Game Develop has come a long way (I love the new look for the website!) I’ve co-created a 2D animation tool specifically for games which I think would work wonderfully with Game Develop…
The beta version of our all new Spriter, a highly optimized 2D game animation tool, is finally available. What makes it special is it’s specifically for creating animations for games!
It doesn’t just export sequential images of full frames, it can also export the actual animation data in XML format, so game engines can recreate all the animations using just the original source images (like body parts) thereby saving massive amounts of VRAM and disk space. It will also support tons of game specific features, like visually placing unlimited collision rectangles per frame (with names and numeric values for each!), unlimited action points per frame, unlimited named variables can be changed per frame, and sound effects can be triggered per frame. It also supports an awesome feature called “Character Maps” which lets you show, hide, or replace images from specific folders on the fly to make game features like customizable character appearance and changes in weapons, armor, etc super easy and efficient.
Please check out the Kickstarter page to learn more and for the link to download the free beta version.
We’d love your feedback, suggestions, and support so we can make Spriter hands down the ultimate 2D game animating tool.
I’d also be very interested in in speaking with any skilled extension programmers who would be willing to co-create a plug-in for Game Develop which would support Spriter’s exported animations data.
Not everyone will want to use this technique for animation or art production. Many artist will want to use 3d programs and render out their models, or make pixel art full frame animations, or use programs that they are already familiar and comfortable with…but once the other key features are in the new Spriter, everyone can benifit. Imagine being able to load the animation that you’ve already created into Spriter, and visually (and with audio) designate at which key frames sound effects are triggered, place unlimited collision rectangles into each frame, as well as unlimited action points. You’ll even be able to assign variables to each collision rectangle and general variable (not assigned to a collision rectangle) per frame.
These features all currently exist in the original Spriter, and can all already be used in the free beta release of the Construct Classic plug-in if you’d like to see what I’m talking about in action.
Spriter will allow for really fast and easy visual editing of many aspects of gameplay without the need to look for events in the event editor of your game authoring software.
If there’s some other issue with Spriter (A missing feature?) that is keeping you from trying it, please let us know so we can make it a better tool for everyone.
Well, for starters I don’t like programs with “Pro” versions that strips down free editions so much that it effectively become demo.
Don’t get me wrong, earning money on your program is good, just not this way. Selling services (e.g. “body parts” online database that is available only for paying users) is the way. Services can’t be pirated while programs with stripped functionality can (otherwise we would have working pirated WoW working on Blizzard’s or whatever’s company made WoW servers, pirated Tibia working on original CipSoft servers, etc.)
Also, more important part - there are programs that can be used to make sprite animation already on the market. With Synfig you can import “body parts” easily and animate them and much more. Though there is no XML export, but this can be easily added as Synfig is open source software.
What makes you think the free version will be so horribly stripped down? The free version of Spriter and the free version of all it’s plug-ins will be very useful for making games, alowing for the massive VRAM and filespace savings…and a HUGE step beyone no Spriter at all. The Pro versions will just be even more useful.
The free version will also have all the key features necessary for artists to make and edit Animation Art Packs which they can distribute freely or commercial as they see fit.
I’ve had the pleasure of using this tool and for what it does it’s very useful and makes a task which is potentially mind numbingly difficult enjoyable, fun, and easy. I would recommend people use it, although it’s still in a youthful awkward faze yet. Also the purchase price at this point in time is pretty low.
