What do you use to generate your animations?

[jimbobjones]

I have Photoshop for creating my static files (and am a pretty good hand at it, since I've been using it since PS7).

However, I was wondering what you guys use for your animations for your active objects. I could frame-by-frame it in PS (either as single frame files or as a celled template), but I was hoping people had an easier/better solution. (I did a forum search, but can't find anything).

Thanks!

(Note, I just realized that the open topic forum might be a better place for this. Unfortunately, I have no way to personally move it that I can see).

[Storsorgen]

I use the graphics editor in MMF2 itself, and sometimes Graphics Gale or GIMP when I need to change colors quickly.
I just think the editor in MMF2 is so comfy :I

[Pixelthief]

MMF2's graphics editor for sure, but I have a myriad of programs (all written in MMF2 :3) that I use for rendering and effects and stuff, plus photoshop
Draw the sprites in MMF2, animate them in programs, tune them up in photoshop.

[rubes]

I use Lightwave 3d, MS Paint, Newtek's AuraDV, which is a lot like the old amiga Deluxe Paint. Most of my graphics are run through Aura for something or another. This is an older program, but runs great. It is based on TVPaint technology

[MuddyMole]

PaintShopPro 9 (the last version JASC made before Corel bought them out and ruined it). Can't recommend it highly enough

As much as I love MMF2, the picture editor really isn't very good.
It kind of seems to me like Clickteam wasted their time re-inventing the wheel (or in this case MSPaint) - there are already other free graphics apps that are *far* more powerful - all they really needed to do was create a much better system for importing graphics.

[Stephen]

It would be cool to have external editor support. Use whatever editor you wanted and have the result imported into MMF automatically.

[LittleTinyBabyMan]

I use MMF2 painter then I copy it to Paint.net, put some effects to it and I'll put it back to the MMF2 painter...

[King_Cool]

MMF2s Graphic Editor for the win!
Occasionally use GIMP2 ( wich is open source and commercial free ) for textures and advanced effects/ operations.

I also use MMF2s Frame Editor quite alot for graphical work, for example:

- I create a square Wood texture using GIMP, copy past it to MMF2
- I draw a Boat Shape ( just the wooden part ), and make the Shape Transparent ( against a Black Background ).
- I lay the Boat Shape over the Wooden Texture
- I create a semitransparent Immage or use the Lense Object to give it some depth.
- I PrintScreen it all, crop it and remove the Black Parts. Then i got a nice start for a Boat!

I have done many different thigs like this, taking advantage of the Objects and features of MMF2 ( Mod7EX for example can be used to create really nice Skys and Oceans ).
This method of doing things might seem silly to many of you, but i feel i know MMF2 very well so this flows very well for me!

[oruga]

Graphics gale (there's a free version available) for pixel art, you can use layers and frames, place each movable part in a separate layer to move and adjust them easily.

[jimbobjones]

Interesting mix. Thanks for all the responses.

I've got to agree with MuddyMole that the MMF2 graphics editor just isn't very good (unless there's some super special hidden abilities I'm missing, it seems a lot like MS Paint).

Beside Photoshop, I use:

- GIMP (when I'm not on one of my Photoshop machines)
- Inkscape (stellar free vector graphics program)
- Blender (a free 3d program that works well once you get used to it)
- Synfig Studio (another free one which seems, so far, to be a decent vector animation program. Though I haven't really used it enough to know, yet.)