
Well, I've yet to see an animation overhaul that's actually user-friendly. I've also yet to see one that's efficient and fully utilizes folder categories and files. So why do I think the current animation mods need some work? Here's what I'm looking for when wanting an animation overhaul, and so are many others:
1. Avoiding use of the CS to set up animations. It's better to let users set up animation sets for their PC or companions in-game rather than in the CS.
2. Let us decide if animation overhauls can be applied to all NPCs or not - Sometimes we just want our characters to be unique.
3. Easy-to-find animation paths with custom preset names. A predefined area within the data/meshes/characers/_male/ path would be preferable since it's similar to the original method of adding animations (specialanims), and it would be easier to find.
4. Copying animation files to each folder should be avoided, but instead use a callback method to find an animation. If no animations are found in either the specified file or the set's default animations, then it uses the vanilla animation (or its replacer). For instance:
Say you are wielding a crossbow but have no crossbow animation. It doesn't find the proper bow animation replacer, so it goes into the set's default files to find a bow animation. If none are there, then it reverts to the vanilla bow animation.
5. Automatic weapon type detection. This goes along with 1 - Avoid players having to use the CS to mark weapons as certain types. Instead, it's better to check the name or class of the weapon to see what animation type is suitable. If it's wrong, provide a tool to the player to apply the proper animation set.
I know some of you will tell me it's not possible on some of these suggestions. But I believe that it is, it just requires a large amount of code to be written, or that it was never tried or nobody wants to try it.
...Anyone else have an idea on what they would like to see in an animation overhaul? May I remind to have user friendliness and an easy install in mind when making suggestions.