Implementing 8-direction animation in Unity using Spine can be approached in several ways, and the best method often depends on your specific requirements and constraints. Using a SkeletonAnimation component and dividing the state into 8 directions is a valid approach, especially if you want to have precise control over each direction. However, it can become cumbersome if you plan to expand to 16 directions.
An alternative approach is to use a single state for actions like idle or move and then determine the direction in your code. You can dynamically set the animation based on the character's direction by manipulating the SkeletonAnimation component. This method can be more efficient and scalable, especially when dealing with a larger number of directions. You can also consider using a blend tree in Unity's Animator to handle direction changes smoothly.
For more complex setups, you might consider using a single skeleton that can face multiple directions by flipping or rotating parts of the skeleton, as suggested in some of the forum discussions. This can reduce the number of states you need to manage and make your animations more flexible.
