Smart Objects in Pyxel Edit (or something similar?)

Pixelpoint

Hello!

Just purchased the software, and I really enjoy it. I enjoy it so much that I actually want to use it instead of Photoshop.

However!

I have this problem where I need to use smart-objects (linked objects: where when you do some changes to the one object, it gets autoamtically applied to the other linked object)  but I don't find this feature?

Or maybe it is another way to "fix" my problem?

You see, in my game, I am painting different character-equipment-items. I do this by painting the equipment over my main character. But due to the setup in my game engine I have to split/save all of the different equipment items to individual image files (so none of the items overlap eachother).

And by painting only on the individual image files, I have no idea how the final outcome will look (when the gear is on the player-character). That's why I used SmartObjects in Photoshop, because then I could just paint the gear on the character, and then I had a smartobject on the side that saved the image seperated from the other equipment-images.

So please, anyone have any tips?

regards,

Simon

EDIT: Or maybe it is possible to use tile-set feature in Pyxel Edit for this? Only problem for me right now is that my equipment-images are not of the same size (smaller for the head/helmet, and bigger for the shield for example).

CandyFace

Hi Pixelpoint

That feature looks fancy as a user of a old version of photoshop.. i haven't seen that before but it sure looks handy. Now with that out of the way...

I don't think PE has anything that comes close to such a feature unfortunately. You could use the tile-set feature, have a layout which is split up into as many tiles as you have sprites, set the tile size to be large enough for your biggest sprite and export to individual files. It is however not possible to edit the equipment directly on the character and automatically update the individual sprites.

The best alternative i can come up with would be to, have your character in one tile, and all the equipment sprites in separate tiles. Then set everything up so you can select each equipment from the tiles window. Then you would have your character sprite in a layer at the bottom of the stack, so that all equipment would be shown on top of it, and each equipment on a layer afterwards. 

When you have made enough changes to one of your equipments, then you would select the tile (in the tiles window) corresponding to the equipment you've changed and click on the character tile (on the layout). Be sure to be on the correct equipment layer, else you'll just overwrite whatever layer you are on with the tile you have placed.

When you are done, you just export everything as a tileset and tick the box "tiles as separate files" 

It's a slightly more tedious way of doing it but it should be possible and useable when setup... I'll try to see if i can come up with a gif that shows the idea.

btw. as you are new, i take it you don't know how the "tile placer tool" works. A tip is to hover over the icon, that'll tell you how to use it.

I hope it helps

edit: ahh yes... you would of course have to either make the sprite have the exact same position as on the character sprite (within it's tile), or re-position it after being placed.

CandyFace

Ahh lost my time to edit... ._.

Okay i've now done this myself, and come up with an even better way to do it.

Some info about this gif:

I've initially setup the character on all four tiles, and afterwards deleted everything beside the part i expect to edit to be sure everything is positioned correctly. I have my full sprite on a layer, my "face" sprite on a layer and my "hat" on a layer. Each sprite is on a tile too which is getting updated as i edit. The hat and the face tile is placed on the character tile too, but on it's own layer. When done doing the setup, it should look similar to work like this.

On the desktop you should have your separated files, in my case one with the full character, one with the hat and the last with the face. 

Pixelpoint

Wow, thank you for your long and informative answer. Damn you've used a lot of time to help me and I dont know how to repay you except to throw some magical karma your way.

I will try your setup as I think it will work. I just have to reposition some of the original sprites so there wont be any placement problems inside the game

Thanks again will tell you the result

Pixelpoint

I hope it helps

Yes it did help indeed! It works exactly how I want it. Only small problem is that I have to align the equipment in my tiles according to my character, and I would like the sprites to be centered. Oh well, it works now and that's what is important! 

Thank you again and sorry for the late response.

Pixelpoint

Also another thing I did was to use Photoshop to display my complete character, linking images with the pyxeledit-images.

This way I can have all the sprites centered in the tiles in pyxeledit, and still see the complete result in photoshop (all iamges aligned correctly)

CandyFace

Awesome, it really sounds like a cool solution  

So if i understand correctly, you make the changes in PE, and export the parts. Then you open it all in photoshop, linking the parts together, and exports them to get the images aligned in the center? 

anyway i'm glad it works as intended

Pixelpoint

Yes almost. 
I have every gear-piece centered in each tile in PE.

Then I have a setup in Photoshop, so when I make a change on a gear-piece in Pyxel Edit, it automatically applies that change in photoshop
But I use Export Tiles in pyxel edit, as all the sprites are centered in each tile.