Creature's Sprite Util

Command line tools for parsing, compiling or converting Creatures sprite files

Basic Information

This utility requires node to run.

To download node, visit node's downloads page

To use this utility, install it with node's npm.

npm install -g @bedalton/sprite-util

The sprite-util utility allows for the following sub-commands:

compile
Compile raw PNG and BMP images into a Creatures' sprite file. Supports SPR, S16, C16 and BLK

parse
Output sprite image contents as PNG. Supports SPR,S16,C16, and BLK

convert-sprite
Convert sprites between the main formats: SPR, S16, and C16

convert-breed
Convert a breed's images (and optionally its ATTs) from one game to another

Base Command

Usage: 
    sprite-util parse [options_list] inputFiles...
    sprite-util compile [options_list] inputFiles...
    sprite-util convert-breed [options_list] inputFiles...
    sprite-util convert-sprite [options_list] inputFiles...
    
Subcommands: 
    parse - Parse sprite file to pngs
    compile - Compile images to sprite
    convert-breed - Convert breed files between game formats
    convert-sprite - Convert sprite between sprite file formats

Options: 
    --help, -h -> 
        Usage info for base command `sprite-util --help`, 
        or child command. i.e. `sprite-util convert --help`

Input Files

The inputFiles argument contains one or any mix of the following:

• Individual file names
• Directories
• Glob patterns. i.e. ./Frost-Grendel/*.spr

Files are:

• used in the order they are defined
• If input is a folder or glob, files are sorted in the following order
  • Folders
  • File name without leading or trailing numbers
  • Leading numbers
  • Trailing numbers

Note The numbers in the file name are sorted numerically not by text.
So:

file-033
file-3
file-20

Would be sorted as

file-3
file-20
file-033

And:

01-file-3
20-aFile-033
02-aFile-20

Would be sorted as

02-aFile-20
20-aFile-033
01-file-3

Because aFile comes before file when sorted by text, and is evaluated before leading number

Compile

Takes a series of images and combines them into a single sprite image. In the case of a BLK conversion, only one file can be used as input

Images can be PNGs or BMPs.

With PNG images, black can be made non-transparent by using the --keep-black flag. Useful when working on images that support transparency, and when black may be used accidentally

Usage: sprite-util compile type output [options_list] inputFiles...
Arguments: 
    type -> sprite output type: [SPR, S16, C16, BLK]
    Output -> Output sprite file name
    images -> Image files or folders or glob patterns
Options: 
    --encoding, -c -> Sprite color encoding: [555, 565]
    --force, --f -> Overwrite ouput file if it exists
    --skip-existing, -x -> Do not overwrite existing file
    --help, -h -> Usage info 
Help:
    --help, -h -> Usage info 

Valid image files are BMP or PNG

Example usage

# Example 1: Basic compile
The following produces a C16 called butterfly in the current working directory, using all image BMP and PNG files in the butterfly subdirectory

sprite-util compile C16 butterfly.c16 ./bufferfly/*

# Example 3: Keep Black
Create a sprite using PNG files where black is meant to be visible:

sprite-util compile S16 theDarkness.s16 --keep-black ./darkness/*.png

The flag --keep-black it will keep all solid black pixels from becoming transparent
--keep-black, -b is really only useful when working with transparent PNGs where blacks are not expected to be transparent

# To create a sprite using three explicitly defined sprites.<br/>
sprite-util compile SPR lemon.spr ./lemon000.png ./lemon001.png ./trellis.png

# Example 4: BLK
This will produce a BLK with the given PNG. Note: Only one image can be converted at a time

sprite-util compile BLK fantasia.blk ./fantasia_metaroom.png

Parse

Parses a sprite file, and outputs its frames as individual PNG images.

If the --keep-black flag is not used, then pure black will be made transparent in the output images

For BLK files the parser creates a single unified PNG by default. Pass the --nostitch flag to output the individual frames

Usage: sprite-util parse [options_list] inputFiles....
Arguments: 
    FileNames -> Sprite files to parse (supports some glob syntax)
Options: 
    --output, -o -> Directory to output sprite images to
    --prefix, -p -> Output file name prefix
    --number-padding, -n -> Minimum number of digits for frame number in output file names
Flags:
    --progress -> Output parsing progress *-p is prefix here*
    --nostitch, -s -> Do not stitch BLK sprite into a single PNG image, but output individual frames
    --keep-black, -b -> Keep black pixels black instead of making them transparent
Help:
    --help, -h -> Usage info 

Example usage

# Example 1: Basic sprite parsing
To simply extract the contents of a sprite using its file name as the prefix use the following

sprite-util parse butterfly.c16

This simple command will output all frames of the sprite into the current working directory in the format
butterfly-00.png,butterfly-01.png,butterfly-02.png, etc.

# Example 2: Custom Prefix
To use a custom prefix instead of the file name for each output image use the --prefix,-p flag followed by the text you want to use.
To produce images from a408.spr as f-norn_000, f-norn_001... instead of the default a408-00, a408-01 you would use the following:

sprite-util parse -o ./a408 -n 3 -p "f-norn_" ./a408.spr

• a408/f-norn_000.png
• a408/f-norn_001.png
• a408/f-norn_002.png
• a408/f-norn_00{n}.png...

# Example 3: Multiple files parse with glob
The following produces a PNG for each frame in each file matching the glob pattern

sprite-util parse -n 3 -p "f-norn_" ./a4*.spr

For sprite a408.spr

• a408/f-norn_a408-000.png
• a408/f-norn_a408-001.png
• a408/f-norn_a408-002.png
• a408/f-norn_a408-00{n}.png...

For sprite a428.spr

• a428/f-norn_a428-000.png
• a428/f-norn_a428-001.png
• a428/f-norn_a428-002.png
• a428/f-norn_a428-00{n}.png...

# Example 4: Keep Black
By default black becomes transparent in the output file. To prevent this, use the --keep-black, -b flag

sprite-util --keep-black ./darkness.spr

This will output the PNG without transparency using black instead like the original source file

# Example 5: Stitched BLK
To produce a single PNG from a BLK, simply specify the output and the name of the BLK

sprite-util parse fantasia.blk

# Example 6: Non-Stitched BLK
To output images for the individual frames of the BLK instead of one stitched PNG, use the --nostitch flag

sprite-util parse --nostitch  fantasia.blk

Notes

--prefix, -p:- When using multiple files with a prefix, the output format becomes:${prefix}${sprite_name_without_extension}-{number} (the dash after the filename is hardcoded) - Prefix has no trailing characters*, so if you want the prefix to end with a dash, you must explicitly add it to the prefix

--number-padding, -n - This defines the minimum number of digits for the frame number in a filename If there are more digits in the sprite than the minimum padding, the larger size wins --number-padding 1 with a file with 11 frames will have a padding of 2 not one. By default the padding is at least 2 digits

Convert-Sprite

Converts one game's sprites to that of another

usage: sprite-util convert-sprite type [options_list] inputFiles...
Arguments: 
    type -> Target output sprite type: [SPR, S16, C16, BLK]
    files -> Image files or folders in glob format
Options: 
    --encoding, -c [565] -> Sprite color encoding: [555, 565]
    --output, -o -> Output folder for the converted breed files
Flags:
    --force, --f -> Overwrite existing files
    --skip-existing, -x -> Do not overwrite existing files 
    --ignore-errors, -e -> Ignore all compilation errors. Other errors will still cancel compile
    --progress -> Output file conversion progress   
    --quiet, -q -> Only output error text 
    --keep-black, -b -> Prevent solid black from being transparent (shifts black to make it opaque) 
Help:
    --help, -h -> Usage info 

Example usage

# Example 1: Basic Conversion
To convert a file simply provide the desired file type in uppercase followed by a list of files to convert

sprite-util C16 zand.s16

# Example 2: Mutiple files conversion
You can convert multiple images by listing files, folders or globs.
The following converts 1 S16 files named zand.s16 along with every S16 sprites in the images folder to C16

sprite-util convert-sprite C16 -o ./conversions ./zand.s16 ./images/*.s16

Depending on the files in the images folder, output would be something like

• conversions/zand.c16
• conversions/acrn.c16
• conversions/ball.c16
• conversions/cact.c16

# Example 3: Overwrite without prompt
The code below would overwrite zand.c16 if it existed without asking first

sprite-util convert-sprite C16 --force ./C2/images/zand.s16

# Example 3: Skip files without prompt
The following would skip converting and writing zand.c16 if the file already exists

sprite-util convert-sprite C16 --skip-existing ./C2/images/zand.s16

Convert-Breed

Converts a breed's sprites from one game to another and optionally its ATTs as well

For C1 <-> C2 or C2e if the breed has tails, the parts are automatically reversed as is needed for C1 tails to the other games and vice-versa

Missing Tails: Empty tail sprite and optionally ATTs will be generated automatically if the C1 breed does not have one defined

Note: This utility does not support Creatures Village/Adventure in any direction

Usage: sprite-util convert-breed target-game [options_list] inputFiles...
Arguments: 
    target-game -> Target game for breed files: [C1, C2, C3, DS]
    sprites -> Image files or folders or glob pattern
Options: 
    --from, -> Input sprite's game variant [C1, C2, C3, DS]. Not really needed if extensions are correct
    --encoding, -c -> Sprite color encoding: [555, 565]
    --genus, -g -> The output genus: [n]orn, [g]rendel, [e]ttin, [s]hee, geat
    --breed, -b -> The output breed slot for these body parts char [0-9] for C1; Char [a-z] for all other games
    --att-dir, -a -> The location of atts to convert if desired
    --output, -o -> Output folder for the converted breed files
Flags: 
    --keep-ages -> Do not shift ages to match target game
    --force, -f [false] -> Force overwrite of existing files (cannot be used with --skip-existing or -x)
    --skip-existing, -x -> Skip existing files (cannot be used with --force)
    --no-tail -> Do not create tail files (even if none are present)  
    --samesize -> Make all body part frames the same size  
    --ignore-errors, -e -> Ignore all compilation errors. **Other errors will still cancel compile** 
    --progress -> Output file conversion progress   
    --quiet, -q -> Silence non-essential output 
Help:
    --help, -h -> Usage info 

Example usage

# Example 1: Convert a breed "simple" The following would convert a breed's sprites to C3, keeping the genus, age and breed slot the same

sprite-util convert-breed C3 ./Images/*0*8.spr ./Images/*4*8.spr

# Example 1: Change slot The following code would produce a C3 compatible breed sprites in ettin slot z from a norn slot 8

sprite-util convert-breed C3 --genus ettin --breed z ./Images/*0*8.spr ./Images/*4*8.spr

# Example 3: Convert ATTs To convert ATTs in addition to sprites, use the --att-dir, -a option followed by the ATT directory So to convert a norn slot 8 breed from C1 to C3 ettin z you would use:

sprite-util convert-breed C3 --genus ettin --breed z --att-dir "./Body Data" ./Images/*0*8.spr ./Images/*4*8.spr

NOTE Despite the ATTs being converted automatically. Care should be taken to edit head and body sprites converted from C1/C2 as the tail, hair and ear positions will be set to 0,0. This will be very noticeable when bred with other breeds

# Example 4: Without tail The prior commands will produce tail sprites (and atts if --att-dir is set) by default if one does not exist for the breed.
To prevent this, use the --no-tail flag.
The following would produce norn sprites and ATTs for parts a to l, but not m or n.

sprite-util convert-breed C3 --genus ettin --breed z --no-tail --att-dir "./Body Data" ./Images/*0*8.spr ./Images/*4*8.spr

# Example 5: Remap a breed
You can technically remap a breed by passing in the same game as the one it is for, but with different slot information
The following would create a copy of norn slot a into ettin slot z; ** Be sure to include the --att-dir flag or the body data will not be remapped

sprite-util convert-breed C3 --genus ettin --breed z --att-dir "./Body Data" ./Images/*0*a.c16 ./Images/*4*a.c16