2D/3D animation software

[XxionxX]

I was grave digging in the gp32x forums, and I noticed that there is a need for sprites, backgrounds, etc. I would like to give it a shot, but after a quick google I realized that I have no idea what I should look for. I have no idea how I should make my animations ready to be attached to anyone's programs. Are there some resources that you guys like to use for your games?

 

[Esn]

I was grave digging in the gp32x forums, and I noticed that there is a need for sprites, backgrounds, etc. I would like to give it a shot, but after a quick google I realized that I have no idea what I should look for. I have no idea how I should make my animations ready to be attached to anyone's programs. Are there some resources that you guys like to use for your games?

Is there an animation software specifically for spriters?


For animation in general, there's Pencil which has been ported to the Pandora. There are also a number of nice pixel art programs which could be used to create sprites (Grafx2, mtPaint). Or just use Microsoft Paint, it's perfectly fine.

 

[XxionxX]

:/ I guess I should have been more clear, I meant game animation.


So all I have to do is just use MSpaint? We can't port that to the Panda right? I would prefer to use a program I can use on all my platforms. So I don't have to even save it to a specific filetype? Or would that depend on the programmers preference?


What about 3D programming? Any 3D animation software will do?

 

[chosen]

:/ I guess I should have been more clear, I meant game animation.

I can't particularly recommend anything, but I did a little Google searching.


Moonlight3D


Blender


GIMP ( GIMP Animation Package )


Various


http://www.linux.org/apps/all/Graphics/3D_Modelling.html


http://www.linuxlinks.com/Software/Graphics/Modeling/index.shtml

 

[Gerix]

I was using sprite sheets for my animations and those could be made in any image program.

 

[Asiyura]

:/ I guess I should have been more clear, I meant game animation.


So all I have to do is just use MSpaint? We can't port that to the Panda right? I would prefer to use a program I can use on all my platforms. So I don't have to even save it to a specific filetype? Or would that depend on the programmers preference?


What about 3D programming? Any 3D animation software will do?

The best free 3D software is Blender.


It takes a bit of training to get the hang of it's GUI, but once you do, it's a really nice software.


He can export and import various 3D formats.


And it is multiplatform (linux, windows, osx).


As for 2D sprites, the best format is lossless images, so absolutely any drawing software will do!

 

[XxionxX]

Thanks guys!

 

[Tempel]

The best free 3D software is Blender.


It takes a bit of training to get the hang of it's GUI, but once you do, it's a really nice software.

And I've heard that the 2.50 beta release has really streamlined the GUI. I've heard people recommending newbies to Blender to start with latest beta.


And XxionxX, you might want to take a look around OpenGameArt. They can always use more submissions, and they can always give advice on how to get started.

 

[Asiyura]

You're right, Blender 2.56 beta has an easier interface for the people used to 3DS max or Lightwave.


They added an easy way to switch between the classic 4 views (top, perspective, front, left) and the default view of Blender.


Last time I used this beta, there was some minor tools that where missing or hard to find, but nothing dramatic.


And thank you for OpenGameArt, you made me discover that interesting website.

 

[XxionxX]

And I've heard that the 2.50 beta release has really streamlined the GUI. I've heard people recommending newbies to Blender to start with latest beta.


And XxionxX, you might want to take a look around OpenGameArt. They can always use more submissions, and they can always give advice on how to get started.

Sweet! I was wondering where I could ask questions.

 

[-Tj-]

Personal favorites: Photoshop and XSI (now Softimage)


I've used those two professionally for both 2D and 3D, but they're both pretty expensive. Also use Maya, which isn't bad, and trueSpace, which is now free. I don't know how it fares now, but when I used it back in 2000 for work, it was terrible for animation.


There are some softwares specifically made for palettized pixel art, but I can't for the life of me remember what they were. If I remember, I'll come back to mention them.


Flash isn't bad for animation, either. If a game can utilize PNG files, Flash can output nice quality PNGs from your vector art. Personally, I find Flash to be a bitch to work in, tho, and it's not great to do pencil tests in for traditionally animated frames.


For such cases I've used a program called Comicart CG Animater, which is Japanese software. It's a rebranded version of animation software originally made by portalgraphics, makers of openCanvas. It's not the best, but for pencil tests I haven't found a piece of software that I've found more comfortable to use.

 

[Jourdy288]

Hey, does anybody use a 3D program for 2D sprites? I've been considering this.

 

[bzar]

You mean like pre-rendered stuff? IIRC the dragon in panjoust is done that way

 

[WizardStan]

Hey, does anybody use a 3D program for 2D sprites? I've been considering this.

Basically you create a polygon (square) and assign your sprite to it as a texture. Do this for all your sprites. Put them all on a single plane and then point your camera at that plane. You can change rendering depths to bring some things on top, zoom and rotation becomes easily handled by the 3D hardware, you can apply clever shaders as "light" sources, etc.

 

[-Tj-]

I've done 3D renders for 2D sprites. Not too difficult a thing to do, depending on the game engine you're using. If the game engine requires sprites of certain sizes, then you should calibrate your renders to that. If the engine needs a certain bit depth, then you'll need to consider the colors you'll use in the render, and then do further post processing on it in Photoshop or something. With the game engines these days tho, you probably won't need to do much.


It tends to have a certain 'look' tho, and a lot of older games did it horribly wrong (backgrounds not matching sprites).

 

[mcobit]

Graphics Gale Free Edition does a really great job for spritesanimation on windows!


http://www.humanbalance.net/gale/us/