The Layered Spritesheet Tool

[DerVVulfman]

The
Layered Spritesheet
Tool

Designed with RPGMaker XP, designed for anyone's use, this tool allows the creation of single-sheet graphics (battlers or character-sets) for compatible game engines.  It was made as an after-thought for the Half Kaiser Battler Project, so the tool comes with a limited Half Kaiser Battler Style resource folder.  But it can be used to make other sprites just as long as resources are available.


Screenshots

Un-zoomed work when  choosing eyes

Choosing from the list ff available poses

Zoomed image while adjusting outfit opacity

Setting a pose's custom name

The Layered Spritesheet Download Link
Hosted by Save-Point itself.


A Compressed/Encrypted project, all configurables are in the LayeredBattler.ini file  It should be extremely simple to understand.  However, an accompanying .rtf file should explain much.

Output content will be saved as a .png image file and saved in RGB format.

[DerVVulfman]

TOOL FEATURE

UPDATE

While the Layered Battler Tool is functional, some minor modifications were made, updating it to version 1.3 just today.

IMAGE LOAD/RENEWAL:

The first modification involves the use and loading of the Style graphics.  In a normal RPGMaker project, the graphics are loaded in a manner that prevents them from changing.  For purposes of a game, if you enter a new map, you load the tileset graphics again and again and again.  They are not expected to be different. And the system actually prevents the graphics from changing while you are playing.

For anyone actually working on designing some graphics to add to the Half Kaiser Battler Project, this is certainly not desired.  You would have needed to exit the program entirely and reload it!  YUCK!  This was certainly something I didn't want, so I looked into the manner in which the image loads.  With the new update, the chosen style folder graphics now reloads whenever you make a new selection within the Layers Group Menu (ie when you select one body for another, one set of eyes for another, etcetera).

LAYER DHO REFRESHING:

No, that's not DOH, it is DHO:   Depth/Hue/Opacity.  

The bottom center of the editor has a window and gauge that lets the user change the depth of each layer, adjust each layer's individual hue setting, and its opacity.  That has been a nice feature that I ensured would be present.  With arrow buttons, you can change the layer that you want to adjust.  Or when you choose an actual graphic to impose (a set of eyes, a particular pair of pants), the system assumes this layer/graphic is the one you wish adjusted.

Well, it did work thus, but when you chose a new graphic for a particular layer, the window and gauge at the bottom center did not change to match!  Oops!   Normally defaulted to show the 'Body Template' in the window, clicking a new set of eyes had not changed the display to "Eye Selections"... but now it does.   The Window and Gauges now match as they should.  A fix as it were, though only cosmetic.  The function did not change ; only the display.

THAT DANG STARTUP POP:

The editor renders a pop-up display when it starts, issuing the editor's name, version, and credits.  Simple enough.  But some found annoying.  Now, this pop-up can be disabled

One more line was added into the LayeredBattler.ini file to let you disable the pop.  While the uploaded zip file has a new .ini, those that have already changed or altered their LayeredBattler settings can simply add the line themselves.

; Initial Startup

; ===============
; This is very basic. It sets the style folder in which to start and the
; body template graphic in which to load at start.
; ----------------------------------------------------------------------
;
[Start]
Style =
Body =
Credits = false

The very last line reading  Credits = false  would disable the pop-up credits from being disabled if that is your wish.

Well, that's basically it.  I added another graphics type to the Starter's Half Kaiser style folder...  Clothing - Outer.  Within, you have some basic pants in denim.  Nothing special.  I mean, how many heroes wear leotards and spandex!

"THIS IS SO NOT SPANDEX!" --

[DerVVulfman]

SERIOUS GENERATOR
OUTPUT FIX!

The Layered Battler Tool has now been updated to version 1.5.

During the tool's development, I had issues with the order in which graphic layers were actively drawn. The 'Depth' system did function properly, recording the actual order in which the graphics (body, Hair, Weapons) were to be drawn. However, it took a bit of extra code to properly sequence the graphics based on their established depth when rendered.  This had to be done for both the initial screen as well as when the graphics are zoomed.

Neglected at the time was the final output system when the end-user wished to save the spritesheet as a .png file. This meant that a graphic like a full body suit could (and did) cover up 'pants' while the pants were defined and set up to be drawn atop instead.  The result prevented the pants from even showing unless the graphics were larger.

Yes, a bug existed. And it prevented the proper saving of your generated Spriteset .png file!

This neglect has ended.  Once it was seen that the Create Image feature was faulty, the repair to the generator's .png processing system was quickly introduced.

With this fix, you should now have no problems generating the spriteset character you desire with the graphic styles you can access.

So yep, it is now fixed!

Meanwhile, a minor change was made to the LayeredBattler.ini file, in addition to the new Credits value mentioned just the day before.  Certain items were incorrectly spelled, having Headware used instead of the properly spelled Headwear.  Minor, but an issue that could be a problem when attempting to access the Headwear folder.

And now about a bonus addition. 

The bonus Half Kaiser Starter Pack that accompanies the tool now has some more graphics included.  Along with the teal leotard (in Clothes - One Piece) and denim pants (in Clothes - Lower), the package now includes red shirts (in Clothes - Upper). 

No, there are no Federation Starfleet insignias on them. But now there is a decent contingent of startup base graphics for any would-be spriters.  That, and the hue adjustment feature can change their color to suit your own tastes.


Happy spriting, all!!!

[DerVVulfman]

SIMPLE GENERATOR
EDITING TOUCH-UP!

The Layered Battler Tool has now been updated to version 1.7.

Buttons in the lower panel responded to individual clicks.  This could be considered annoying when one wants to go through numerous options.  Now, you can press and hold on a button and the button click 'repeats' as it would using a keyboard keypress when one scrolls through menus.

Yep, mouse repeat works in the panel buttons.

There was a bit of a touch-up added to the list windows on the right... particularly when you select an actual graphic image. You need not use the mouse to click the item, but can use the Up/Down buttons and hit Enter to select a graphic.  I don't have keyboard control for the lists worked out, so scrolling still requires the mouse.  But it is still functional.

And now about the Half Kaiser Starter Pack

The bonus Half Kaiser Starter Pack that accompanies the tool now includes a few new Hair Styles and a set of shields.  It even has some startup ear graphics, though more can be found in the Half Kaiser Battler Project page.

Keep on spriting!!!

[Kain Nobel]

This looks really cool, I'll have to check it out :D

[DerVVulfman]

TOOL UPGRADE

The Layered Battler Tool has now undergone some more modifications which now updates it to version 1.9.

SYSTEM SPEED:

Designed with RPGMaker XP, the system has always run on a default and classic 40fps speedrate. However, this need not have been kept as that requirement was truly for video, so...

The system's speed has been basically doubled.  Yes, that is correct.  The system operates at a pleasing 80fps with the exception of certain graphic rendering windows that update at 120fps.  The Layered Battler Tool's speed has in fact been increased.

GENDER SEPARATION OF RESOURCES

In order to make it more convenient for users, one can now toggle between the use of male-defined or female-defined cars.

The system still utilizes the same subfolders that hold all the graphic resources. But now these subfolders may now have Male and Female subfolders of their own within. So you can have your male haircuts in the Male subfolder within the Hair folder, while those made for ladies can be within the Female folder.  Even so, you can have unisex graphics combined.

This did alter the LayeredBattler.ini file as part of the settings you may save.

THOSE DANG AUDIO CHIRPS:

The editor plays audio chirps and effects as expected. But you may wish the audio from the editor to be silent so you can enjoy your favorite album Now, the audio effects can be disabled

Now added into the LayeredBattler.ini file is another line that lets you disable the audio.  While the uploaded zip file has a new .ini, those that have already changed or altered their LayeredBattler settings can simply add the line themselves.

; Initial Startup
; ===============
; This is very basic. It sets the style folder in which to start and the
; body template graphic in which to load at start.
; ----------------------------------------------------------------------
;
[Start]
Style =
Body =
Credits = true
Audio   = true
Gender  = false

SIDE-TO-SIDE:

The main display window of the editor allows you to see a preview of the spritesheet which you are generating, and has always allowed you to vertically scroll through all the poses. However, it had not been able to let you scroll the window horizontally for those spritesheets that are wider than the viewing area.

Not any more.  The newest edition now has left and right arrow buttons which allow you to move the horizontally within the window.



IMAGE GENERATION PROGRESS BAR:

While it is extremely thin, there is now a red progress bar that appears at the bottom of the window in which you type the name of your saved image file.  Now, you don't need to wonder how long before the file has finally been saved.



ONE MORE RESOURCE SUBFOLDER/CATEGORY:

Now added, we have a separate category for belts and sashes. And these are typcally drawn atop even armors.



[size=large]THE ACCOMPANYING SAMPLE PACKAGE:

[font=Georgia]As always, the download includes a folder for the Half Kaiser style of side-view battlers. It is still small in comparison, only one of each hair style per gender, a handful of clothings and some weapons. But this is intended as the development of the resources is still on-going.



All these have been upgraded, and the accompanying .RTF file has been updated to contain the new material.

Okay, the screenshots in the main page haven't been updated... but so what?

[DerVVulfman]

ANOTHER TOOL UPGRADE

What was originally The Layered Battler Tool has now become the Layered Spritesheet Tool.  It seems ludicrous to just limit the apparent usefulness of this system as it should work with any sprites, animated or otherwise.  And in honor of this achievement, the upgrade now garners this the honor of becoming version 2.0.

---

ZOOM WINDOW ENHANCEMENTS

The last upgrade allowed the player to horizontally adjust the un-zoomed spriteset graphic while working upon it.  But the system did not give allowance to adjusting the position of the sprite when the player wishes to zoom in on a specific animation pose.  Clearly, this was something that needed to be fixed.

The zoom window now has simple arrow buttons along the bottom and right edge of the window, this allowing you to move the sprite to the left and up while zooming in.  This should allow users to get a better view of their graphics as they are working on them.

The above window has a Half-Kaiser styled character using a firearm, the image at 5x zoom.  With the earlier editions, the image would allow for the zoom increase, but the legs and back portion of the image might not have been visible as it would go outside the border of the zoom window itself.  Understandably, the use of the arrow buttons allows you to re-position it as you desire.

Meanwhile, the zoom and zoom positioning you desire may now be saved when you click the Saved Preferences button in the editor, and will be restored when run anew.

---

THE NEW INI AND TOOL NAME-CHANGE

Some subtle changes were made to the INI file, this to include the default zoom and zoom-position values.  And the new INI file includes the updated name of the tool itself.

IF you wish to keep the settings you have within your current INI, do not worry.  Merely copy the LayeredSpritesheet.rgsaad file from the download into your existing setup and rename your LayeredBattler.ini, LayeredBattler.exe to LayeredSpritesheet.ini and LayeredSpritesheet.exe.

The Zoom and Zoom position features, without the new INI settings are the default 3x zoom, and you can use the Save Preferences feature to record these, even without the values being in the INI in the first place.

Do not go the other route and try to rename the LayeredSpriteSheet.rgsaad to LayeredBattler.rgsaad.  Code within the tool actively checks for the detection of the tool by name, and it will actively search for LayeredSpritesheet, and that alone.

---

POSSIBLE FURTHER UPGRADES

OF COURSE. But what they are, I leave to speculation.  Mwahahaha!!!  However, the upgrades would likely be more akin to some features I developed for other tools.

[DerVVulfman]

A SERIOUS TOOL UPDATE

The Layered Spritesheet tool now has new features.  So many, that its version number has been updated to version 3.0.

---

GENDER AND HAND ORIENTATION BUTTONS

You may have a lot of resources.  However perhaps you may wish to sort them out.  Sure, the list of heads, bodies or the like are sorted alphabetically. But perhaps you want to just use graphics for a male character.

The Gender and Hand Orientation buttons allow you to re-list the graphics within your image lists. It does so by referencing "Male" or "Female" folders in your resources, and/or the "Left" or "Right" folders... or a combination of both.  I worked to make the system intuitive so the subfolders may be in Left\Female or Male\Right subfolders... or none at all.

These buttons were made for convenience sake, but I recognize that some may not wish to be as organized.

---

THE REVISED HUE AND COLOR BALANCE PANELS

Rather than merely clicking on the Hue adjustment button and hitting simple +/- buttons in the main panel, you will now be zoomed to a separate Hue Adjustment panel that can handle an image made of  (up to) three individual Png files.

Likewise, the newly added Color Balance button takes you to a Color Balance Adjustment panel where you can increase or decrease the Red, Green and/or Blue intensity of any resource. And these resources can also be made of (up to) three individual Png files.

Along with that, there are pre-defined Color Preset buttons for the layers.  As seen above, a set of color preset buttons can change the chroma of an Iris to either Gray, Green, Blue, Hazel or Brown. Likewise, there are color presets for the Sclera (or the whites of an eye) and the lashes.

I have to warn you that the routine that changes the RGB Color Balance of an image can take a long time depending upon the size of the resource bitmap and speed of the computer.  This because it was a scripted system and not a feature native to RPGMaker for bitmaps.

Of special note, this is a feature I had included within CharGen Extended. Essentially, the resources of CharGen Extended could be converted for the Layered Spritesheet tool.

Even more, there is a feature within the tool that links similar resources together when adjusting either the hue or color of an image.  Changing the hue of a character's body will likewise adjust the hue of  separate ear resources.  Likewise, changing the color balance of a character's hair will affect his beard and eyebrows.  The links are built into the INI, so they can be adjusted or removed at will.

But why remove em?

---

THE HELP FILE

The original instructions to use Layered Spritesheet was presented in an .rtf format document file that was a massive 5.4Meg file.  Now, the instructions are just over 450 KB in size.  A massive change in size, it should be easier to handle and navigate.

Remember, it is not a file made by a major software producer (Microsoft, Bethesda, Silicon Software), but privately.  So you may find the help file 'BLANK" upon running it.  This is not a flaw with the help file, but a lack of permission.

For any help file that appears to have no text, you merely need to right-click the file to open the file's properties window.  And at the bottom of the properties window, you should be able to see a button marked "Unblock".  Upon clicking the Unblock button, the help file should be completely legible.

---

INI UPDATES

There were changes made to the LayeredSpritesheet.Ini file to accommodate the new features.  These would include the gender and hand orientation buttons,  and some new alert texts that appear upon the first time you open the help file.  But with these were additions made to the layers system, adding new layer options and the linked-layer system.

But that is not all.  The Colors.ini file is now included with the package, an .ini file that stores partition names for the multi-image resource option and values for preset color buttons for the new Color balance window.

---

POSSIBLE FURTHER UPGRADES

DANG RIGHT I HAVE PLANS...  But they would require some extensive rework of some systems.  So they may not be forthcoming.  Granted, it took almost a year before this update.'

So you have time.


Still has the same resources accompanying it as version 2.0