The Asset Library is your workspace for non-character sprites: items, effects, props, and other game assets that need animation. ## What Are Assets? Assets are any animated sprites that aren't characters: - **Items** - Weapons, potions, coins - **Effects** - Explosions, magic sparkles, smoke - **Props** - Doors, chests, levers - **UI Elements** - Animated buttons, indicators Unlike characters, assets typically have single animations rather than full movement sets. ## Creating Assets Click **"Assets"** in the main sidebar to switch from Characters to Assets view. Click **"New Asset"** and upload your base image. Write what motion you want: - "Coin spinning and glinting" - "Treasure chest opening with sparkles" - "Fire flickering" AutoSprite creates your animated asset as a spritesheet. ## Organizing with Folders Keep your assets organized with folders: ### Creating Folders 1. Click the folder icon in the Assets sidebar 2. Name your folder (e.g., "Items", "Effects", "UI") 3. Drag assets into folders ### Default Folder New assets go into the default "Uncategorized" folder until you organize them. Create folders for each game project to keep assets separated and easy to find. ## Asset vs Character: When to Use Which | Use Assets For | Use Characters For | |----------------|-------------------| | Single animation | Multiple animations (idle, walk, run) | | Objects/items | Playable characters or NPCs | | Effects/particles | Entities that move around the world | | Static props with animation | Anything with directional sprites | ## Exporting Assets Asset exports work the same as characters: - **PNG spritesheet** - All frames in grid - **JSON atlas** - Frame data and timing Assets export without directional variants (since they don't have multiple facing directions). ## Best Practices ### Keep Asset Images Simple - Clear subject on plain background - Single object per image - Consistent lighting/style across related assets ### Match Your Art Style If your game has pixel art characters, use pixel art assets. AutoSprite works with any art style, but consistency is key for your game's visual cohesion. ### Name Assets Clearly Use descriptive names: - "coin_gold_spinning" - "chest_wooden_open" - "explosion_fire_small" This makes it easier to find and organize assets as your library grows. ## Next Steps Learn about export formats for your game engine: Export Formats