I’m working on a 2D character rendering system and I’m trying to replicate the rotation system used in Bitstrips. Bitstrips allowed for 2D character rotation in 45-degree increments, presenting various views (e.g., front, front-left, left, back-left, back, etc.). I’m encountering difficulties in positioning the character’s body parts during these rotations.
For instance, when the character has extended limbs (such as arms spread out like a T-pose) and is rotated, the challenge arises in ensuring that the limbs appear correctly positioned relative to the body’s orientation:
Bitstrips seemingly achieved this by rotating around an imaginary third Z-axis while confined to a 2D environment, which, mathematically, I’m not entirely sure how to do.
I’m specifically seeking guidance on how to position and render these body parts to emulate a realistic rotation without distorting their proportions. The goal is to retain the anatomical accuracy and alignment of body parts as the character is rotated, offering the illusion of a fluid and lifelike rotation.
There is a video here which shows an example of rotating the character.
I would greatly appreciate any insights into how to code something like this, methodologies, or reference materials that could shed light on achieving this rotational effect in a 2D canvas or any similar implementations that mimic human-like rotations. Thank you for your assistance.