Sprites

NOTE: This was "borrowed" from /vp/ until we write our own.

## Spriting

Sprites, after Pokémon designs, are the backbone of a good Pokémon game. The quality of spriting, both in-battle Pokémon sprites as well as overworlds and map tiles, can make or break a game. Gen /vp/ is attempting to use as much original material as possible. If you want to see what has been done, or want to contribute, check out one of these pages.

* Pokémon battle and icons (this page)
\*Trainer battle
\*Pokémon overworld charsets
\*Map tiles
\*Interface/Misc.
\*Pokemon Footprints
\*Animated Minigame Sprites
\*In-Battle Animations

## In-Battle Sprite Guidelines

**Getting Started**

Spriting tutorial link

With enough time, anyone can make sprites. MS Paint is commonly used and you do not need a tablet. A mouse instead of a touch pad will make it easier though. Try to keep Pokémon sprites on hand as you sprite so that you can reference them and use a similarly-sized Pokémon as a guide to keep your sprites proportional. It is important to remember Pokémon sprites use colored outlines that include black instead of a solid black outline. Back sprites will be in the style of Gen 4.

Your first attempts at spriting may be met with derision in the threads. However some people will give constructive criticism. Ignore the people who say "it's shit" and take the advice of the others. No one can sprite perfectly at first.

**Style**

Sprites are to be done in Gen IV style. This means minimal highlights and dithering. Backsprites are also to be done as they were in Gen I-IV (top half of body only). The color limit for a sprite is 16 unique colors: transparency, white, black, and 13 other colors. **If black or white is not being used, then that color space can be used for an extra color.** Do not use the colors from the artwork. Sprites are much more saturated than the artwork. Yes, technically we don't need a limit on colors. However, we are trying to match the feel of a real Pokémon game as best we can, so we can't go crazy on colors. Please remember to save the images as .png files!

**DO NOT use color check utilities or tools in image-editing programs to see if sprite is under the color limit without additionally hand-checking them, they are prone to listing the same colors twice or simply not being accurate.**

Lastly, please **do not trace over the concept art if it's not facing the right way.** Most of the art does not have the correct angle or pose. Tracing this sort of art will create an unusable sprite because it does not face the opponent in battle.

**Sizing**

Front sprites have a hard limit of 96x96 pixels, but very few should even get close to that, whereas back sprites are usually 80x80 pixels. The spriting guideline image is a good reference tool when deciding how big a sprite is, but it's not absolutely necessary that it be followed for all sprites. If you are having trouble figuring out how big to make a sprite, use existing Pokémon as a comparison (e.g. comparing insect Pokémon to Caterpie). Also make sure there is size consistency within evolution lines; this takes priority over inter-evolutionary line size comparisons.

**Pokémon sprites**

Some Pokémon sprites are already done, although as of now none are official. At this point they will not be added to the rest of the wiki. As the wiki can quickly become out of date, it is advisable to check with the thread if you are unsure if a Pokémon already has a sprite.

**Pokémon icons**

Icons are the smaller animated sprites seen in places like the Pokémon storage boxes and the party menu. They should be angled looking slightly down on them from the right side. They are also animated with two poses constantly looping, mostly as head bobbing or other idle animations, with various other effects, such as shaking, rotation or squishing of the sprite forming the majority of the animation frames. Try to make at least two parts move so the animation doesn't look out of place, and rarely move things more than one pixel away. A single pixel means a lot at that scale. For inspiration, look to Icon Reference link. Feel free to post animated gifs, but the individual frames are also required for our programmers.

**Current progress**

This page lists the sprites and icons currently drawn for all Pokémon. Names with Xs around their name do not have completed designs, so try to avoid doing sprites for these Pokémon. Your time is better spent elsewhere. Each Pokémon is also listed as [WIP], [Multiple Versions], [Complete] or [Unconfirmed].

* *[WIP]* - The sprite has been started, but isn't completed.
\**[Multiple Versions]* - Multiple versions of this Pokémon have been done. This does not include Pokémon with gender or regional differences.
\**[Over the Limit]* - This design has more than 16 colors.
\**[Out of Date]* - The Pokémon has been redesigned, and its sprite needs minor or major adjustments.
\**[Complete]* - Complete does not mean official. It simply means the sprite is >90% complete and there is a general consensus that the quality is good enough.
\**[Unconfirmed]* - This design has not yet been approved and is subject to change. Do not sprite unconfirmed designs.
\***[Game-Ready]** - These sprites have passed sprite confirmation and are game-ready. The only way they can be removed is if a new sprite is voted in with a 66% majority or more. Do NOT remove. **REMINDER, THIS DOES NOT MEAN THEY CANNOT BE CHANGED**

**Guidelines for addition**

* *Adding multiple versions*: If a new sprite has been made, or a drastic revision is made to a current one, place it as a second sprite in the category.
\**Adding revised sprites*: If a minor revision to an existing sprite has been made by someone besides the original sprite artist, post it in the thread first. If there is general approval, you may replace the existing version rather than uploading the revised version separately.
\***NEW** *Adding revisions of confirmed sprites*: If you're modifying a confirmed sprite, please add an asterisk (\*) after it. This is to keep track of which is the modified version.
\**Deleting old sprites*: Do not delete old sprites. Multiple versions of sprites will be run against each other in surveys. Once a winner has been chosen, the loser(s) should be moved to the Sprite Graveyard. Feel free to remove an outdated sprite to the graveyard if a direct replacement to it has been made, even if the replaced sprite is over the color or size limit.

**Uploading guide**

To edit this page, you must use some light coding. Simply click "Edit", go down to the area you want to put your sprite, Click "Photo" (on the right hand side) and choose your sprite to upload. The text should look like this when done properly. Each vertical line at the start represents a new column. A dash with nothing next to it will result in an empty box, while two images after the same line will put both images in the same box. And the line with the dash signifies the end of that row. But don't worry if you accidentally get things misaligned, chances are someone will come by and clean it up. **Just make sure not to delete or remove anything!** Remember to save your sprites as 96x96 as well!

**REMINDER:**

* **The color limit is 16, *including* black, white and transparency.**
\***DO NOT use color check utilities or tools in image editing programs to see if the sprite is under the color limit without additionally hand checking them. Such utilities are prone to listing the same colors twice or simply not being accurate.**
\***If black or white is not being used, then that color space can be used for an extra color.**
\***A confirmed sprite CAN still be changed.**