[NOT SOLVED BUT EH...?] How to to use a PSD file

[PhZXgames]

So I don't know much at all about .PSD files, besides the fact they are spawned by Photoshop and can be manipulated/exported as PNGs by GIMP. Now, I would like to know if I can save the trouble of exporting the files and lining them up in MS paint with extreme precision (which I have a hand tremor so it's difficult *cry*). Is there some way Ren'py is compatible with these files and if so how?

Thanks!

[indoneko]

So I don't know much at all about .PSD files, besides the fact they are spawned by Photoshop and can be manipulated/exported as PNGs by GIMP. Now, I would like to know if I can save the trouble of exporting the files and lining them up in MS paint with extreme precision (which I have a hand tremor so it's difficult *cry*). Is there some way Ren'py is compatible with these files and if so how?

Thanks!

Don't put your psd files into renpy. They're taking up much space, and it doesn't work anyway.
You might as well ask an artist's help to edit them for you (or hire them, if you have the budget).

[TheKiwi]

I would suggest Krita, actually. It's a free program that can handle PSDs, so it would keep the layers aligned how you like AND it has transparency options! Not to mention, I *believe* (don't quote me on this), it has a magnetic lasso tool, which makes it easier to select parts of pictures in case you want to tweak it but need more help with the fine tuning.
Best of luck.

[Imperf3kt]

Skip MS paint, its... Not suited to this type of use. (personal biases withheld)

Just use Gimp or photoshop and export pngs.
Use the move tool in Gimp to easily adjust the exact position, either by pixel (type the numbers in) or use the keyboard arrow keys. No need for your pointing device.

I'd make a tutorial, but my computer is currently packed away in a box.

[ISAWHIM]

You can change what format you SAVE any image in, at the point where you save it... Select the FILE FORMAT TYPE, before you hit "OK" or "SAVE" on the save-menu popup window. (You can also EXPORT image formats from within most art programs, which is doing the same thing, with a better "save as" set of options.)

PSD is a special "container", maintained by Photoshop. It is not an actual image, but a database/container which also has images in it. Similar to what a PNG was intended to be. Except PSD was never intended to be used by any program other than Photoshop.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Pho ... ile_format
Because it is still "closed source" and "copyrighted", it needs rights to be purchased for distribution/use/creation. Just as GIF does.

It is essentially a "project file", containing layer data, creator data, and whatever you stuff into it. Thus, it is bloated and full of useless stuff that isn't even required to simply display a single layered image.

PNG = Portable Network Graphic, developed by Unisys as a universal network-transportable image container to replace the lacking GIF container.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Network_Graphics
This is an open-source format NOW... No rights needed for distribution/use/creation.

PNG, also just a container/database, can be used to do similar things, even animation, but most programs only add a base-image and a single alpha-mask. (Possibly creator info too.)

JPG is a raw-compressed, single image format. No alpha channel data is retained.
GIF is a raw-compressed or uncompressed format, with the ability to identify one of the colors as "transparent".
BMP is a raw-compressed or uncompressed format, with the ability for an alpha, but no program reads that extra data, or writes it. (They, instead use that extra bit for "beauty color", extending the limited color range by one more "byte" of accuracy. Again, limited to the few programs that actually use it. Those that do not use it, write it as a "0", which is bloating the image file.)
PNG images uses a better compression than BMP, for certain things. I believe it compresses R and G and B, instead of just RGB as one chunk, as well as doing a trim-compression. Also doing CMYK format too. (Framing the image to the actual first used pixel. EG, if the background is solid white, and your image is only actually a 16x16 area in the center, it saves it as a 16x16 image and tells the frame to be 1024x768, or whatever your images real size is.)

JPG is your best option for static non-transparent backgrounds. 95% quality or 5% compression is as far as I would go for HD stuff. The lowest I would go is about 85% quality or 15% compression, to reduce JPG artifacts. Usually you set this option at the point when you save the image. There is often an "Options" button in the save-windows, where you select image-format options. (Some let you set JPG compression in the image settings in the menu-bar at the top of your screen.)

Also note, opening, editing and saving will degrade your image further, with JPG. The compression is NOT repeatable, it has to re-compress it all over again, adding more JPG artifacts with every edit/save. Thus, save YOUR originals as PNG or PSD or whatever non-compressed format you like. Edit THAT image, then save it as JPG when the edits are done, but ALSO save it as your uncompressed format too. Just use the JPG for the game. (Don't keep editing the JPG from the game, or it will make it degrade with each edit.) {NOTE: Uncompressed JPG and trim-recompression is not actually used by any programs.}

PNG is a LOT larger than JPG, because it is essentially a x-color BMP layered with another 256-color BMP, if you have an alpha-channel. The image/color is whatever color-depth you set it to, while the alpha-channel or alpha-mask is always a 256-greyscale image, as a hidden layer. This is best for anything transparent, unless you manually setup JPG with a 256-greyscale PNG to use an an alpha, using the TRANSFORM code/language, to make a custom version of your own. (That gives you JPG compression without the bloated PNG compression, which is not as good for compression of anything that isn't solid-colors or limited colors.)

I am waiting for PNG to accept JPG compression as an option. Then we will have the best of both worlds. Unfortunately, JPG is also copyrighted. That makes it impossible to include in the FREE PNG format at all. As that would make the PNG format now bound to the JPG copyrights. (Few have been successful in upholding the claims. They are just money-grubbing CEO's looking for more golf money in companies that are going under, or just desperate for the "news". Similar case with GIF format too.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JPEG

[Imperf3kt]

GIF (as a format) died years ago.
It has subsequently been replaced (on the internet) with gifv and apng.

[gas]

TRICK FOR QUICK EXPORTING EVERYTHING THAT YOU WILL LIKE

Do these steps in GIMP.
A: align stuff using the damned keyboard arrows, so they align perfectly. Use SHIFT and ALT keys for different amount of movements. To simplify even more, drag from the side and upper meters on the image to create guides. They doesn't appear in the final image. You can snap layer centers to guides.
B: for each layer that you need to be cropped (like sprites( LAYER>AUTOCROP LAYER.
C: when satisfied, FILE>EXPORT AS...
D: name your file as you want and use the .ORA extension.
E: Right click on the .ORA file, and "extract...". .ORa is nothing but a zipped archive .
F: in the folder you extracted, you find a subfolder called "data". How magic! Here's all your layers (hidden and shown) in .png format, properly cropped, with progressive names.
G: Rename and drag where you need.
H: If some .png is too heavy (like backgrounds), use a convert app or open in GIMP and export as .jpg

This procedure it's really helpful for large numbers of .png images.

[Imperf3kt]

Wow, thanks for the tip about .ora
I've been manually hiding layers > export as

This'll save me a lot of time