Pixelation

General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Adiemus on January 17, 2017, 01:31:35 am

Title: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: Adiemus on January 17, 2017, 01:31:35 am
I was wondering if there are any paint programs for drawing pixel art that run on Windows 98 (yes this is a very odd question considering it's 2017 and I'm asking about Windows 98). I downloaded Character Marker 1999 and while it is better than MS Paint, it has some shortcomings.

- Thanks  ::)
Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: Kasumi on January 17, 2017, 03:44:22 am
Try various versions of Aseprite. (https://www.aseprite.org/) A very recent version worked on Windows XP (Post 98, but still.)

The latest version is non free, but various older builds are available here: https://www.aseprite.org/older-versions/

If you click "More files" you can find a bunch of older versions, at least some of which are very likely to be windows 98 compatible. (But whether such old versions will compete with character maker, I don't know.)
Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: ilkke on January 17, 2017, 05:58:18 am
There are two different forks of GraFX2

If this one works, then I recommend it highly:
http://pulkomandy.tk/projects/GrafX2
Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: Ai on January 17, 2017, 06:23:49 am
There are two different forks of GraFX2
Oh? *searches* The other one is SDL2 fork.. Does that have any practical advantages, or only theoretical advantages so far?
Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: yrizoud on January 17, 2017, 02:07:48 pm
I developed Grafx2 for the longest time on my Windows 98 computer, with an AGP x1 videocard. If v2.4.2035 doesn't start, it means I made a mistake when I compiled it, just tell me and I'll rebuild it.

The SDL2 version doesn't work. The advantage is hardware acceleration and UI no longer depends on image palette. The downside is that I'm not sure it will be completed ever, SDL2 is so buggy compared to SDL1... :'(

Edit: Just checked, Grafx2 2.4 works fine.
Other freeware painting programs which I can confirm work on win98 :
Pixelformer, rather for high-color stuff, but very easy to use and I love how you can draw/edit the alpha channel directly
EvilPixie, very cute
PaintToolSai
Ultimate Paint
EasyToon
PaintTool SAI
Pencil 0.4.4 (not pixel art, animation)
GraphicsGale (demo I think, 1.93.19)
Let me know if you need to track specific versions.
Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: Piotr on January 18, 2017, 10:17:10 am
There's nothing wrong with MS Paint.
Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: yrizoud on January 18, 2017, 11:08:04 am
... apart from having no indexed color mode, no keyboard shortcuts, and the windows 98 version can't save GIF without converting the image to websafe palette.
Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: Piotr on January 18, 2017, 08:11:21 pm
... apart from having no indexed color mode, no keyboard shortcuts, and the windows 98 version can't save GIF without converting the image to websafe palette.
For indexed, replace the colors in palette. For keyboard shortcuts, use ctrl+c and ctrl+v. PNG is favored, GIF is deprecated and Paint just has to convert to 256 color palette because of GIF limitations.
Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: Crow on January 18, 2017, 08:15:49 pm
For indexed, replace the colors in palette. For keyboard shortcuts, use ctrl+c and ctrl+v. PNG is favored, GIF is deprecated and Paint just has to convert to 256 color palette because of GIF limitations.

At this point, you really seem more like a troll than anything else. If you decide to keep this up, don't be surprised about strikes or a ban.
Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: Piotr on January 19, 2017, 06:46:56 am
For indexed, replace the colors in palette. For keyboard shortcuts, use ctrl+c and ctrl+v. PNG is favored, GIF is deprecated and Paint just has to convert to 256 color palette because of GIF limitations.

At this point, you really seem more like a troll than anything else. If you decide to keep this up, don't be surprised about strikes or a ban.
Actually, comparing what I actually am to what you said, you could as well also be the same. How is listing the solutions to each problem, troll?
Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: Ma3vis on January 19, 2017, 07:16:25 am
Quote
How is listing solutions to each problem a troll?

Personal interpretation of the situation:

* msPaint is a program pixel artists prefer to avoid (community trope)

* msPaint is also strictly listed in the OP as the thing he is seeking alternatives against

* to then suggest msPaint in a thread asking for alternatives, and in spite of community boycott

* It's a matter-of-fact suggestion in context of the OP plus in response to supported reasons from u/yrizoud that makes said post seem troll-ish, rude, or catty I believe.

Personally would not like it if a question required answering and it were trolled with something I explicitly listed to avoid.

And it's simply a warning, I would just avoid pressing the topic any further -- again, personally speaking.
Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: Piotr on January 19, 2017, 03:24:38 pm
* msPaint is a program pixel artists prefer to avoid (community trope)
With such a lie and ugly capitalization, I'm sure you're a troll. MS Paint is my favorite paint editor.
Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: Achrileg on January 19, 2017, 06:50:49 pm
With such a lie and ugly capitalization, I'm sure you're a troll. MS Paint is my favorite paint editor.

Okay, are you a professional pixel-artist? Do you earn money with pixel-art? Are you good at pixel-art? Are you experienced with pixel-art?

I'll go out on a limb and guess that the answer to those questions is no.

Stop assuming you know everything and the rest of the world doesn't know shit. Just because it's your favorite doesn't mean it's others', or that it even is good or functional.
Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: jun on January 20, 2017, 04:42:49 am
This person is obviously a troll, please ignore the malarkey and avoid off-topic feuds.

Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: Achrileg on January 20, 2017, 12:11:53 pm
This person is obviously a troll, please ignore the malarkey and avoid off-topic feuds.

But what about the off-chance he isn't and is deadly serious? =]

Besides, it's not like he's taking the spotlight off of other terribly popular threads.
Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: Piotr on January 21, 2017, 06:02:25 am
With such a lie and ugly capitalization, I'm sure you're a troll. MS Paint is my favorite paint editor.

Okay, are you a professional pixel-artist? Do you earn money with pixel-art? Are you good at pixel-art? Are you experienced with pixel-art?

I'll go out on a limb and guess that the answer to those questions is no.

Stop assuming you know everything and the rest of the world doesn't know shit. Just because it's your favorite doesn't mean it's others', or that it even is good or functional.
Saying "xxxxxx is the program people try to avoid" is offensive since all programs are loved by some people. Some advanced pixel artists love Paint too. Saying xxxxx has many features or few is also subjective.
Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: Adiemus on January 24, 2017, 01:48:07 am
Thanks guys for the responses! I just want to provide a quick follow up to my original post.

@Kasumi

I tried out Allegro Sprite Editor and it's great. The earliest version I could get working was v0.6.1. Even though it's an older version, there is definitely an improvement over Character Maker.

@ilkke

Thanks for the GrafX2 suggestion. I think I might like this better than ASE, but I need more time to test each of them out.

@yrizoud

That's cool that you helped develop GrafX2. It's a really nice program. Yes version 2.4 works, and also the WIP version of 2.5 works.  Also thanks for that long list of other useful paint programs.
Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: Doppleganger on January 24, 2017, 08:02:17 pm
try idraw3, it doesn't have a lot of documentation on it, but is a pretty robust pixel editor that was around back in the rpgmaker2000 days.

I used to use it professionally for nearly 6 years, so it should serve its purpose.

http://wombatrpgs.net/downloads.php?view=detail&df_id=33
Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: Ozego on January 25, 2017, 03:47:48 am
Photoshop 5.5
Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: Piotr on February 11, 2017, 08:05:29 am
This person is obviously a troll, please ignore the malarkey and avoid off-topic feuds.

But what about the off-chance he isn't and is deadly serious? =]

Besides, it's not like he's taking the spotlight off of other terribly popular threads.
I'm obviously deadly serious.
I tried Paint.net, Grafx2, Paint in 7, GIMP and RealWorld Cursor Editor and they are not as comfortable as Paint in XP for me. Trust me. Some people may think differently but this is my opinion and it isn't wrong.

Paint.net - always starts with a white 800x600 image in 99% zoom instead of using last size, always asks whether canvas should be expanded if pasting a larger image (Microsoft removed it for a reason), always shows a color wheel with palette and before RGB sliders (Paint only shows palette which isn't as distracting), no option to clear image (seriously?), always erases with transparent color instead of background color, no quick resizing (Paint has these dots that you can drag to resize)

Grafx2 - limited to 256 colors, requires 8x8 font for GUI, uses side by side zoom, no quick resizing

Paint in 7 - bad palette choice, weird thickness options (1, 3, 5, 8, seriously? Why not 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 as in Paint in XP?), no clear option (again, this distracts me)

GIMP - no clear way to use this as a pixel art editor

RealWorld Cursor Editor (which is a cursor editor but can also edit images) - no clear option or background color, erases with transparent color (requiring constant switching colors), no quick resizing, does not expand canvas on pasting

Paint in XP has all the good features that I need - good palette choice, good thickness options, quick resize, background color that you can erase with, clear option (cannot live without this one), always expands canvas on pasting instead of asking or not doing it.

This is just my opinion. Don't blame me or ban me.
Title: Re: Looking for Pixel Art Paint Programs for Windows 98
Post by: hapiel on February 21, 2017, 02:07:28 am
Since you got Grafx2 to work this suggestion is perhaps not needed anymore, but in my win98 days I pixelled with mtPaint

http://mtpaint.sourceforge.net/ (http://mtpaint.sourceforge.net/)