Need C+C on simple sprite

[Theforeshadower]

This is what happens when you allow a programmer with no real skills to sprite a run cycle.



I can see the inconsistencies in the arm and leg lengths from frame to frame.  I tried to fix it and spent about 2 hours on this sheet.  The head is also awkward but given the simple style, I could not figure out what to do with it.

I used my pixel editing software for each frame then imported into Game Maker to align the frames and make a nice animated GIF


Now, here is my inspiration material.  I had to record my gameplay footage then break it down frame by frame since I could find no sprite sheets on the net.  There will be some color issues due to the recording software then screen capping frames in VLC.  I also imported each frame into Game Maker so I could align the frames better then exported so I could make a gif later.



It's the protagonist from Project Firestart.  It's a commodore 64 title.  I know nothing about ripping C64 graphics straight from the disks, so this is the best I can present.  

Now, I will show both my work and the inspiration side by side animated and also at 2x sizes.





Due to different browsers and such, they will probably be out of sync.  Each was saved at 15/100 time so feel free to save images if you need better timing.

Anyway, I am still looking for criticism.  The only other frames needed for now are holding a firearm of sorts(idle), crouching, walking up into a door, walking down from a door,firing a firearm,  and a death sequence.  Trying to keep it simple with colors yet still have that retro rotoscoped feel.

Most NPCs will be derived from the protagonist's animations with exceptions for children and elderly people.  Few deviations are planned such as hulking men(guards), skinnier men, and women.  I am trying to get the people animations finished so I can move onto the shadow beings that are the "monsters" for my project.  After that, my time will be dumped into backgrounds/tilesets that give a feeling of a "prerendered" environment circa 1980s as alot of the older side-scrollers for C64 and PC did back then.

Well, alot was in this post.  Hope to hear some suggestions/critiques.