How to use TexturePacker

TexturePacker
#1

Hi everyone,

Can someone that knows how to use TexturePacker please give a noob friendly explanation? For instance, we have been using Flash (to export .swf files) and Spriteloq (import .swf files and pack them into spritesheets) to create spritesheets which we then use in our game, but we have decided to try out Texture Packer due to issues with retina graphics/ high res sprites.

Is there a user-friendly explanation on how to actually create and export spritesheets using TexturePacker? We are new to game development, and the command line docs for TexturePacker appear to be aimed at experienced users.

Thanks. [import]uid: 52069 topic_id: 15997 reply_id: 315997[/import]

#2

I have this on my list as a tutorial to do on my site, but haven’t made it yet so I’ll take a stab at walking you through the bare essentials…

Open Texture Packer

Under the Geometry Settings:

Leave autosize checked (but you can lower the max width and hieght - you want the smallest that will hold your images)

Under Output Settings:

  • Set Data Format to “Corona TM SDK”

  • Set Data File to some place you want to have your files created: Example: /Users/nryan/Artwork/texturemap/test.lua

Now, choose “Add Sprites” up at the top and select all the images you want packed…

Finally, just click “Publish” and you will end up with two files in the location you specified above…

This will give you a test.lua file (code for Corona - look inside for usage in the comments and on the Corona site for working with sprite sheets) and a test.png (this is simply the “packed” set of images)

Hope that gets you started, beyond that are just more advanced usages that you can fumble through to figure out, such as adding padding and margins around your images, etc.

happy packing!

Croisened

[import]uid: 48203 topic_id: 15997 reply_id: 59403[/import]

#3

Hi @Croisened,

Thanks for the tips, just tried them on a Mac and read the generated code. Makes sense. [import]uid: 52069 topic_id: 15997 reply_id: 59513[/import]

#4

Hi lloyd5,

I’d like to hear about the issues you’re having with retina graphics using Spriteloq if you’d post to the Spriteloq forum, but I’d also like to hear your experience with TexturePacker for the Flash to Corona pipeline.

-don [import]uid: 27183 topic_id: 15997 reply_id: 59529[/import]