What is clipping and why you should avoid it?

[JaySpark9 14]

What's clipping in mine-imator? And is there a specific reason you should try to avoid clipping in your animation?

[Emaniplex 6.3k]

Clipping is probably a universal term when regarding animation software and refers to when an object or character phases or partially phases through another solid object or character without adhering to common logic, thus ruining the illusion of life a little.

You should avoid clipping in an animation because it may seem to others that you did a lazy job with your work, and in more serious projects it may disrupt the viewer's immersion in the creation. There are plenty of special cases (especially in Mine-imator where limbs aren't typically as slim and easy to work with) where a bit of clipping around the edges of an arm, leg, hand, or foot is acceptable, unavoidable, or simply not that distracting.

I made a pretty decent video awhile back that everyone here has (regretfully) seen already that might help you understand the special relationship we have with clipping as opposed to users of another program. I was extremely mindful of clipping during the animation of this video.  

 

[Emunator 3.1k]

Depending on what type of clipping your information is referring, Emaniplex is 100% correct.

There is however another type of 'clipping', more professionally known as z-fighting or stitching.
Regardless of what you meant, it's always helpful to be aware, even the clipping Emaniplex explained can cause z-fighting.

So I think I should explain it anyway, the more you know the better, especially since it's common in Mineimator through rigs and models and can make your animation go from a 10/10 to a 2/10 really quick if its visible.
 

Z-fighting is when 2 or more textures share the same plane(X,Y or Z, mainly Z), or in another words,"Overlap eachother".
This causes the textures to 'fight' which one will be on top, and this causes horrendous and ugly glitching.
Example of what it looks like: http://ps-2.kev009.com/CATIA-B18/basug_C2/images/stitching05.gif

That however is a still image. Here are video games with Z-fighting. (Skyrim is the mountains in the background, while Crysis is the floor panels)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUHvV80xEbQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY1iT9cSY5g

The worst part is, it's 100 times worse in Mineimator, since mineimator is in enlarged pixels, making the Z-fighting huge and noticeable.
Which can be seen here: http://i.imgur.com/4T2Sixu.png

^{_{(Worst part is, that z-fighting isnt even bad compared to rigs)}}

It's however an easy fix, all you gotta do is change the depth so one object is front of the other.

Regardless of what answer you were looking for, I hope this helps you or any other reader for that matter.
Read more about it here.

[SquareToDare 658]

Now while Emunator and Emaniplex said correct answers
Here is the simple version

 

 

 

It's annoying and you should do anything to avoid it