Aseprite Normal Toolkit
A downloadable aseprite extension for Windows
Creating Normal Maps can be tricky, especially when you're just getting started. This Aseprite extension features a few tools to support you in the creation of Normal Maps!
Features:
- Generate Normal Maps
- Mirror Normal Maps
You can find the tools under Edit > FX > Normal Tools
Requirements
Requires Aseprite Version 1.3+
If you've bought Aseprite on itchio, you can find the latest 1.3 build there. For steam users, navigate to your Library > Right click Aseprite > Properties > Beta > Beta Participation > beta - v1.3 Beta Version
What is a Normal Map?
A Normal Map is a special texture that tells a shader which direction each pixel of the regular texture is facing. In Aseprite, you can select the Normal Color Wheel in the Options Menu directly above the Color Palette. Using this Color Wheel, the further you pick a color on there in 1 direction, the more the pixel is pointing in that direction.
With this Aseprite extension, I'm aiming to make creating normal maps easier. If you want to put your Normal Map to use, consider trying out my Aseprite Normal Shading extension.
How It Works:
0. Installation
Aseprite Extensions are installed by either double-clicking the *.aseprite-extension file or via Edit > Preferences > Extensions > Add Extension
1. Generate Normal Maps
Using an existing sprite, automatically generate a normal map using a variation of the Sobel Operator algorithm.
For the best result, duplicate your texture and create a grayscale image / height map of it (See the examples on the right). The closer the color is to white, the "higher up" that part of the texture is going to be. The difference between the shades of gray next to each other is the more intense the edge is going to be.
Edge Intensity controls how "hard" the edge between an "empty" pixel and its neighbors its going to be.
Selecting discrete colors limits the amount of colors the algorithm is going to use for generating the normal map. It is recommended to use an odd number, otherwise you won't have any even surfaces
2. Mirror Normal Maps
Normal Maps are direction-dependent. This tool allows you to mirror your normal map along a vertical or horizontal axis.
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or send me a message on Twitter
Download
Click download now to get access to the following files:
Development log
- Update: Aseprite Normal Toolkit: v.0.10Aug 24, 2023
- Aseprite ToolKit - Hotfix: v.0.9.5Jul 01, 2023
Comments
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NGL These tools from you look extremely promising for the future.
Hey, I have been searching for long time on how to achieve eastward like lighting in top-down rpg Pixelart. And never properly understood normal map approach. Can you please help me and show the quick way? I want to create believable lighting, so hand painted Normal map method, but want to save time. What tools or method should i follow
Hi, while I haven't played Eastward, looking at a few trailers I don't think the game uses Normal Maps. You may be able to achieve a similar look using just 2D lighting, there are plenty of tutorials for that, but one I used in the past was this tutorial by Brackeys for Unity. It essentially boils down to making the scene dark by default and only adding color where there is light, depending on the intensity and color of the light itself.
Normal Maps are not required for lighting in 2D, but if you want your textures to be affected by light based on its direction, you need normal maps. There is another Unity tutorial by Brackeys that goes into normal maps.
If you do want to use Normal Maps, you can try out my Normal Shading extension. It adds basic lighting to Aseprite and allows you to get an idea of what your texture will look like with a normal map applied :)
I've heard that eastward uses 3d lighting (don't know how's that possible) and textures are affected by lights. But still they made sprites with some basic shadows and highlights. But I think I could get a good result by adding unity 2d lights on dark scene with little ambient lighting, making lights from custom Sprite shapes and animating them and then few Effects like bloom over it. I will also try adding basic normal maps like only 5 color map for (left, right, front, top and down) direction to test if looks better.
Thank you so much man! And cool extension BTW :)
Hey, thank you, and good luck with your project!
I did a little more digging and found this video. It seems like they built the whole game as a 3d environment and placed everything precisely to make it look just right when looked at from the front through an orthographic camera :o
WTF! How did I miss that video. That few seconds of camera tilt explains everything. You just cleared my confusion of over a year. So, this means that their environment is using z axis but characters are only moving in x and y. Must look weird in viewport :)
I installed to test it but I don't see the option to use it in FX or script anywhere. It appears installed in preferences but I don't see how to use it anywhere
Hey, are you using the v1.3 beta version of Aseprite?
No, I'm using the stable one. Version 1.2.4.0
Well that's probably where the issue comes from. 1.3 adds alot of features to the aseprite api and I've potentially used some of them. I will look into this asap.
I personally never had any issues with the 1.3 beta, so if you don't rely on plugins only compatible with 1.2.4, I'd recommend you give the beta a shot :)
Thanks for bringing this to my attention!
Thank you for the extension! I have been enjoying it so far. However, I do have a couple of suggestions:
Thank you again for your hard work!
Hey, thank you for your comment! Regarding your feedback:
1. This was actually already supposed to work but I somehow didn't notice it when releasing the extension. I've uploaded a fix just now
2. This is a feature I haven't even considered yet, thank you for the suggestion. I'm a little busy with other work right now but I'm going to look into this as soon as I can
If you notice any issues with the new version, please let me know :)
Thank you for your efforts! Now everything works as it should. I will play around with it, and in a case of any issues, I will let you know.