Best software for sprite animation?

[RANDROID]

I'm just about ready to start animating some sprites I've created (to be used in RM), but I'm kind of new to animation.
I have Photoshop CS5, but I'm wondering if there isn't any better software for this - I read somewhere that Photoshop isn't the best when it comes to animation.

Assuming money isn't an issue, what would you guys recommend?



Edit: I just saw that this same question was already asked: http://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/index.php?/topic/35795-tool-or-tip-for-animating-sprites/

I would delete this thread if I could. My bad! x_X

 

[Creative Ed]

Hey randroid, honestly I don't think you really need more than photoshop to animate, it may not be very good to do complex animations (non-pixel art), but for pixel art it's good enough, since you don't need more than a program that just plays back your animation.
You can try other software though, if you still don't want to use photoshop for this.

You can take a look at Graphics Gale, which is an oldie but a goodie. It's also made for pixel work.
There's also GrafX2 which is free, and it's good enough. Although the interface it's kinda ugly because they made it in pixel art lol.

 

[RANDROID]

Hey randroid, honestly I don't think you really need more than photoshop to animate, it may not be very good to do complex animations (non-pixel art), but for pixel art it's good enough, since you don't need more than a program that just plays back your animation.

You can try other software though, if you still don't want to use photoshop for this.

You can take a look at Graphics Gale, which is an oldie but a goodie. It's also made for pixel work.

There's also GrafX2 which is free, and it's good enough. Although the interface it's kinda ugly because they made it in pixel art lol.

Thanks, man!

Tomorrow, I'll do a simple walk animation in Photoshop, but I'll probably download the Graphics Gale free trial at some point just to check it out.

It looks like the full version's only $16. O_O

 

[Shaz]

I've moved this thread to Program and Utility Discussion. Please be sure to post your threads in the correct forum next time. Thank you.


Check out Spriter.

 

[Sharm]

Spriter isn't as good for pixel sprites, Shaz, though it's awesome for non-pixel sprites.


I like Graphics Gale okay, but sometimes the way things are set up gets in the way for me and makes things take longer than I think they should. Pyxel Edit is another option, not free, but cheap. It's what I use.

 

[Milena]

Photoshop is the best graphic editing tool for what you want, none other.

 

[Sharm]

That is becoming less and less true as time goes on. I can name two programs that are much better at creating line art, lots that have better wacom support, and the OP is right, it's clunky with animation. I found GIMP's animation feature superior, and I thought that one was clunky too.

 

[RANDROID]

Thanks for the responses, guys. <3

I did some research on this, and it seems like most people are recommending Graphics Gale for 2D pixel art, but they say that it largely boils down to personal taste (of UIs and stuff).
I'll have to try out a few of these programs.

A super-informative thread:
https://love2d.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14133

 

[Sharm]

The thread is interesting, but I don't know that it's informative, since the question posed is very broad. With artistic software it's going to depend a great deal on what you're using it for. Inkscape was mentioned, but it's an illustrator like program, made for creating vector art instead of rasterized images. It would be the worst possible choice for trying to animate pixel art, maybe even impossible. I'm all for using the right tool for the right job, and most pixel animators I know use Graphics Gale, (Pyxel Edit is fairly new and unknown).