[Release][Tool] Hammersprite - Easily generate the XML for custom sprites

[Thein]

Hammersprite is a little tool that lets you easily get your custom sprites ready for the editor. With it, you can easily create tilemaps, doodads, items, and enemies without needing to write out every single sprite coordinate and dimension. It also generates default values for item behaviors, actor behaviors, and lights, which you can easily edit in the xml file.

Supported:
Single tiles
Bordered tiles
Single-state doodads
All item types (unless I forgot some?)
Both 1-Directional and 8-Directional enemies
Melee and ranged enemy behaviors
Collision polygons for doodads and items
Circle collision for actors
Static/Non-static colliders and shoot-through
Glow effect
Attached lights
Automatic updates
And more!

Not yet supported:
Multi-state doodads
Default doodad layers
Projectiles
Particle Effects
Spawners
Composite, caster, boss, and tower enemy behaviors
Possibly more? Let me know!

Video Tutorials (Watch in HD):
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-W-TJEPCSA" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-W-TJEPCSA</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YntTaVQ_gVE" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YntTaVQ_gVE</a>

Hopefully the videos will be enough to learn how to use Hammersprite, but if anyone needs further help just ask! There is no video yet for creating actors, but it's very similar to creating doodads and items. If you want a video for actor creation just let me know. Also, please leave feedback, bug reports, and suggestions below! I know the Resources section of this forum isn't super active, so feel free to tell other people about this if you find it useful. Thanks 

Installation instructions
Just download and run Hammersprite.application. You might get security warnings from Windows, but I promise it's completely safe. If you can't open the .application file, try installing the Microsoft .NET Framework:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30653

Download link (extract folder and install using Hammersprite.application)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ul7g7gjgt6d4z85/Hammersprite.zip?dl=0

Source Code (C# Visual Studio Project. Released under MIT License)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0uzzv5edd2w91lc/Hammersprite%20Source.7z?dl=0

[hoffa911]

When I try to run the application, it just opens as a .txt document. What can I do to get it running properly? I can't wait to use this program.

[Thein]

Sorry about that! I think you need to install the .NET Framework in order to run .application files:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30653

[Finn]

I just started learning to use the editor, and I found this post looking for a way to make custom sprites. So glad I found this, and I can't wait to get started using it. Thanks!

Also, if it's not too much to ask, could you post a download of your current sprites (the ones from the video)? Unless they are already included, of course.

[Thein]

Hey Finn,

All the sprites from the videos are posted in the YouTube descriptions, but here they are:
http://opengameart.org/content/lpc-sandrock-alt-colors
http://opengameart.org/content/lpc-dungeon-elements
http://opengameart.org/content/simple-broad-purpose-tileset

Opengameart is a great place to find sprites, sounds and music for custom levels. Enjoy!

[Hipshot]

I can't get the application file to run either and I have all the frameworks installed. I tried the alpha version you sent me and that one worked, but it was also on .exe file. I have windows 7.

From what I could see on the video, you can't make circular collisions, I think you want to add that, cause those collisions are much easier to work with, costs less and for a lot of times fits better.

[Hipshot]

Now it works, it renames the app to txt for some reason when you just click the link and also when downloading it. You should put it inside a zip, might work better.

[Thein]

Yeah, apparently computers don't like .application files. I have added another download link for the setup.exe instead of the .application file. Maybe it will work better. Thanks for the info about circle collisions, I'll definitely add them. I already have circle collisions for actor creation, but I haven't added them for doodads and items. Also I need to add support for multiple colliders on one object.

[Hipshot]

Ok, I actually started using this for "official" production on a new large sprite sheet, however, I quickly noted several "missing" features or "bugs" that ended the experience pretty fast for me =)

* I coulden't drag a outline on top of another, let's say I have a set of walk frames and I want one of them to be an idle frame, I just couldent draw another square on top of that one w/o selecting it.
* I wanted to move my square and manipulate them when I made a mistake
* You should add so that you can snap to the entire grid when you drag, It's nice to see the entire 64x64 grid, but I still had to drag as if I had a 1x1 grid.

[hoffa911]

Thanks for putting the zip up, it works now. Can't wait to play around with it.

[Thein]

Alright, I just updated Hammersprite with quite a few great changes! Thanks for the feedback Hipshot. Maybe someone can let me know if the automatic updating worked? It should either prompt you upon launch or you can go to Help > Check for Updates. After updating, it should say version 1.0.0.1 in the Help > About option.

Also, I'm not sure why you would want to drag multiple rectangles in the same spot. You can always assign the same rectangle to different animations with no problems. Although one current issue is that you can't use the same frame twice in a single animation. For example, if you need to use the same "in-between steps" sprite multiple times in a walking animation. That's something I'll have to fix later.

Changelog:
Gave "Custom Grid" a menu of it's own
Added "Snap to Custom Grid" option
You can now resize and move rectangles
Resizing and moving also snaps to custom grid
Optimized grid drawing for much better performance

[Hipshot]

Auto updates works, I will try the other things a bit later.

[Hipshot]

Took me one sec to do this with the autoframe option.


Btw, I misunderstood how to use the editor before, so that's why I wanted to draw a square on top of a square.

[hoffa911]

Took me one sec to do this with the autoframe option.


Btw, I misunderstood how to use the editor before, so that's why I wanted to draw a square on top of a square.

And now there is the potential to create a total conversion into an entirely different game within Hammerwatch.

[Hipshot]

Well, if we had the ability to mod your own classes, you could. I already had an idea to port several top down games into this, the graphics's easy and level building and scripting is enough to create several classics. But this tool made it so simple to just take these in.