Pixel Program Suggestions

[Cairoshime]

So, using various programs (GIMP, MS Paint, Adobe Photoshop, etc) to sprite seems to be an issue with most people, seeing as there doesn't seem to be any one program that does all that spriters want it to.

 

I've a friend who's a coder, and he suggested merging the best aspects of these programs into one. Basically, he wants to create a single program that is tailored specifically for pixel artists. In other words, a program that has what you need but lacks all the added complexity of large editors like Adobe or GIMP.

 

So far the program will contain these features:

 

~Most of what Paint has

~Transparency Support

~Semi-Infinite Undo

 

However, this is merely a baseline to start from, and I've been asked to compile a list of helpful features that the program should have. To that end, I'd ask you all to reply with any features that you think would be helpful.

 

Do keep in mind that this program is meant solely for the pixel artist, so any features that go past that limitation are not what we are looking for.

 

Features we've compiled so far:

~What was listed above.

~Layers (unique layer editing)

~Larger Palette

~Simple Animation Support

~Color to color (including alpha) eraser-like tool

~Levels and Contrast (I'm told the other stuff is complicated)

~Gridlines (rulers)

~Many selection tools (by box, magic-wand, by color, etc.)

~Customize-able Shortcuts (within reason)

~Modifiable Zoom/Scroll Zoom

~Sketch Editing

~Color Merging (for similar colors)

~Color Counter

 

I'm told that most things will be highly customize-able, such as default file type for saving, among other things.

 

Thanks!

Edited January 27, 2012 by Cairoshime

[raistardragon]

Layers. Simple layers, maybe even adjustable transparency for said layers.

 

And, easy switching pallet colors. Like PS but with more than two colors, 4 would be awesome. That's the one thing that bothers me with PS. I have to keep using the eyedropper to pick up colors...

Edited January 26, 2012 by raistardragon

[Shajana]

Sounds really interesting, I have to say I only use Photoshop for spriting, I tried Paint but the program is nothing for me. Does the new program may need an feature which allows you to animate your pixel art? I think it would be interesting for some people to have that too.

[Dolphinsong]

I have ZERO issues using photoshop to sprite in. It has all the things I need it to do for spriting so I have no clue where you get the impression that it doesn't.

 

I have enough programs I have to use due to school I don't want another program just for spriting when I do all my 2d art in Photoshop already.

[DarkEternity]

Um, if you have unlimited undo, eventually the program will crash. From memory, within photoshop, there is a section allowing you to change the number of undo levels.

Regarding paint, I hope you're not referring to the new Paint shipped with Windows 7. The paintbrush feature is icky because it automatically antialiases -> bad. But I hope you're not referring to the Win XP paint either, because you can only zoom out by a certain level :u But I hope that the default filetype it saves to is PNG (non interlaced) because in the XP paint, the default filetype is .jpg which resulted in me screaming at the computer for a very, very long time

 

Features I look for:

1) Colour to alpha (transparency), eraser that erases pixels to alpha

2) Gradient mapping, colourising, levels/contrast (curve) (not particularly necessary, I'd use photoshop for this)

3) Shortcuts (really important. But not shortcuts such as ctrl+something, shortcuts such as 'a' or 'b' that are customisable)

4) Gridlines (that can be toggled)

5) A shortcut to automatically open the colour selector. In Photoshop, I'm so frustrated by having to manually click the colour panel thing to open the selector, that I'm considering writing a script to automatically open the thing for me u.u

6) Saving pallete colours, at the side would be verry nice

7) Selections, at least a rectangular selection box please?

 

Paint.net is an alternative that I used to use, but it's prone to crashing

Edited January 26, 2012 by DarkEternity

[Cairoshime]

Dolphin, the point of this program is to make things simpler for people who don't need or ever use all the extra features that Photoshop provides. We just want to make a smaller, simpler program. One that doesn't have as steep a learning curve and isn't as intimidating for beginners or those who only need the more basic functions it provides.

[stogucheme]

The option to input a color and have that color be erased completely/replaced with another color.

[Cairoshime]

Um, if you have unlimited undo, eventually the program will crash. From memory, within photoshop, there is a section allowing you to change the number of undo levels.

 

Well, it can't be infinite in practice, because it will be limited by the amount of actions that can be stored in memory, as you said. But it can at least in principle be infinite in that there is no set limit on it, though I suppose you could set one if you needed to.

 

I guess it would have to have a limit based on how much RAM is being used by the program. But that would vary from computer to computer. So... Semi-infinite?

[Fiona]

You don't need everything that Paint has.

 

Not that I've used Paint in years. I had to open it up to remind myself just what it does have.

 

You need to be able to open multiple file types. You need to be able to select with a rectangle tool, or by color, or by region. All of these types of select need to not ant-ialias, or any thing else. At least, that needs to be the default. You need a good custom color editor. Paint's is ok, I guess. I like Gimp's better though. You need layers, and the ability to have transparency. You also need to be able to save in a format that preserves your layers, as well as saving in gif and png. You need a one-pixel brush that does not anti-alias. You need to be able to zoom in and out freely.

 

There's a bunch more stuff you need to do. Of course, people have already mentioned some. But, you need to be able to open larger sketches and/or sketch in the program, and to resize your sketches. It's no good having a nifty pixel arting program that you can't use to sketch and to shrink your sketches down to sprite size.

 

 

 

Then you need to port it to Android. (as far as I know, there is no program for Android that can be used to sprite.)

 

 

Really, I always use Gimp, and it works great. Sure, I don't use all its capabilities to sprite, but then, a lot of its capabilities are really handy to have.

[Lythiaren]

I also use PS and have no problems, but in the interest of helping to improve a program in the works specifically for spriting I'll gladly give my input.

 

1) Layers. I need them. They're an absolute must for me, especially when I spriteline. I often have the luxury of having the original sketch on hand for reference, but when I don't I need to be able to turn off my lineart so I can see where I'm supposed to put my lines. Controlling transparency on a layer is also a huge plus.

 

2) I love PS's colour picker. I hate the one in Paint.

 

3) One thing I kind of wish PS had was something to track the colour palette of the image. Eyedropper works handily for controlling count, but it's easy to lose track of how many shades you need for the shadows and such. It's not terribly useful when you're trying to keep track of what colours you're using and trying not to use too many that are too similar.

 

4) Partial transparency, ie. PNG support. I don't have much to say about this, it's pretty self-explanatory. It's also my file format of choice for the high quality.

 

5) Magic wand and lasso tools are also a must, for custom selection areas.

 

And... I can't think of anything else off the top of my head.

Edited January 26, 2012 by Lythiaren

[Cairoshime]

You don't need everything that Paint has.

 

Not that I've used Paint in years. I had to open it up to remind myself just what it does have.

 

You need to be able to open multiple file types. You need to be able to select with a rectangle tool, or by color, or by region. All of these types of select need to not ant-ialias, or any thing else. At least, that needs to be the default. You need a good custom color editor. Paint's is ok, I guess. I like Gimp's better though. You need layers, and the ability to have transparency. You also need to be able to save in a format that preserves your layers, as well as saving in gif and png. You need a one-pixel brush that does not anti-alias. You need to be able to zoom in and out freely.

 

There's a bunch more stuff you need to do. Of course, people have already mentioned some. But, you need to be able to open larger sketches and/or sketch in the program, and to resize your sketches. It's no good having a nifty pixel arting program that you can't use to sketch and to shrink your sketches down to sprite size.

 

Then you need to port it to Android. (as far as I know, there is no program for Android that can be used to sprite.)

 

Really, I always use Gimp, and it works great. Sure, I don't use all its capabilities to sprite, but then, a lot of its capabilities are really handy to have.

Well it won't have everything paint has (especially the things people don't like about paint), just the most common features.

 

Filetype support is one of those thing that paint has which this program will too. As for anti-alias, it won't even be an option since it has just about no use when it comes to pixel work. Or at least it shouldn't.

 

The rest we already have listed. The GUI details (such as layout) will be decided at a point farther in the future.

 

Ah, as for the Android thing.. I agree it would be nice, but we're not coding in Java. So no Android, I'm sorry to say.

Edited January 26, 2012 by Cairoshime

[Dolphinsong]

Need to have it where you can pull in a sketch and do a contrast to it so the lines are nice and dark while the background his white. Also have the ability to shrink said sketch down into the size you need for spriting.

[Fiona]

Two other things I use in Gimp for pixel art: "handles" on rectangle select, so you can resize your selection, and "crop to selection". Those are good for adjusting the size of the canvas on a sprite. That way you can be generous with canvas while you are composing your dragon, and then precisely select the final size.

[Vicats]

I think the others have most needs covered... but then, I was also under the impression that GraphicsGale did cater specifically to spriters, too.

[Cairoshime]

There are a few other programs out there, but this endeavor is also for practice. Not to mention that there's a good amount of spriters here, and we wanted personal opinions on what a pixel program should have.

 

The boy also loves to code, so.. I put him to work.

[Infinis]

I personally wouldn't use this, as I have everything I need in Win7 Paint and I have GIMP for making things transparent as needed.

 

I don't know if this has already been said but the one thing I REALLY love about Paint is the buttons on the toolbar for zooming and the 100% button. Those are seriously helpful because I have to zoom in and out constantly to check the position of pixels, and it's really annoying (to me, anyway :U) to have to click something in GIMP, scroll down to zoom and click how much you want it zoomed in (I also find the ctrl+/- shorcut annoying).

 

Just my two cents ~

[Lythiaren]

Oh oh. Scrollwheel zoom. PS does that. I always zoom in too far by accident. >>

[DarkEternity]

Oh oh. Scrollwheel zoom. PS does that.

Wow really? My GIMP does scroll wheel and my PS does ctrl+ and ctrl-

:'(

[Cairoshime]

Mine does too, though I have had to use the clicky zoom. Which is very annoying.

[Silverwingwyvren]

Would SAI work out well, I mean I can draw its just figuring out how to resize the image to a sprite size is the hard part for me. But I found that using the pen tool with the shading and smoking the lines out works well with the shading.

[Rhynn Collins]

Perhaps a quick way of finding colours on an existing sprite which are very similar? I've come across some sprites which use a ton of colours which can pretty much be replaced by one single colour and still look the same and having a way of finding all those pixels easily could be very useful.

 

Also... make sure the program can run on both windows AND mac.

[aangs-sister]

I would also like a unique colour counter, and maybe a fine rotation option?

[stogucheme]

Can you also add a feature where you right click and can choose to have the tool affect one layer or all layers? (Probably best to default it to affect only one layer.)

[Zovesta]

The ability to crop colours down to a specified number.

[626lavaheart]

would the color balance thing like in GIMP be do-able? (srry if it's on the list )

 

also don't forget rulers ;D (simple things like this are always looked over....)

Edited January 27, 2012 by 626lavaheart