Auto-play Character animation

[Taylor]

I seem to be having very poor luck with my code. ANYWAY. I want to play out the sequence of sprites in Character file, keeping the same direction, but a different file.

PHP Code:

#==============================================================================
# ■ Jaabi Module
#==============================================================================
module Jaabi
  # Weapons
  SHB_WP = {
  1 => {
  'Id'        => 1,
  'Damage'    => 10,
  'Type'      => 'Melee',
  'Graphic'   => '_SWD_01',

[...]

#==============================================================================
# ■ Game_Character
#==============================================================================
class Game_Character
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  # ● Alias Functions
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  alias tayruu_shb_gamecharacter_init initialize
  alias tayruu_shb_gamecharacter_update update
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  # ● Public Instance Variables
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  attr_accessor :knockback
  attr_accessor :defending
  attr_accessor :action_count
  attr_accessor :action_cooldown
  attr_accessor :animation_sprites
  attr_accessor :animation_file
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  # ● Object Initialisation
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  def initialize(*args)
    tayruu_shb_gamecharacter_init(*args)
    @knockback = false
    @defending = false
    @move_speed = 3
    @action_count = 0
    @action_cooldown = 0
    @animation_sprites = 0
    @animation_file = ""
  end
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  # ● Frame Update
  #-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
  def update
    # Call original function
    tayruu_shb_gamecharacter_update
    # Additions
    shb_functions
    shb_anim_attack
  end
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  # ● Attack Animation
  #-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
  def shb_anim_attack
    # Return if no animation is active
    return if @animation_file == ""
    
    if Graphics.frame_count % 2 != 0
    @character_name = self.character_name + @animation_file
    @pattern = @animation_sprites
    @animation_sprites += 1
    @wait_count = 8
    Graphics.frame_reset
    if @animation_sprites == 5
      @animation_sprites = 0
      @animation_file = ""
      @character_name = self.character_name
    end
    
    end

  end
end

#==============================================================================
# ■ Game_Player
#==============================================================================
class Game_Player < Game_Character
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  # ● Alias Functions
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  alias tayruu_shb_gameplayer_init initialize
  alias tayruu_shb_gameplayer_update update
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  # ● Public Instance Variables
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  attr_accessor   :name
  attr_accessor   :mea
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  # ● Object Initialisation
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  def initialize(*args)
    tayruu_shb_gameplayer_init(*args)
    @name = "Player Instance"
    @mea = $game_party.actors[0]
    @move_speed = 3
  end
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  # ● Command Initialisation
  #-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
  def shb_commands    
    return if $game_system.map_interpreter.running? or
    $game_temp.message_window_showing or 
    ($game_map.starting? && self.facing_enemy == false)
    
    if $game_system.allow_commands      
      if Input.trigger?(Input::C) && Input.dir8 == 0 &&
        @action_count == 0
        Audio.se_play(Jaabi::SHB_WP[@mea.weapon_id]['Sound'][0], 
                      Jaabi::SHB_WP[@mea.weapon_id]['Sound'][1],
                      Jaabi::SHB_WP[@mea.weapon_id]['Sound'][2])
        if Jaabi::SHB_WP[@mea.weapon_id]['Type'] == 'Melee'
          SHB.weapon_melee(@mea.weapon_id)
        else
          SHB.weapon_ranged(@mea.weapon_id)
        end
        @action_count += 1
        @action_cooldown = Jaabi::SHB_WP[@mea.weapon_id]['Cooldown']
        @animation_file = Jaabi::SHB_WP[@mea.weapon_id]['Graphic']
        Graphics.frame_reset
        return
      end

[...]

    end
  end
end 


Here is a few segments of what I have, of particular note are @animation_file = Jaabi::SHB_WP[@mea.weapon_id]['Graphic'] and def shb_anim_attack. Giving @animation_file a value activates shb_anim_attack, which is repeatedly updated to pass through each cell of a Character. That part seems to work, the changing graphic part doesn't.

I feel such a derp, this is probably easily explained. XP