Thread: Using GIFs for animated sprites

There's this thing about APNGs being used for animated sprites in Bulbapedia: It won't show in most browsers. As far as I know, IE, Chrome, and Webkit-based browsers won't work with them and only show the static frame.

This isn't good, as it limits the animations to certain browsers. Since they are sprites, with no more than 256 colours in the whole file almost all of the time, it makes no sense for them to be in the APNG format. Especially when GIFs can do the same thing at no loss of quality.

Also, the APNGs are actually bloated - recompressing them into GIFs yielded from a 5% to 60% size reduction. What's up with the APNG compressor, anyway?

There's a good reason why APNGs are not supported by most browsers. APNG is a rejected extension of PNG. It was rejected by the PNG group. Whereas, GIFs are supported by just about every browser.

I propose to reconsider our stance on animated sprites and use GIFs again for them. Any opinions?

However, for spriters, png is the best image quality, and most spriters will get their sprites from bulbapedia.

If a spriter has firefox, then they can just use IE/safari which is already installed on the computer.


Thus, I personally think that apng is the way to go. (even though none of my browsers support it)

Originally Posted by minimag

However, for spriters, png is the best image quality, and most spriters will get their sprites from bulbapedia.

If a spriter has firefox, then they can just use IE/safari which is already installed on the computer.


Thus, I personally think that apng is the way to go. (even though none of my browsers support it)

How many colours are going to be in a GIF in the end? GIFs are lossless when you don't have more than 256 colours, including transparency as a colour. Besides, one can always resave it into another file format while spriting.

How many colours are going to be in a GIF in the end? GIFs are lossless when you don't have more than 256 colours, including transparency as a colour. Besides, one can always resave it into another file format while spriting.

I think this is part of the problem; GIFs are lossless conditionally. APNG never has the issue of keeping it under 256 colors.

But beyond that, PNG (and APNG) provides an overall higher image quality, as has been said. And we endeavor to have the highest-quality images possible on the wiki for (I think) obvious reasons that I don't need to go into.

Originally Posted by Turt-turt-turtwig!

How many colours are going to be in a GIF in the end? GIFs are lossless when you don't have more than 256 colours, including transparency as a colour. Besides, one can always resave it into another file format while spriting.

But changing the format is tedious.
Having the ability to quickly save a png is convienent.

Originally Posted by evkl

I think this is part of the problem; GIFs are lossless conditionally. APNG never has the issue of keeping it under 256 colors.

But beyond that, PNG (and APNG) provides an overall higher image quality, as has been said. And we endeavor to have the highest-quality images possible on the wiki for (I think) obvious reasons that I don't need to go into.

The problem with that statement is that Pokémon sprites are limited to 15 colours + transparency per frame. Most sprites don't use colour palette shifts, so...

Also, GIFs are loseless while keeping it under 256 colours, if the source is also less than 256 colours.

You know what?

http://bmgf.bulbagarden.net/blogs/39851/hmm-apngs-gif-22646/

Download the attachments. You'll see. I do not see any loss of quality.

Originally Posted by Ax-ax-axew!

The problem with that statement is that Pokémon sprites are limited to 15 colours + transparency per frame. Most sprites don't use colour palette shifts, so...

Also, GIFs are loseless while keeping it under 256 colours, if the source is also less than 256 colours.

You know what?

http://bmgf.bulbagarden.net/blog.php?b=22646

Download the attachments. You'll see. I do not see any loss of quality.

My computer can't read those kinds of files...


Oh wait.....

I see the reason for frustration.


But I am a Chrome user and am not seriously pissed off that I can't see them moving.

Although I think that bulbapedia should include a link to a GIF of the sprite beneath the sprite box thing.

Originally Posted by minimag

But I am a Chrome user and am not seriously pissed off that I can't see them moving.

Although I think that bulbapedia should include a link to a GIF of the sprite beneath the sprite box thing.

But we can do something so that it works on everything. A link is not a good measure - having GIFs as default for sprites is a better idea.

Originally Posted by Ax-ax-axew!

But we can do something so that it works on everything. A link is not a good measure - having GIFs as default for sprites is a better idea.

I don't know.....


You'd want the explotible sprite to be in the main page.

Originally Posted by minimag

I don't know.....


You'd want the explotible sprite to be in the main page.

What do you mean be that?

Originally Posted by Ax-ax-axew!

What do you mean be that?

You'd want the sprite that spriters will be able to recolour, splice, etc... on the pokemon's page.

Originally Posted by minimag

You'd want the sprite that spriters will be able to recolour, splice, etc... on the pokemon's page.

One can just save the GIF, resave it into another file format with 32-bit colour support, and do it from the new file.

Originally Posted by Ax-ax-axew!

One can just save the GIF, resave it into another file format with 24-bit colour support, and do it from the new file.

But, as I stated earlier, that is tedious, and spriters will prefer to use spriter's resource and the like instead of bulbapedia.


I don't mean to go into a internet fight but you know, bulbapedia wants to be the best pokemon resource on the web, and that includes being a resource for spriting.

Originally Posted by minimag

But, as I stated earlier, that is tedious, and spriters will prefer to use spriter's resource and the like instead of bulbapedia.


I don't mean to go into a internet fight but you know, bulbapedia wants to be the best pokemon resource on the web, and that includes being a resource for spriting.

...it's really easy to do it. Open your image editing program, load the file, resave. Shouldn't take more than half a minute once the program's open.

Originally Posted by Ax-ax-axew!

...it's really easy to do it. Open your image editing program, load the file, resave. Shouldn't take more than half a minute once the program's open.

But it's easier to just right click and click "save as"...

Find the image that you saved, right click, click "open as" select the program you will use, and begin.