think it’s most effective when the player focuses soul. The camera subtly moves in on the knight highlighting the actions importance. Hollow knight is brilliant.

[@corwin32]

Bug Knight always makes think of Piglet. “I’m so very little...”

[@pinkcupcake4717]

Oh d-d-d-dear!!!

[@erwinlimawan3158]

Pig knight.

[@insaincaldo]

@@erwinlimawan3158 The spin off

[@stevethepocket]

Piglet as an actual knight was one of his best moments. "I am _not_ brave! I am _not_ brave!"

[@rimjobledouche5201]

B-b-but pooh! I'm ab-b-bout to smack the b-b-b-bitch ass right off this scrub!

[@huey1910]

New frame plus: bug knight Mossbag: IT’S TREASON THEN

[@timothymclean]

I don't get why people are obsessed with videos that tear down stuff the author doesn't like. There are lessons to be learned from some of that, but there are lessons from people gushing about stuff they do like, too, and it's just a delight. Speaking of which, Dan's intellectual squee over Hollow Knight is great, and reason enough to be excited for the sequel.

[@silkworm2595]

I think comparisons are good. Sundered would be a good comparison as it's well animated and beautiful but it lacks clarity.

[@morank3]

The effects animation really stood out to me when I was playing Hollow Knight! Some more cool things; If you have any lifeblood hearts and take a hit, the splash effect is blue so you know you've lost a mask you can't heal. Same with hiveblood only it's yellow. In the middle of a fight, once you've acquired enough soul that you can use magic again, the container flashes and makes a sound to let you know peripherally so you don't have to look away from the action!

[@Mortal_Tezer]

That was very interesting tysm ! BUG KNIGHT POWER

[@mariapazgonzalezlesme]

Can't wait for your analysis animation about Silksong.

[@glaceRaven]

I for one accept the name "Bug Knight" as the name for this character. It just fits so perfectly, a cute name for a cute character, and it's kinda sorta true as well. They're a knight, and they're basically a bug, ergo "Bug Knight". I shall be referring to them as Bug Knight from now on ^^ Funnily enough, thanks to this I momentarily forgot that the game was called Hollow Knight instead of Bug Knight. I've got an interest in both gaming and special effects, so I found this video both interesting and helpful!

[@justember794]

Woo more Bug Knight! Hornet still doesn't look interested in the frozen yogurt... Eh, she'll come around, eventually.

[@calebflores3389]

You might as well name it "cupcake" if you're going to go for a cute name.

[@blarg2429]

@@calebflores3389 No. _Bug Knight._

[@calebflores3389]

@@blarg2429 Does no one appreciate the artistry of leaving it nameless?

[@blarg2429]

@@calebflores3389 There is no artistry here, only Bug Knight. I am sorry, but there's nothing we can do for you.

[@calebflores3389]

@@blarg2429 You really don't enjoy the tragic elements of the story? Not one bit?

[@ra1nyran]

I never really got used to the audio cue when I got hit in Hollow Knight, everytime I heard it I flinched and ran away from the enemy thinking I was about to die!

[@schino]

the crystal dash is honestly my favorite movement mechanic, visual effect, sound effect, and animation in hollow knight

[@Sir_Kero]

"Seeing your character immediately respond with the appropriate action, is your visual confirmation that your input was received".. and that's precisely why I could never enjoy WoW or PSO. Those queued actions feel totally disembodied and unsatisfying to me, like trying to use a laggy touchscreen and constantly wondering if the touch even registered.

[@Yombai]

When animation and sound design truly melt together to enhance each other according to me are when Hiveblood masks heal and the Baldur shell first locks around you. Those are my favourites and part reason why I searched for videos on the underappreciated animation in this masterpiece of a game.

[@l8dawn]

1:41 I am SO glad you included Todoroki's faceoff!!! I loved that scene so much; it would give me shivers every time I watched it, and I'm so happy someone talked about it, even if just for a second :)

[@TheKiburedo]

I didn't expect liltommyj outro of this video, I'm a big fan of his remixes, you nailed the video, Dan, it's just too perfect

[@dragonmaster1500]

I'm a simple man. I see a video on Hollow Knight animation I click.

[@davidmst]

This game is absolutely fantastic. I love the double jump animation, with the moth wings. Always liked double jumps with more than just repeating the jump animation, like God of War.

[@MonsterMoloch]

I also played Hollow Knight for the first time recently. I haven't finished it yet, but it is already one of my favorite games of all time. I started playing video games since the SNES era and Hollow Knight kind of feels like a continuation of that era. Not in a pandering-to-nostalgia kind of way, more like in a "what if video games never went 3D" kind of way. No idea if that makes sense to anyone... Oh, and by the way: Your pronunciation of the name Jochen is flawless. It's one of the harder words for English speakers.

[@ahandsomefridge]

Great vid, and kudos for pronouncing that dutch name correctly :)

[@Anonymous-Shade]

"Can I just say I just love this game?" Of course! More people need to play it and it's good you're making a video about it to spread the popularity!

[@Applemangh]

That got reaction is so intense, I sometimes mistakes it for a death animation. My hands will relax and I'll stop paying attention for a moment because I think I just DIED. Of course, one I got used to it, I really came to appreciate the intensity since it makes taking damage really clear when the screen is otherwise chaotic.

[@JoyceW-Art]

BUG KNIGHT! I'm so happy to see you cover the game on this channel as well

[@Brettlaken]

1:40 That Todoroki Shoto flame awakening moment always makes my eyes eyegasm

[@housekinokuni903]

First GMT and now this. I think i will never get enough of Hollow Knight.

[@RelyeaGaming]

Big knight! I love it. It’s going to be hard for me NOT to say bug knight

[@scrustle]

A lot of this applies to a game I've been playing recently. Lucah: Born of a Dream. It also has a heavy emphasis on effects work over actual character movement. Hollow Knight probably does a better job at it, but Lucah definitely has a very unique art style with its effects. It's a very interesting and different game, that covers some really heavy topics.

[@juanrodriguez9971]

Thanks for the recommendation bro, I'm going to search that game.

[@Simon-xi7lb]

glad I'm not the only one that's played it, lol...

[@splubber99]

"Higher beings" Fucking nice. Amazing video

[@waidro_yu]

Re-watching the Abyss Shriek animation so many times I can't even count *Its just too good..*

[@6767tristan]

love the outro by liltommyj

[@CAyou]

This is the first I hear about VFX animation utility in a game. Thank you for highlighting that! I will share it too all my colleagues haha

[@pinguin4898]

my man just slightly flexing with his geo

[@mutatedteddy07]

I’d honestly love just another episode about various animation in hollow knight

[@_vsnwprintf_s_l]

I kept getting the videos from the other channel recommended but I saw it wasn't complete and I'm good at burning through LPs quick so I ignored it all the 20 times it came up on my front page, thanks for reminding me to watch! (and also great video lol)

[@ManjerArt]

Yeshhhh! And about effects animation as well! I love it! You don't see a lot of animation explanation about effects, so glad this exists!

[@rorykurek643]

Great stuff as usual, Dan! I'm continually amazed by the amount of care and attention that went into this game. I've played about 60 hours and there are still so many little touches here that I didn't (consciously) notice until you pointed them out.

[@maginpanic]

As a 2D special effects artist im in love with this video! Well done!

[@BeyondTheSide]

... I didn't even realised this is dan. just clicked on the video coz it's interesting.

[@wizardofarts1276]

Ha ha you got a like as soon as you said "bug knight" all dramatically with no background music. And it was awesome hearing you call us higher beings. I'm going to watch your playthrough now.

[@LLAAPPSSEE]

Yer vids are great. Thanks for including music links.

[@scarletscarlet800]

My favorite game animation channel talking about one of my favorite game, this can't get any better.

[@siddharthaguha5383]

Higher being, these words are for you alone Keep em coming and deliver us from the drought that is the absence of silksong.

[@nicolaspeters5980]

I never realized the abyss shriek brought out your shade lol

[@judygambel2801]

3:05 oh my god that squat is freaking cute

[@MelvaCross]

This reminds me of the work of the anime studio Ufotable. They were one of the first anime studios with a dedicated Effects Team. And they are able to produce gorgeous anime without increasing the production costs of their works just because they were already so adept in the usage of special effects.

[@JochemKuijpers]

Great video, thanks Dan :D!

[@imoscared]

One thing he didn't even mention is that this game gives you so many audio cues! For example, when you take damage, you know how much based on the intensity of the sound when you're hit. Furthermore, the sound is blurred/muffled out for a while to tell you exactly how long you have invincibility frames. Even outside of the wonderfully done music, the way it ties into combat is just spectacular.

[@plugga60173]

Thank you for doing this analysis, I Never would have found this game otherwise. It's so beautiful

[@myztklk3v]

I've put over 100 hours into this game and I never noticed the knight turning into a void being when he uses Abyss Shreak

[@IcetrayYT]

Ya I love the animation that happens when your at 1 hp combined with abs rad on his 3 phase with the swords blending in with the background and a blurry screen.

[@gyzardo3648]

1:00 this I hilarious, well done!

[@Shadowreaper5]

So glad you finally did an episode on this after you loved Hollow Knight so much

[@vecvecvec]

Oh my gosh subscribed. I watched this and the Guilty Gear one and I took a page of notes on each one. Super interesting, and it really really REALLY makes me want to do some animation.

[@72nodes85]

Tiny, angry, little abyss monster. I could not think of a cuter way to describe it.

[@thecrimsonaxe6037]

Nuclear Throne please. I love those title screen animations! It's a beautifully animated game with a level of pixel animation I aspire to.

[@stinkiest]

hearing "they" for ghost's pronouns added 132 years to my life, i love you thanks

[@alexistheweak6841]

Love your channel Dan!

[@Marianis2305]

I've always been super passionate about the importance of FX and Compositing in anything animated. This is so delightful and fascinating!!!

[@jekster]

Great video. Hallow Knight is absolutely beautiful on so many levels. Art, music, animation. Everything.

[@namankhilrani8845]

Damn, I literally watched all of your Hollow Knight playthrough back when it came out, totally forgot about it some time later, then came to this video for some animation research, remembered Bug Knight and thought 'nice, another let's play channel called it that too, a while ago', until it all fell in place in the end, lmao. Great video, my man :) I AM BUG KNIGHT

[@kailastnam9793]

I’d love to watch this video now, but I haven’t finished Hollow Knight yet.

[@ProbablyLuciat]

There's nothing about story revealed, just two abilities and a couple bits of a few boss fights

[@charksey]

It reveals a few areas, bosses, and power-ups. I might consider it a teaser more than a spoiler.

[@kcbsuiejd]

I would still advice you to play through it first since the game is beautifull when going in blind. Especiall, the power ups have a much greater "wow" effect if you discover them on your own :)

[@eldeivis44]

I think that the effect from the bosses, ya... that shake an the roar "like the aura they emit is a good point"

[@pneumonoultramicroscopicsi9015]

Just found this channel Already subscribed! Great job for a game I love

[@KingKaymor]

Hahaha, I got a warm fuzzy feeling when I heard "Nested" playing.

[@tammysilverwolf1085]

I loved your playthrough of Hollow Knight, and I'm really hoping you'll do one of Silksong, too. No doubt there'll be a lot more to talk about. :) Great video as always!

[@AnbaLen]

Okay but the completely native accent for Jochem Kuijpers really threw me off for a second. Holy sh*t lol. Nice review! A friend of mine has showed me the game before and told me how much he loved it. Might give it a go-go!!

[@salgen1319]

Highly recommend

[@Jagerbomber]

You didn't really mention the direction and lines the effects make that massively emphasise the direction of the character's attacks or actions. I mean it's clear and self-explanatory, but still.

[@LazyDogJumper]

The game is FULL of effects and it would take a much longer video to deal with all of them. I feel he focused on those 1) because they were requested and 2) because the attack and jump animations (for example) are so clear and vital to even basic game play that they don't really need to be mentioned. He did talk about how it looked without them though. Bug knight doesn't even do a full slash

[@juanrodriguez9971]

The first time I noticed those small lines when you hit something become one of my favorite details, is just too small but too useful for the game, I didn't notice them, but I wouldn't feel complete a new Hollow Knight without them.

[@alessandrasmota]

Well, if you liked this game, then I would love to see you looking and analyzing Ori and the Blind Forest!!

[@toadgoblin7035]

bug knight is perfect thank you

[@07jackg]

I'm an ex theatre student, but I have a keen interest in every art/performance medium. I'm currently exploring my musical side and this video got me thinking what the musical equivalent of an "Effect Animation" might sound like; and what focusing on this over the equivalent of "Character Animation" might do to a piece of music. Thank you.

[@MStemmm]

I think this is the first time I've ever heard someone refer to the knight as "they" in a dev video dissecting hollow knight and i might cry about it actually. thank you so much

[@dhruvmukherjee8028]

I was looking for this comment! I loved that too, and was so happy to see it

[@Cheersbigears]

Why is this a thing? Sticking with either he or she seems fine since the bug knight isn't plural.

[@MStemmm]

@@Cheersbigears the creators have stated themselves that the knight and the hollow knight should both be referred to with "they" pronouns because neither of them is male or female. they have no gender.

[@safabekr]

Stem!!! I love your artwork!

[@darthfastball1150]

Does Hornet have a gender?

[@Sir_Saki]

Hollow Knight is such a beautiful and amazing game. Found your video by chance and loving it!

[@sheepthehack]

Ive missed that voice!!! Many an HOUR have i listened to a slightly sped up version while i was coding my game.. the slow down version is just as good!!! Its sort of a sensible older brother thats also a little geeky.. God love u Mr New Frames!! PLUS!

[@Seinkal]

Mark Brown and New Frame Plus talking about Hollow Knight? I'm in heaven

[@bruh6237]

I know this isn’t what the video is about, but can i just say, the little knights swimming animation is one of the most adorable things I’ve ever seen

[@Name-jb7kw]

This dude even got the Knight's gender right. Good video

[@UrbanExplosionsGuy]

loving these videos! keep it up! :)

[@pinkajou656]

“When your character happens to be so very smol.”

[@dennisjoosen7899]

Your videos are amazing!

[@colibri224]

I can't believe you're talking about this game, I've discovered it 1 month ago (I still haven't finish it yet). ^^