PixelVision8 VS aseprite

Sprites in Power Vision 8 are all 8x8 pixels in size, when your game starts up the file "sprites.png" is loaded and chopped up in to 8x8 images. Each of these images is then loaded into the memory of the sprite chip until it runs out of space. Each sprite is given an index number at load time (starting from 0) and you can use that index to fetch a particular sprite.

We don't talk enough about how much it "costs" to work on large open-source projects by yourself. I summed up my experiences building Pixel Vision 8 for the past 6 years in "The Dark Side of Supporting an Open-Source Project" on u/hashnode - https://jessefreeman.hashnode.dev/the-dark-side-of-supporting-an-open-source-project

Space Station 8 is a Micro Platformer created in 72 hours for Ludum Dare 49 based on a game I used to play on my original Macintosh called Spacestation Pheta. Space Station 8 is also heavily inspired by Bitsy and my Fantasy Console, Pixel Vision 8, which I used to create the game.

I have been working on my game engine, Pixel Vision 8, for the better part of 6 years now. One of the challenges of working on any sizeable open source project is writing all the documentation and tutorials. I've always been fascinated with designing automated build systems, and it occurred to me that I could create a tool to help me streamline this entire process. The idea was straightforward, could I analyze a code file and break it down into individual steps?

Aseprite is free if you compile it yourself [0], and can still be used for commercial purposes if compiled this way [1]. But I recommend buying it anyway to support the project.

[0]: https://github.com/aseprite/aseprite/

[1]: https://www.aseprite.org/faq/#can-i-sell-graphics-created-wi...

Nitpick: Aseprite is source-available, not open source by the Open Source Initiative's definition. From the Aseprite EULA [1]:

> (g) Source code.

> You may only compile and modify the source code of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT for your own personal purpose or to propose a contribution to the SOFTWARE PRODUCT.

The OSI's definition of open source [2] requires distribution of unmodified and modified copies (with the exception of lone, unmodified copies; I read somewhere that writing a hello world program is a workaround):

> 1. Free Redistribution

> The license shall not restrict any party from selling or giving away the software as a component of an aggregate software distribution containing programs from several different sources. The license shall not require a royalty or other fee for such sale.

...

> 3. Derived Works

> The license must allow modifications and derived works, and must allow them to be distributed under the same terms as the license of the original software.

"free software" is ambiguous to English speakers/writers, but "open source" is ambiguous in its own way.

[1] https://github.com/aseprite/aseprite/blob/main/EULA.txt

[2] https://opensource.org/osd

That's not because you didn't know about it that it is a "new trend"

https://github.com/Poussinou/FLOSS-Games-on-Steam

https://store.steampowered.com/curator/38475471-Libre-Open-S...

It's nothing new, and also exist in the tooling side of things

https://store.steampowered.com/app/431730/Aseprite/ - https://github.com/aseprite/aseprite

This is specifically targeted for Aseperite users, and also makes use of a great tool called TexturePacker by CodeAndWeb. Andreas from CodeAndWeb always helps me out when I email them, and the software itself is awesome, so I figured I'd give it a boost.

Are you on macOS? There is a known issue that we've just fixed and released a new version with the fix today as v1.3-rc7 (we're going to publish some release notes in the following days).

I'd never used Aseprite before, but it was luckily pretty straightforward to copy and paste and slightly edit the knight into a little spritesheet!

I modeled this simple computer in Blender and used the Pribambase plugin to create an animated texture for it with aseprite. I keyframed the animation in Blender and it works perfectly there.

One of my favorite "MS Paint" clones is KolourPaint[1]. I've been using it for over a decade (you have to search around to get it on non-linux platforms but I presently have it on MacOS). One of my favorite features is how it handles transparency, where it's just treated like another "color".

If anyone is heavy into pixel art, you may also be interested in Aseprite[2].

[1] http://www.kolourpaint.org/

[2] https://www.aseprite.org/