How to make it easier to make tough Charsets?

[Rymdpotatis]

I'm having trouble making character sets out of these sprites and I was wondering if perhaps there is a tool that can handle that process, or atleast make it easier. Or perhaps someone knows of some template that can be used as a guideline?

[Starrodkirby86]

Usually, a way I have gone for aligning character-sets would be to count how many pixels one square is from...and then I memorize the distance from the most left part to the first pixel of the sprite. I then align that way...There's a way easier way though. If you have Photoshop or The GIMP, this will be REALLY easy.

Put the main sprite in the most center as you can. This is all up to your preference, good luck. Now, once you put it within the center, merge all layers, copy it on a blank sheet or something and put it preferably on the top left square. On your workshop, undo merge all layers, and keep the first sprite. Copy the second sprite, and put it so where it is over the first sprite in perfection. Test it out maybe with some visibility things, or an animation frame if you're a PS user. Once you're satisfied, delete the first sprite, merge, and copy and paste into the sheet. Repeat...

That's all I can say in tips...Sorry if it sounds confusing. 

[Ryex]

that a vx char set?

[Starrodkirby86]

A VX Character Set has only three frames. The middle frame is the standing frame while the other two are what they are. It's kind of strange actually, but it's pretty cool. To convert an RMXP Character set to VX, just remove the first most left frame from each position.

[Rymdpotatis]

that a vx char set?

No, it's an rmxp charset^^

Usually, a way I have gone for aligning character-sets would be to count how many pixels one square is from...and then I memorize the distance from the most left part to the first pixel of the sprite. I then align that way...There's a way easier way though. If you have Photoshop or The GIMP, this will be REALLY easy.

Put the main sprite in the most center as you can. This is all up to your preference, good luck. Now, once you put it within the center, merge all layers, copy it on a blank sheet or something and put it preferably on the top left square. On your workshop, undo merge all layers, and keep the first sprite. Copy the second sprite, and put it so where it is over the first sprite in perfection. Test it out maybe with some visibility things, or an animation frame if you're a PS user. Once you're satisfied, delete the first sprite, merge, and copy and paste into the sheet. Repeat...

That's all I can say in tips...Sorry if it sounds confusing. 

I think my head began to spin there for a second XD

Many thanks mate, I think I understood. =)

EDIT: I have another question now while we are on the topic of aligning things.


As you can see the walls I want to use here are just a bit to long to fit in one box and I'm having quite alot of trouble making it work. It seems that no matter what I try I always end up with a half filled box that creates an invisible barrier that the player can't come to and that makes it look awkward. =/


by Blizzard: Don't double-post, edit your post instead (click on Modify).


Where have I double posted this?

[Starrodkirby86]

Not understanding what you mean with the tileset here, but I'm assuming something about the whole passability with them, that's your problem? Oh wait, now that I look at it, the boxes are uneven...Resize it on Photoshop or whatever program you have to make it proportional to a 32x32 area. You can either shrink it or make it bigger (Maybe just make the wall longer or something with some minor pixel editing).

[Rymdpotatis]

Ah, cheers mate.


One final question, then I'm good.

The reference image I had at the top of this thread. I made some minor adjustments to it so that the character could turn correctly, I deleted the white lines dividing the sprites and imported the sheet into rmxp and something weird happend, as the character turns the sprites gets cut in half. Is this becouse the sheet is to large?

[Blizzard]

No, RMXP's files are like 4x4, not 4x3 frames.

down1, down2, down3, down4
left1, left2, left3, left4
right1, right2, right3, right4
up1, up2, up3, up4

[Rymdpotatis]

Cheers^^
Now the sprites work pretty nicely. I do however get an invisible forcefield around the character, it must be becouse the background of the character is so large? Any way to get rid of that forcefield effect without cutting the size of the sheet?

[Starrodkirby86]

I don't think there's any easy way to make some transparent forcefield null. However, you should try chopping down the size itself...it's going to be a little annoying because it's more re-aligning, but cropping out the unneeded space will remove the forcefield. So just maximize whatever space you used.

[Blizzard]

You mean a forcefield like this?

Spoiler: ShowHide

Credit goes to me. You can use it in an event that moves where the character moves. It actually might be a better idea to use a separately edited spriteset for that instead.

[GAX]

The forcefield is the area around the sprite.  it's because of how their sprites are used.  You're obviously using some Topview tilesets and charsets, so I doubt there's many who can help you with this, mainly because it's a very abstract way of using RMXP.  See, since you have so much blank space around the sprite for your character, it thinks that blank space is part of the character, and I think by default, your character doesn't have the Through tag active, nor is it wise to ever have the through tag inactive.  So your entire problem here is with the character set.

[Rymdpotatis]

Humm, how does one activate that Through tag on a player controlled character?