Sprite Sheets
Author
Ive been writing a sprite engine recently, it all works quite well apart from one issue I have run into. The "cells" are selected from a sprite sheet but the problem is the sprite alignment, because you specify each cell and it has varied width and height its next to impossible to get them to align properly..
Any advice?
Regards.
Ash.Eh?
Yeah either redo the sprite sheet so it's a uniform width/height, or figure out how to load each individual size difference.
Or you might write an algorithm that traces the lines (assuming there's, say, a blue line surrounding each cell) and figures out the width/heights based on that.
Or you might write an algorithm that traces the lines (assuming there's, say, a blue line surrounding each cell) and figures out the width/heights based on that.
I'm using an XML variant to store my texture files. I usually use 1 sheet for each sprite type. So I have 1 ship sheet, 1 for weapons, other for objects, etc.
Next, I make a XML file to store all the filenames, widths, heights, sprites per row, etc. and use PML to parse the files.
My current texture file looks like this:
Next, I load and parse the file and preload all my textures. You could do a similar thing, however, you just make your sprite pack XML file look like:
Repeat all the sprite tags for all your sprites. Give them a unique name and store them somewhere in memory. When you need a sprite, you just refer to it using it's unique name(Or hash the name to speed things up).
As for the parser, I use PML to do the grunt work. It's pretty easy to use. So, to load the sprites, you should use something along the lines of this:
If you go with PML, include all the files into your project, and #include "PML.hpp" into the files that require it. The above code should work, although not tested.
Toolmaker
Next, I make a XML file to store all the filenames, widths, heights, sprites per row, etc. and use PML to parse the files.
My current texture file looks like this:
<texturepackage> <texture name="images/rocks_big.bmp" width="64" height="64" row="2" rotx="32" roty="32"/> <texture name="images/rocks_medium.bmp" width="32" height="32" row="2" rotx="16" roty="16"/> <texture name="images/rocks_small.bmp" width="16" height="16" row="2" rotx="8" roty="8"/> <texture name="images/ship.bmp" width="32" height="32" row="1" rotx="32" roty="32"/> <texture name="images/starfield.bmp" width="256" height="256" row="1"/> <texture name="images/sun.bmp" width="128" height="128" row="1"/> <texture name="images/vortex.bmp" width="128" height="128" row="1"/> <texture name="images/nebula.bmp" width="128" height="128" row="1"/> <texture name="images/bullet.bmp" width="16" height="16" row="1"/></texturepackage>Next, I load and parse the file and preload all my textures. You could do a similar thing, however, you just make your sprite pack XML file look like:
<spritepack> <spritesheet name="sheet1.bmp"> <sprite name="some name" x="10" y="10" width="64" height="64" /> <sprite name="other name" x="10" y="10" width="64" height="64" /> </spritesheet> <spritesheet name="sheet2.bmp"> <sprite name="yet another name" x="10" y="10" width="64" height="64" /> <sprite name="name different" x="10" y="10" width="64" height="64" /> </spritesheet><spritepack>Repeat all the sprite tags for all your sprites. Give them a unique name and store them somewhere in memory. When you need a sprite, you just refer to it using it's unique name(Or hash the name to speed things up).
As for the parser, I use PML to do the grunt work. It's pretty easy to use. So, to load the sprites, you should use something along the lines of this:
PML PmlSpritepack("textures.pml");for (int nTeller = 0; nTeller < PmlSpritepack.GetTagCount(); ++nTeller){ // Get the <spritesheet> tag PML PmlSheet = PmlSpritepack.GetTag(nTeller); // Now loop through the entire list for (int nCounter = 0; nCounter < PmlSheet.GetTagCount(); ++nCounter) { PML PmlTag = PmlSheet.GetTag(nCounter); std::string strType = PmlTag.GetName(); // if strType is "sprite" we have a sprite definition if (strType == "sprite") { std::string strID = PmlTag.GetParameter("name", ""); // 2nd param is default value int x = atoi(PmlTag.GetParameter("x", "-1")); int y = atoi(PmlTag.GetParameter("y", "-1")); // Etc. // Place the data into the sprite managing object or something } }}If you go with PML, include all the files into your project, and #include "PML.hpp" into the files that require it. The above code should work, although not tested.
Toolmaker
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