February 12th, 2006
Violent Stick Figure – “Multi Lock On”
600kB. 160x130resolution. 884 unique images. This awesome animated gif was apparently released circa 2003. This animation is especially cool because of the old-school technology it utilizes. Amidst the boom of the newer flash format for bandwidth effecient animations, they chose to create a gif. The GIF has long been a key part of internet graphics. What would this look like redone in flash? I believe the stick figure protagonist here is complemented by the presentation media. Animated gifs are basically like animated flip books I created in grade school classes as a child. In any case, this Anime inspired movie was well worth tracking down and blogging about. Props to Sosuke for the help tracking down a decent version.
Lost in translation: My friend Yasuko helped me out by translating the bits of text at the beginning and the end of the movie. At the beginning of the movie the text beside the door says, “If you cannot open the door, break it.” The ending frames say, “If you cannot open the door by pushing… try to pull it open.”
Animated GIF Editors: In order to get translation help and learn more about this work of art, I began searching for an animated gif editor. First I tried to find something for Apple Mac OSX. SuperGIF, GIFfun, gifbuilderosx, GIFmation; I experienced a combination of corrupted archives, crashes, requirements for os9 etc. I went to windows and applications like A-Z Paint and other free solutions wouldnt even install or had the same problems as the Apple software. Then I found Active GIF Creator which was not free but allowed me to trial the software long enough to open the animated gif and export it to 884 png files. I spent an hour and a half trying to find a program to perform a task that only took 30 seconds. Note that Adobe Photoshop has Imageready built in for editing animated gifs.
July 26th, 2006 at 1:09 pm
Can an animated GIF file like that spread a virus? My computer started acting strange after I copied it and saved it to my system. Firewalls stop executable files, but this one can come in as a graphic in an e-mail.
July 26th, 2006 at 1:17 pm
To my knowledge, and a quick google search just now, you can not get a virus directly from an animated gif. There are examples of animated gifs used to trick people into downloading viruses as you can see at the link below; but in this example the animated graphic is akin to a billboard pointing the way to an establishment of ill repute.
Example: http://www.sophos.com/pressoffice/news/articles/2004/12/va_zafid2.html
September 1st, 2006 at 12:59 am
… Awesome! … Was googling for this under key words “stick figure multi lock on” … I first encountered it as an avatar in another site … MY GRATITUDE TO YOU for posting it! …I’ve now dl your upload which is superior to that tiny avatar! … if I may query, where was the original source? …
… BTW, from a fellow sg chinese, may I suggest that you re-tune your profile … there’s enough info there for those in the know (& your reference to prc sites) to conclude that you’re an sg chinese … just thought I should let you know if you desire to be more oblique, so to speak … you may wish to delete comment in this para …
… oh, I’ve also bookmarked you blog … looking forward to more good stuff from you …
… cheers! …
September 1st, 2006 at 7:58 am
Unfortunately I do not know the original source. I’m glad you like the post and thanks for leaving a reply of gratitude.
September 6th, 2006 at 8:04 pm
I to saw this gif as an avatar at an online forum.
IT FREAKING ROCKS. Thanks for the translation.
October 30th, 2006 at 5:28 am
does anyone know who created multi lock on? ‘Cause I heard that he(/she)made like dozens of gifs like that…
I wanna see!!!:D:D:D
November 8th, 2006 at 5:51 am
Tis indeed very impressive and in case you were wondering there is a ‘Multi lock on 2′, which you can see here: http://kabetwo.ytmnd.com/
December 22nd, 2006 at 12:33 pm
Simply amazing–thanks Reddogg!
January 3rd, 2007 at 8:44 am
i know the kid who made that. my graphic’s teacher keeps on going on about how he made it frame by frame. i was supprised to see it all over the internet
January 17th, 2007 at 1:19 am
hello. hey about those words you wrote.
i didnt knew the software you comment about but i had one named animation pro 3 it was not one of the bests but if i tried i could have done the multi lock.
not saying i am good for that. i did one sadly it erased it was like 150 frames on it and i spend more than a weak (it was my first time doing something on that software)
so i hope i somehow help in you research for this …
and thanks for the info and posting ive been looking for it since i saw it for the first time . and thanks to you i found it
answer at my mail or at my myspace (i dont think ill get in here again
February 18th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
That animation is freaking awesome. Thx for posting it
I too have seen it in alot of forums.
April 7th, 2007 at 2:10 am
awesome GIF animation… by the way thanks for the translation
July 21st, 2007 at 7:45 am
win..8O
August 30th, 2007 at 11:04 am
I put the original on my myspace page. I also put a copy that I edited, so the text near the door is in English. See under my pics.
August 30th, 2007 at 11:05 am
myspace.com/sethteeter
October 16th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
For those who want to make an animation like that, I highly suggest (I think multi lockon even used this program) Easytoon. Free, VERY easy to use, GIF animator with a paint bucket tool that can make stiple black and white works.
October 20th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
ORLY!?
November 5th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
I used to have the guys myspace, I remember he had four posted up there, but two were supposedly stolen or something like that, and a huge war over the GIFs began. Don’t know, long story short, the guy was sued out by some faggot and was denied rights to all of the GIFs except his first two and a bunch of other animations.
Uhh, I think you can find the japanese site he has by googling “multilockon” with no spaces.
Also, get this, the guy that made this? Hispanic. No lie.
December 6th, 2007 at 4:22 pm
The creators website: http://multilockon.hp.infoseek.co.jp/prog-gif/prog.htm
January 16th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
What is the program that is used to make stick figure animation?
February 9th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
This is by far the most impressive gif movie I have seen to date. The black and white is so very powerful and striking. Granted there are some very impressive flash animations of stick figure fights and what have you. But this one takes the cake for simplicity and pure energy. I have spent the last 3 days looking for a decent copy of this gif. I too first saw it as an avatar on a forum somewhere. I was uber amped to see a full size gif. The sad thing is, is that many people are hi-jacking this animation and re-publishing it with music and their own little add-ins and spin-offs on YouTube. What a rip off. Here’s to you, the anonymous gif animators that create this art medium for the enjoyment of others without any thought of return. I hope that someday you and others like you will be recognized for your creativity and efforts. Samsonite
P.S. Long live the black and white stick man.
March 23rd, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Actually this was done on Easytoon 1.9.8 so you can try your own and save it as a .gif image.
March 31st, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 11th, 2008 at 5:48 am
it’s gr8!really fantastic!
is it possible to embed this on a profile?how?
March 21st, 2009 at 7:38 pm
I just wanted to say that I love this site
March 26th, 2009 at 11:23 am
umm actually this 1s great but i was looking 4 another 1 ….is the 1 with a stick figure attacking another…but this 1 should do ….thanx and btw does any1 no how can i use it as a messenger profile….
May 4th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
the one you are lookin for i made a copy of long time ago, dunno where i first found it but heres a link to my copy:
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w279/Morbidosis/1v1attack.gif
I like this one way better, it’s GOT to be the same guy, i would assume.
February 18th, 2010 at 11:23 pm
Warzenn – That’s impossible. This animation was created in 2003. Version 1.9.8 of EasyToon was made in 2008. http://www.flat2d.com/easytoon/historic.aspx – Has a short history.