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Graphics Vector Images/SWF Editors

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Samus

Guest
Lately I've been working on a game that involves a lot of scaling, so I thought it would be better to use Vector sprites than Bitmap. So I downloaded Inkscape, thinking I could use it to make vector sprites for gamemaker. I made my sprites, only to find out game maker only supports .swf, and Inkscape can't export those. So I looked at different extensions that would let Inkscape export .swf files, and none of them created files that actually worked. I exported the sprites as all kinds of crazy stuff, html, xmac, etc., and tried to convert those to swf using online tools I found, and they all used autoscript. When none of that worked, I started looking at software I could use to make new sprites. I'm not sure if any of them are viable options. Does anyone here know of any good software for making swf files/converting files to swf? Also, are there any plans to allow svg functionality in GMS2, or even a vector editor to the Sprite Editor? Thanks in advance.
 

Smiechu

Member
Lately I've been working on a game that involves a lot of scaling, so I thought it would be better to use Vector sprites than Bitmap. So I downloaded Inkscape, thinking I could use it to make vector sprites for gamemaker. I made my sprites, only to find out game maker only supports .swf, and Inkscape can't export those. So I looked at different extensions that would let Inkscape export .swf files, and none of them created files that actually worked. I exported the sprites as all kinds of crazy stuff, html, xmac, etc., and tried to convert those to swf using online tools I found, and they all used autoscript. When none of that worked, I started looking at software I could use to make new sprites. I'm not sure if any of them are viable options. Does anyone here know of any good software for making swf files/converting files to swf? Also, are there any plans to allow svg functionality in GMS2, or even a vector editor to the Sprite Editor? Thanks in advance.
Only Adobe Illustrator... you can have a 30day fully functional trial version...
 

Niels

Member
Or download illustrator cs2 for "free" from the Adobe website..
But I think yoyogames really drop the ball when it comes to vector support.
 

Rayek

Member
It's not widely known, but PhotoLine also exports to (animated) SWF files. PhotoLine also happens to link up to Inkscape for round-trip editing, making them a very nice combo. A simple timeline allows for SWF animation too.

The only thing to watch out for is that SWF export works best with simple objects, so you'll have to do some testing what works and what does not. SVG import and export is way better supported in PhotoLine, though.

But it could be a relatively inexpensive solution. Can't hurt to test it: complete functional trial at www.pl32.com
Import your artwork as SVG, then export: File-->Export-->Export. Select SWF.
The animation timeline: Web-->Dynamic Animation. Bit clunky, but it works.
 

Electros

Member
Lately I've been working on a game that involves a lot of scaling, so I thought it would be better to use Vector sprites than Bitmap. So I downloaded Inkscape, thinking I could use it to make vector sprites for gamemaker. I made my sprites, only to find out game maker only supports .swf, and Inkscape can't export those. So I looked at different extensions that would let Inkscape export .swf files, and none of them created files that actually worked. I exported the sprites as all kinds of crazy stuff, html, xmac, etc., and tried to convert those to swf using online tools I found, and they all used autoscript. When none of that worked, I started looking at software I could use to make new sprites. I'm not sure if any of them are viable options. Does anyone here know of any good software for making swf files/converting files to swf? Also, are there any plans to allow svg functionality in GMS2, or even a vector editor to the Sprite Editor? Thanks in advance.
Not sure how in depth you wanted to go with vector functions or anything, but for my games with vector graphics I export them out of Inkscape as sprites / image strip pngs and import them to gamemaker into sprites.
 

JackTurbo

Member
vector graphics
You may have drawn your artwork in a vector package but as soon as you rasterise it, they cease to be vector graphics, so they will no longer scale without distortion etc.

I do actually agree that in many cases, rasterising vector art is preferable as it does make life significantly simpler on the whole, however in this instance OP is specifically looking into it for vector art's unique scaling properties.
 

Electros

Member
You may have drawn your artwork in a vector package but as soon as you rasterise it, they cease to be vector graphics, so they will no longer scale without distortion etc.

I do actually agree that in many cases, rasterising vector art is preferable as it does make life significantly simpler on the whole, however in this instance OP is specifically looking into it for vector art's unique scaling properties.
Of course, it would come down to how much scaling is a factor in the game being developed, which the OP is best placed to judge.
 
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Ephemeral

Guest
are there any plans to allow svg functionality in GMS2
It's on the list of stuff YoYo is working on.

We can only hope that the reason we don't already have it is that they're taking the time to do it right; ie, fully implemented as a genuine alternative to pngs that doesn't require a super specific version of some expensive proprietary software (like Animate / Spine).
 
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Samus

Guest
Thanks for all the replies, everyone! I will check out Illustrator and PhotoLine, my game will have a LOT of scaling, sometimes up to 50x zoom. Its ridiculous. :D
I am glad to hear YoYo is working on better vector sprite support. Currently they have very limited stuff available and vector sprites seem to be becoming increasingly mainstream. Once again, thanks for the helpful replies!
 

Rayek

Member
Thanks for all the replies, everyone! I will check out Illustrator and PhotoLine, my game will have a LOT of scaling, sometimes up to 50x zoom. Its ridiculous. :D
I am glad to hear YoYo is working on better vector sprite support. Currently they have very limited stuff available and vector sprites seem to be becoming increasingly mainstream. Once again, thanks for the helpful replies!
Don't forget that UNLESS you have purchased a license of either Illustrator CS1 or CS2 in the past, you are breaking the law when you download the "free" version of Illustrator CS2 and use it for your work. Adobe may not care, but still: something to consider.

I'd like SVG support in GM as much as anyone else. Word of warning though against too high expectations.

The SVG format has an incredibly broad specification, and for these to be rendered 'realtime" means that a game engine can't hope to support all that SVG offers. It probably needs to be a subset.

Even IF it is supported, chances are that is will be S...L...O...W...! I noticed this myself with rendering SVG graphics in a browser game, and anyone ever trying to create a fast action game in SVG will attest to this. Back in the day with Flash, vectors generally proved too much of a performance overhead as well, and vectors were limited to static graphics such as GUI elements.

That said, the "best" method to render vector graphics in a game engine and keep them "infinitely" scalable is to convert them to meshes, which is exactly what GM does when you import a SWF (which you probably are already aware of).
https://www.yoyogames.com/blog/25/v1-3-vector-sprites

It's pretty cool and avoids the pitfalls of slow SVG screen rendering, although I admit that I've never used the SWf import myself.

As for me, I'd be happy to see something like this:
https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/sprite-management/svgassets-19822

The price is a bit ridiculous, though. Godot 3 supports similar SVG import out of the box, which works quite well, but is based on the NanoSVG library https://github.com/memononen/nanosvg
This library is small and free for anyone to use. The drawback is that the game asset creator must pay attention to how the asset is created, because certain/many SVG features remain unsupported.
Still, very handy, and I think this is where a SVG-based asset workflow shows its most important strengths. It depends on the visual style of the game, of course.

*edit* did a bit more research

This is actually quite nice:
https://github.com/poke1024/godot_svg_plus
The real-time mesh tesselation and option to access all the SVG's resources directly through code sounds very, very interesting. Must investigate more.

I can definitely see the advantage of a mesh-based workflow for many vector-type art assets.
 
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Samus

Guest
Don't forget that UNLESS you have purchased a license of either Illustrator CS1 or CS2 in the past, you are breaking the law when you download the "free" version of Illustrator CS2 and use it for your work. Adobe may not care, but still: something to consider.
Yes, I noticed that when I went to download it and I gave up then. Don't want to do illegal stuff. :{ I think I will make svgs with Inkscape and when I need the detailed sprites/when all the sprites are finished use the 30 day free trial of PhotoLine to convert to SWF. :) I have heard that vectors in general, specifically svgs are BIG memory eaters. My game is fast-paced, so I've been looking at ways to optimize it with meshing. The blog you posted was very helpful.
 

Rayek

Member
PhotoLine offers good vector drawing tools as well, btw. Via Filter-->External Programs-->Manage External Programs a round-trip link to InkScape can be set up with SVG as the intermediate format.

The way I use it is like follows:
- I have a level mockup in PhotoLine. (and one file in PL may consist of multiple pages-->level mockups)
- import SVG asset and make sure the elements are grouped or start a new group with one dummy vector object
- Edit the asset in PhotoLine, and/or select the group and use the Filter-->External Programs-->Inkscape option to fire up Inkscape for asset editing. I use a custom shortcut to call Inkscape when I need it.
- edit in Inkscape, save. Switch to PhotoLine and the asset (group) is updated. As long as you keep Inkscape open with that asset, the link remains live, and any change you make in Inkscape is automatically updated in PhotoLine.

The beauty is that it is possible to open multiple game assets of your game screen/level mockup in separate Inkscape instances, and ALL the links remain live!!! Thus it is possible to work on various assets simultaneously, and your level mockup(s) update with each change you make.

When I am done, I export the asset layers for use in the game engine. The latest beta supports scripting, which I use to automate this last step.
 
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