This is the ultimate deep dive into character creation with AutoSprite. We'll walk through every single step, explain every option, and help you understand exactly what each setting does. By the end, you'll know how to create the perfect character for your game. ## Watch the Full Process --- ## Step 1: Choose Your Path When you start creating a character, you have two options: ### Option A: Upload Your Character Choose this if you already have a character image - whether it's art you've drawn, a commissioned piece, or an existing asset you want to animate. ### Option B: Discover with AI Choose this if you want AutoSprite's AI to generate a character from a text description. Perfect for rapid prototyping or when you need characters quickly. **When to use each:** Upload is best when you have specific art you love. Discover is best for exploring ideas quickly or when you don't have existing art. --- ## Step 2A: Uploading Your Character If you chose to upload, here's what you need to know. ### Image Guidelines For the best animation results, your character image should: - **Face forward** in an idle pose (not turned to the side) - **Full body visible** from head to feet (no cropping) - **Clear view of hands, feet, and face** - these are crucial for animation - **Plain, solid background** if possible (makes processing easier) ### Supported Formats AutoSprite accepts virtually any image format: - **Standard formats:** JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF - **Apple formats:** HEIC files are automatically converted to PNG - **Transparent backgrounds:** Fully supported (recommended!) **HEIC Users:** If you upload a HEIC file (common from iPhones), AutoSprite automatically converts it to PNG. You'll see a brief progress indicator during conversion. ### Tips for Best Results 1. **Higher resolution = better output.** 1024x1024 or larger works great. 2. **Avoid busy backgrounds.** A plain gray or transparent background helps the AI focus on your character. 3. **One character per image.** Don't upload group shots. 4. **Good lighting.** Avoid harsh shadows that obscure details. --- ## Step 2B: Discover with AI (The Deep Dive) This is where things get interesting. AutoSprite can generate characters from text descriptions, and you have a lot of control over the output. ### Writing Effective Descriptions The description field is where you tell the AI what you want. Here are some tips: **Be specific about the character:** - "A knight in full plate armor with a red cape" - "A small forest fairy with butterfly wings" - "A menacing orc warrior carrying a battle axe" **Don't overthink the framing - AutoSprite handles that automatically:** - The system adds "full frame" and proper background settings - Focus on describing the character itself **Example descriptions that work well:** - "A rpg character in full frame" (simple but effective) - "A spaceship" (yes, you can animate vehicles!) - "A huge ant" (creatures work great) - "A blob" (abstract forms are fine) - "A fireplace" (even objects can be characters) ### The 12 Art Styles Explained This is one of the most important choices you'll make. Each style dramatically changes the look of your character. Let the system pick a style that fits your prompt. Good for experimentation when you're not sure what you want. **The Look:** Classic SNES/Sega Genesis era graphics. Think *Final Fantasy VI*, *Chrono Trigger*, or *Sonic the Hedgehog*. **Characteristics:** - Limited color palettes (usually 16-32 colors) - Dithering for shading (checkered patterns to simulate gradients) - Chunky, visible pixels - Nostalgic retro aesthetic **Best for:** Retro-style games, RPGs, platformers aiming for that 90s console feel. **The Look:** Modern indie game pixel art. Think *Celeste*, *Dead Cells*, or *Hyper Light Drifter*. **Characteristics:** - Clean pixel clusters (no dithering) - Sub-pixel animation techniques - More colors than 16-bit, but still limited - Polished, professional indie look **Best for:** Modern indie games, action games, platformers that want crisp pixel art without the retro constraints. **The Look:** Strategy and simulation game art. Think *SimCity*, *Age of Empires*, or *Stardew Valley*. **Characteristics:** - 3/4 overhead view perspective - Consistent pixel-aligned shading - Designed to look good at isometric angles - Strategy-game proportions **Best for:** Top-down games, strategy games, farming sims, city builders. **The Look:** NES/arcade era graphics. Think *Super Mario Bros*, *Mega Man*, or *Pac-Man*. **Characteristics:** - Very limited colors (often just 4-8 per sprite) - Extremely blocky pixels - Simple shading or none at all - Maximum nostalgia **Best for:** Ultra-retro games, jam games, projects going for that 80s arcade feel. **The Look:** Japanese anime and manga style. Think *Dragon Ball*, *Studio Ghibli*, or *Fire Emblem*. **Characteristics:** - Cel shading (flat colors with sharp shadows) - Expressive, large eyes - Clean line work - Dynamic, stylized proportions **Best for:** JRPGs, visual novels, anime-inspired games, fighting games. **The Look:** Super-deformed cute characters. Think *MapleStory*, *Ragnarok Online*, or *Animal Crossing*. **Characteristics:** - Oversized heads (often 1:1 or 2:1 head-to-body ratio) - Tiny, stubby bodies - Vibrant, saturated colors - Adorable, kawaii aesthetic **Best for:** Casual games, mobile games, cute RPGs, anything that needs to be adorable. **The Look:** Hand-painted concept art. Think *Hearthstone*, *League of Legends*, or *Hades*. **Characteristics:** - Visible brush strokes - Rich textures and details - Soft, atmospheric lighting - High-end fantasy art feel **Best for:** Premium games, RPGs, card games, anything that wants a high-art feel. **The Look:** Modern minimalist graphics. Think *Alto's Adventure*, *Monument Valley*, or *Limbo*. **Characteristics:** - Geometric shapes - Bold, flat colors - Minimal or no shading - Clean, modern aesthetic **Best for:** Mobile games, puzzle games, minimalist art games, hyper-casual games. **The Look:** Pixar-style 3D renders. Think *Fortnite*, *Overwatch*, or any Pixar movie. **Characteristics:** - Soft, diffused lighting - Subsurface scattering (skin looks realistic) - Smooth, rounded forms - Friendly, approachable look **Best for:** 3D-look games, family-friendly games, hero shooters, character-driven games. **The Look:** Photorealistic with dramatic lighting. Think *The Last of Us*, *God of War*, or *Red Dead Redemption*. **Characteristics:** - Atmospheric depth and fog - Filmic color grading - Realistic lighting and shadows - AAA game quality feel **Best for:** Realistic games, horror games, narrative-driven games, anything going for realism. **The Look:** Hyper-realistic photographs. Think actual photography or *NBA 2K* character models. **Characteristics:** - Fine facial detail - Natural lighting - High-end retouching look - Almost photographic quality **Best for:** Sports games, simulation games, realistic RPGs, portrait-based games. ### The Generation Process When you click "Generate 4 Characters": 1. **Cost:** 1 credit generates 4 character variations 2. **Time:** Usually takes a few seconds (you'll see "Dreaming up characters...") 3. **Selection:** Click on any of the 4 images to select it 4. **Load More:** Want more options? Click "Load More Characters" (costs 1 credit per 4 images) **Save credits:** Generate once, look at all 4 options, then decide if you need more. Don't spam generations - each set of 4 might have exactly what you need. --- ## Step 3: Review & Pose Correction After uploading or selecting your character, you'll see a review screen with two columns. ### Your Original Image (Left Side) This shows exactly what you uploaded or selected. You can click "Use Original" to proceed without any modifications. ### AI Pose Correction (Right Side) This is an optional but powerful feature. Here's what it does: **What Pose Correction Does:** - Adjusts your character into an ideal "neutral stance" for animation - Ensures arms, legs, and body are in optimal positions - Fixes issues like crossed arms, turned heads, or awkward poses **When to Use It:** - Your character is in a dynamic pose (action shot, turned to the side) - Arms or legs are in positions that might look weird when animated - You're not getting good results from your current image **When to Skip It:** - Your character is already in a good neutral pose - You're happy with how the original looks - You want to save a credit **Cost:** 1 credit (optional) **Processing Time:** About 30 seconds. You'll see a progress indicator. **Pro tip:** If you're uploading art specifically for animation, draw your character in a neutral A-pose or T-pose. This makes pose correction unnecessary. --- ## Step 4: Name Your Character This is the final configuration step before your character is created. Every option here matters. ### Character Name (Required) Give your character a name. This is how you'll identify them in your character list. - **Max length:** 100 characters - **Must be unique** across your characters (no duplicates) - **Tip:** Use descriptive names like "Knight_Blue_Armor" rather than "Character1" ### Guild Assignment Guilds are folders for organizing your characters into groups. **How to use Guilds:** - Select an existing guild from the dropdown - Or choose "Create New Guild" to make a new one - If you have a default guild, it's auto-selected **Example guild organization:** - "Heroes" - Player characters - "Enemies" - Monsters and bosses - "NPCs" - Townspeople and shopkeepers - "Props" - Animated objects like chests or torches ### Character Description A short description of what your character is. This is especially important for non-humanoid characters. - **Max length:** 100 characters - **Examples:** "a spaceship", "a blob", "a fireplace", "a huge ant" **For non-humanoid characters:** Fill this out! The AI uses this description to generate better, more appropriate animations. "A blob" animates very differently than "a knight." ### The Humanoid Toggle (Critical!) This is one of the most important settings, and many users don't understand it. **What "Humanoid" means:** - The character has 2 legs and walks upright - Think: people, robots, bipedal creatures, monsters with legs **When to turn Humanoid ON:** - Humans, elves, dwarves - Bipedal robots - Humanoid monsters (orcs, goblins, etc.) - Anything that walks on two legs **When to turn Humanoid OFF:** - Vehicles (spaceships, cars, boats) - Blobs, slimes, or amorphous creatures - Four-legged animals - Objects (chests, torches, etc.) - Anything that doesn't walk on two legs **Why it matters:** The humanoid toggle completely changes how AutoSprite generates animations. A humanoid walk cycle looks very different from how a spaceship "moves." Getting this wrong will give you weird results. --- ## Bonus: Animation Selection After your character is created, you'll choose which animations to generate. Here's a quick overview: ### Sidescrolling Mode (Default) Standard 5 animations for side-view games: - **Idle** - Subtle breathing, slight movement (loops) - **Walk** - Natural walking cycle (loops) - **Run** - Energetic running (loops) - **Jump** - Crouch, jump, land (doesn't loop) - **Attack** - Weapon swing or attack motion (doesn't loop) ### Isometric Mode For top-down/isometric games, each action has 3 directional variants: - Up, Right, Down (left is mirrored from right) ### Custom Animations You can create unlimited custom animations with your own descriptions. Perfect for: - "Cast Fireball" - "Victory Pose" - "Death Animation" - "Pickup Item" - Anything you can describe! ### Attack Weapon Presets When you select Attack, you can choose a weapon: - Sword, Axe, Staff, Bow - Greatsword, Daggers, Hammer, Spear - Custom weapon (describe your own) --- ## Bonus: Animation Options Each animation can be fine-tuned: ### AutoSprite Mode (Recommended) Leave this ON. AutoSprite automatically determines the best first and last frames for smooth animation. This is optimized for most use cases. ### Manual Mode Turn AutoSprite Mode OFF to manually control: - **First Frame:** Upload or generate a specific starting pose - **Last Frame:** Upload or generate a specific ending pose - **Looping:** Toggle whether the animation loops back to the start Only use Manual Mode if AutoSprite Mode isn't giving you what you need. It's more work but gives you total control. --- ## Tips & Best Practices ### Credit Optimization 1. **Generate 4 at a time in Discover** - Don't generate one by one 2. **Skip pose correction** if your pose is already good 3. **Use AutoSprite Mode** - Manual mode costs extra for frame generation 4. **Batch your animations** - Plan which ones you need before generating ### Description Writing Tips 1. **Be specific but concise** - "A knight with blue armor and a red cape" works better than paragraphs 2. **Focus on visual details** - The AI can't read your lore, just describe what it looks like 3. **Mention important props** - "carrying a sword", "wearing a hat", "with glowing eyes" ### Common Mistakes to Avoid 1. **Wrong humanoid setting** - This is the #1 cause of weird animations 2. **Cropped images** - Make sure feet and head are visible 3. **Dynamic poses** - Use pose correction or start with a neutral stance 4. **Busy backgrounds** - They confuse the AI, use plain backgrounds 5. **Skipping the description** - Especially important for non-humanoid characters --- ## Ready to Create? You now know everything there is to know about character creation in AutoSprite. Time to put it into practice. Start Creating Your Character New users get free credits to try it out. No credit card required. --- *Need help? Join our [Discord community](https://discord.gg/M8TctukXkT) or email us at hello@autosprite.io*

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