Character Design Workflow

Overview

A game character goes through several stages before it's ready for your engine: concept → generation → review → animation → export. This guide walks the complete workflow from text prompt to game-ready sprite sheet.

Designing characters iteratively lets you catch proportion, palette, and style issues early. Each stage builds on the previous one, so refining at the right time saves hours of rework.

Step 1: Generate the Base Character

Start with a clear text prompt describing the character's role, appearance, and style:

curl -X POST https://api.spritesynth.com/v1/characters \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
"prompt": "pixel art elf archer, green hood, leather armor, bow, idle pose, transparent background",
    "direction_count": 4,
    "width": 32,
    "height": 32
  }'

Review the result in the editor. If proportions or colors are off, adjust the prompt and regenerate.

Step 2: Add Animation States

Once the base design is approved, add movement and action states:

curl -X POST https://api.spritesynth.com/v1/characters/{character_id}/states \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "walk",
    "direction": "south",
    "frame_count": 4,
    "frame_width": 32,
    "frame_height": 32,
    "frame_duration_ms": 150
  }'

Generate walk, run, attack, and hurt states using the same prompt structure for visual consistency.

Step 3: Export for Your Engine

Export the complete character as a ZIP containing all directional sprite sheets and metadata:

curl -O https://api.spritesynth.com/v1/characters/{character_id}/export-zip \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

The ZIP includes per-direction sprite sheets, a metadata.json with frame definitions, and engine-specific import files.

Tips

• Iterate on the front view first — Lock the design before generating other directions.
• Use style references — Generate one character, then use it as a reference for all others in the same project.
• Frame count consistency — Keep the same frame count across all states for smoother transitions.