Pixelation
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: fatalcubez on September 11, 2016, 09:55:33 pm
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I'm in an argument with my friend about which program is better to use for pixel art. I personally think Aseprite's interface is simpler and has more pixel art/spriting features that immediately available for use. His argument is that Photoshop has all the features Aseprite has and more.
What's your opinion? Vote below with which program you would rather use and why. Thanks!
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I use aseprite for everything (because photoshop is ridiculously expensive on my budget) and has a MUCH more approachable interface.
Photoshop, however, is way more powerful a tool for just about everything.
Object-oriented animation and tweening capabilities very much trump Aseprite's limited animation capabilities, and until we get some better tools for that facet I'm gonna have to side with your friend if we're talking about professional work.
If we're talking beginner work though, aseprite is a much better fit for the reasons above. It's interface is simply more intuitive and better-designed than Photoshop's.
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Yeah, but if you're already comfortable with PS is there any reason at all to switch? Just curious.
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Not for animation, no. Like i said, better ui (and stability lol) but less features.
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Aseprite has an annoying but uncomplicated GUI.
Photoshop has an annoying and complicated GUI. Also, it's designed to do everything, as MysteryMeat pointed out.
To me that means Aseprite wins by default, having a total score of 0 vs PS's minus-2.
Of course this is a different question than "I already know X, should I learn Y?" IMO that should be decided on basis of (simplicity + novelty) -- 'can I become basically effective quickly? Are things consistent and well factored?' and 'does this open up new ways to approach my task?'.
Which has to be answered by the individual in question.
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Aseprite's timeline for a complex animation :
(http://www.aseprite.org/docs/sprite/sprite-components.png)
Photoshop's timeline for the simplest case where there are no layers, image changes on each key frame (comments are irrelevant, I lifted the image off a tutorial) :
(https://benmarkus.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/timeline_window.png)
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Photoshop's timeline for the simplest case where there are no layers, image changes on each key frame (comments are irrelevant, I lifted the image off a tutorial)
(http://image.prntscr.com/image/34b31194c1ec4223be7886e3ef4fdb09.png)
This is a much more accurate "simplest case". You literally just open timeline view > make frames from layers, and you're done. (Bear in mind, my example is just something I had open. Not meant to be animated. :P)
I personally use photoshop for most of my pixel work, and haven't dived into other programs extensively due to my background with ps. I will add this to the batch of pros and cons, though: There's a lot of keybinds in photoshop, and nuances within the way it's set up (It's meant more for digital painting and photo editing than exact pixel work) that cause transparency to swap around on you sometimes. Brushes and erasers will lose their opacity (seemingly at random), and this causes your color count to go way up, as well as creating semi-transparent artifacts in your work. It's a hassle, but you can learn to keep an eye out for it.
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Ah thanks, this looks much more usable. On the one hand, Photoshop's image model may be the only one which allows the same frame to re-appear at different points in time, but I can't help thinking this internal complexity must be awkward sometimes.
And if you do need something like this, an actual animation program is going to add considerable more choices, like "scripted" features where you say "scroll this frame by +100,0 over 50 ticks".
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On the one hand, Photoshop's image model may be the only one which allows the same frame to re-appear at different points in time, but I can't help thinking this internal complexity must be awkward sometimes.
Aseprite can do that.
(http://i.imgur.com/L3zlMpU.gif)
Note that when I draw on the "1" frame it changes in both places.
Aseprite is not Photoshop. It doesn't have pressure based opacity or antialiased brushes. But I think a lot of people would be really surprised at all the stuff it does do if they only spent a half hour trying it.
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This is very cool. I hope I don't annoy you guys with my imprecise information, and let me say your answers are precious. And they show how a fair comparison (or choice) of tools is only possible if you really know them.
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I think it ultimately just comes down to comfort. Try the waters and pick what you're most comfortable with, because that's likely to be the program that you produce the best results with.
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Aseprites my favorite.