ALMOST LIKE CHARACTER GENERATOR

[Gad]

Hi there.
Have you ever wanted to create new character, but you were out of time, or too lazy to create whole spritesheet?
Now you can save a lot of your time and create basic character frames in less than 30 minutes!

Where's the catch?
The posibilities are limited and you won't be able to do everything with this base.
But it's still very functionable - if you use it correctly and adjust the elements the effect may be outstanding.

We just need Adobe Flash Cs5 or 6 (to open the file xD), then we design our character.

I've created this template model in like 3 hours from scratch.
You're just editing my work...
[spoilerreview][/spoiler]
Download Flash Template Spritesheet (Cs6 or Cs5)

The secret lays on the 'symbols', which are part of Flash technology.
I've created them using parts of body.

THAT'S ALL YOU NEED TO DRAW

Few changes...

And!
Voila ! Cheap desinged character is ready:

Sheet (Click to View)

.
.
You can also use Flash Cs3
and create sprithesheet from SWF file!

Spoiler (Click to View)

I've been messing with it since yesterday. xmfcx converted the CS5-Template into CS3 (mad thank you again!), thus allowing me to play with it. Can be downloaded here: http://lf-empire.de/downloads/other/flas...27_CS3.fla
Since the spritesheet-generation doesn't work well for versions below cs5(?), there is another useful tool to work with: http://lf-empire.de/downloads/other/flas...ESHEET.swf

Instructions (Click to View)

• Export your flash-project as an swf (shortcut: Ctrl+Enter).
  
• open the swf with the "swf to spritesheet"-app
  
• adjusting the width and height allows you to control the white borders added inbetween. Alternatively, you can fill them with black later when editing them in your favorite graphics program.

Additional props to xmfcx for finding that swf-thingy!

VERY USEFUL OPTION (Click to View)

Use onion skinning technique, if you're creating new frames.
It will give you a preview of previous frames.
Just select the "Onion skin" button under the timeline.
Then select how many preview or next frames you wanna see with black slider upon the timeline.

What do you do then?
Open the file with Adobe Flash Cs5 or newer and just edit every object in the library.
Then look at template object, if everything fits correctly.
If not, then adjust it.
If you're using CS6
Right Click on Template symbol in library -> generate sprite sheet
else, you will need to:
Right Click on Template symbol in library -> export PNG sequence
and then merge up all exported pngs with a spritesheet generator, you can use this online one http://draeton.github.io/stitches/
configure it and there you go!

You can also use the other template, which is a lot more detailed and needs a lot more work.
It was made at YinYin's sorted spritesheet
http://y2f.heliohost.org/index.php?curre...pment.html

DOWNLOAD NEW_TEMPLATE for CS5

Sheet (Click to View)

Symbol Base (Click to View)

arms (Click to View)

feet (Click to View)

heads (Click to View)

legs (Click to View)

torsos (Click to View)

Advantages of Flash (Click to View)

This may be hard for you to get on with, if you never have worked with Macromedia/Adobe Flash and its symbols/movieclips.

This morning I came up with an idea. I'm so attached to Macromedia/Adobe Flash right now, so I decided to create a spritesheet in it.
Firstly I found it really uncomfortable and awkward. Then I decided to create each frame alone (on timeline)... Seems very good!

Currently I find this method very effective (if not most), but It has some drawbacks.
Ok. Let me show you the effect:


1. Flash uses Vector graphic. This means, that there are no pixels.
You can zoom in the graphic, as much as you want, because it's all based on curves described with mathematical functions.
So here we go with the equation:
+ Can content much more detail (even if not seen in the outtaken effect)
+ No loosing quality, no matter how many times you envelope/rotate/resize object
- Much more memory needed.


I've created this sprite that big, just becouse it didn't take much from me to make it big.


2. Flash is mainly used for animating. In the result it has its own timeline and uses layers.
That's a great advantage. You create a frame-by-frame animation, instead of creating no-related sprites.
+ Animation previews included
+ - Unusual interface (for spritesheet creator)

3. Flash can use symbols to create animations.
+Symbol/MovieClips using

Symbols (Click to View)

Symbol is something, that you keep in your library.
For example, we draw a head, and we transform it into a Symbol.
Now we paste this Symbol in each frame.
You can pose it as you wish, envelope it, rotate and resize.
When you change the object in library, the Symbol itself, it will change in every frame.
In this way, we can change head in every frame, just by editing one head out of frame.

4. Spritesheet generating
This is most confusing part (at least for me, right now).
After we have a timeline full of sprite, we need to pack it up into a symbol.
Then when we have a symbol, which is using all the frames. We click on the symbol with our sprites in the library with right button of mouse -> generate spritesheet.
And it will create an usual spritesheet.
But:
- I don't know how to configure it to create 79x79+frame sheet

[8obis]

It's not really original now that you're doing it, eh? ;D

Although I'm probably not trying this, it does make me feel like I should start at a bigger size and resizing since the bigger sprite's shading looks simple yet when resized it looks awesome.

[Gad]

By saying "original" i mean, the primal way.
Wongs were creating sprites in that way.

[Alblaka]

Wongs were creating sprites in that way.

That explains alot to me...

Thanks for sharing the technique though, it's the first I even remotely considered using due to the lesser amount of time needed.

[Rhino.Freak]

thats.. too much complicated >.<

[Silverthorn]

I have to admit, I once tried using Flash to create a few sprites. It's definitely a huge improvement in terms of animating; and, of course, the symbols. Don't know why, but eventually, I switched back to PS. Must've been when I was in love with all the PS-effects

I didn't know about the spritesheet-generator-thing, though. Personally, I think the hard 79x79-layout is unnecessary anyways when you create a completely new char. Does Flash leave a 1px line between each sprite?

[Gad]

Does Flash leave a 1px line between each sprite?

There is such an option.

And yes, it's not necessary to use 79 x 79. But then, you need to fix every centering in data changer, or just move your whole spritesheet few pixels right/left.

[8obis]

thats.. too much complicated >.<

Spriting isn't easy in general. If you're not willing to spend quite a lot time to create spritesheets, chances are that it'll look complicated. I guess this method is probably the easiet way out, since you don't get unmotivated after you see the large spritesheet of unfinished sprites and you just do it frame by frame.

[Gespenst]

Nahh.
I like paint.net and gimp more than this way.
Somehow I cant see big difference at all.
You spent 8 hours, it does not means that others will spend same amount of time.
This sprite is not detailed. Resized also not detailed.
If someone would like to make hq char then it would take way longer as spritting with other program.

---

ONE MORE THING.
I WILL TRY AND POST MY ATTEMPt here.
is that okey?

[8obis]

Nahh.
I like paint.net and gimp more than this way.
Somehow I cant see big difference at all.
You spent 8 hours, it does not means that others will spend same amount of time.
This sprite is not detailed. Resized also not detailed.
If someone would like to make hq char then it would take way longer as spritting with other program.

---

ONE MORE THING.
I WILL TRY AND POST MY ATTEMPt here.
is that okey?

As Gad said, this is the original way. So it's attempting to match how the original LF2 sprites were made, HQ sprites would go past that.
And if we compared it to an original sprite like let's say Jack. It's really alike in terms of detail, the only flaw I could see is the skin shading in Gad's sprite is a bit lighter and the face of the originals are kinda like they're looking at the person in front of the computer screen during quite a few actions.