This text will explain how to create an animated sprite using this tool
Step 1: Drawing the source bitmaps
First of all you have to draw some bitmaps containing all the things which are used by your animation.
So everything that should be moved independantly gets its own bitmap.
Example: You want to create an animation in which a skater skates in a halfpipe,
so you need bitmaps containing the halfpipe, the skateboard, the skaters legs, the skaters arms, his body, his head and his feet.
For transparent pixels use magic pink (r = 255, g = 0, b = 255).
Step 2: This tool's turn
Now run the sprite editor.
Create a new object and type a name for it.
Now you can browse for a bmp file (or type the path directly into the editbox) and import it.
You should see the bitmap you have selected in the middle of the screen (otherwise the bitmap could not be loaded).
You may change the background color using the sliders in the corner right-below to increase the contrast and change the zoom to get an optimal view.
Create as many objects as you want to use and load their bitmaps.
You will note that the objects are drawn in the order as they are listed in the object list.
To change this order use the arrow buttons on the right of the object list.
Now you can select an object and change the position, the angle, the fact if it is visible or flipped and the size of it for every frame of the framelist (right-above).
To copy a frame select the frame you want to copy, press "COPY FRAME", select the frame you want to be overwritten and press "PASTE FRAME".
In most cases it is helpful to enable "Onionskin" which draws the last frame beneath the current frame with the specified transparency.
Now you should be able to create sprites using this tool.
Step 3: Doing minor changes on the bitmaps
If you want to do changes on the bitmaps you can either change the source bitmap and reload it
or if these changes are very small you can also use this tool's drawing mode:
1. Press "view/Edit single bitmap"
2. Choose a tool (well...you don't really a choice yet)
3. Choose a color by pressing "COLOR"
4. Use the tool
To get the color of the pixel your mouse points at, press the middle mouse button.
All the things you draw will be drawn on a temporary layer.
So if you want to apply your changes press "MERGE" to merge the layer to the bitmap
or if something went wrong press "CLEAR" to clear the layer.
If you want to export a bitmap, browse a file and press "EXPORT PIC".
If you don't change the path, the original file will be overwritten.
When you have finished painting press "view/Edit animation" to get back.
Step 4: Exporting the animated sprite
If you want to export an animation, you first have to set the export range:
1. Press "SET EXPORT RANGE"
2. draw a box
To change the export range a bit more precise, change the values (x1, y1, x2, y2) directly in their editboxes.
Then you have to specify the first and the last frame of the animation by selecting the first/last frame and pressing "SET START" / "SET FINISH".
Now you can press "File/Export as bmp", type a filename and: Voila, you have a bitmap containing all the frames of you animation.
For example:
and so on...
NOTE: This tool is not able to create animated gif.
This animation was created by my sprite editor,
exportet and after that imported by another programm to make that gif.
The reason why i programmed this tool
Many people may think:
"What do i need this tool for? I can draw my sprites directly with any other program"
Yes, that's right.
But if you want to change anything of the animation you drawed, you'll have to change all the frames.
If you want to change the skateboard of a skater (for example) with this tool,
you only have to change the skateboard.
Or if you want to change the whole look of a person you animated,
you don't have to draw the whole sprite again, you only change the bitmaps with the single parts of the body.
The result would be a different person with the same movement.
That's a bit less work, right?
If you spot any bugs or grammatical mistakes
or if you have any good advise, questions, complaints or whatever,
please send it to: knaseb@web.de
Sebastian Knappe (Seppl)