Sproxel v0.6 Released!

New features include:

• Project containing multiple sprites.
• Python plug-in system (importers/exporters in particular).
• Paint3D (.3MP) import/export.
• Slicing to see and edit inside voxel sprites.
• Indexed color voxel grids (256 colors from palette).

Download it (win32 only for now) in the usual place.

Sproxel v0.5 OSX!

Ryan Mast compiled and uploaded the 64-bit OSX build of Sproxel in record time!

It has all the features of the Windows build with the added niceties of the OSX widget set.  Grab it now on the downloads page.

 

Thanks, Ryan!

Sproxel v0.5 Released!

It's been a long time in the coming, but Sproxel v0.5 has finally been released!  New features include:

• Much faster and more stable raycasting algorithm was added by Electric Dog. This potentially fixed Issue ID#2.
• Grid dimensions can now be extended and contracted.
• Tool dragging (look for the option in preferences).
• Tool preview (look for the option in preferences).
• Voxels can be drawn with outlines now (again, preferences).
• Camera snapping (hold shift while holding alt to snap in 45 degree increments).
• A two-click Line tool.
• Tool code refactor - this will allow for multi-click tools like selection and line.
• Relatively major code refactor - moved things around for better extensibility.

Download Sproxel 0.5 (win32 or OSX) in the usual place.

This image shows the new voxel outline option, drawing each filled voxel with a thin border.  It also shows the new interactive tool preview feature, drawing a red box to show where the next splatted voxel will appear.  Both of these options, as well as a new tool dragging feature can be modified in the preferences dialog.

A lot of code has been changed under the hood of Sproxel for this release.  The results of these changes are not immediately visible, but upcoming versions will leverage the new technology in the form of layers, animation, selection, cut/copy/paste, indexed palettes, and various other features. Stay tuned!

Sproxel Visits The Digital Orca

The SIGGRAPH conference was in Vancouver, British Columbia this year.  Both the city and the weather were beautiful, so it made for a great week.

A rather apropos sculpture named the Digital Orca by Douglas Coupland greeted convention goers just outside the center.  Some people refer to this as the "pixelized killer whale" but since you're on this page, you probably know it's not made of pixels, it's made of voxels!  This seemed like just the job for Sproxel.  I took a few dozen reference photos before I headed back to the Bay Area, and after spending a couple hours with the results and Sproxel v0.4, I created what I believe to be a complete model of the Digital Orca.

This model, as well as the Sproxel "tree" model you see everywhere on this page, are now available for download on the Sproxel Downloads Page.  Just download samples.zip, uncompress it, and load the CSV files into your favorite version of Sproxel!

I often find that using my own tools helps give me an appreciation for what users want in a software package.  This project encouraged me to implement a couple UI features that you will be able to use in the next version of Sproxel.  Stay tuned!

August release delayed

Due to a nice vacation and this year's SIGGRAPH conference, I haven't had much time to work on Sproxel in the last few weeks.  I'll return to the Bay Area in seven days, and will be able to resume development, focusing on selections, slices, and a moving "builder brush" style development region (thanks for the suggestions on the feature requests wiki).  In the meantime, here is a screenshot of something I've been playing with.  I hope to have more news soon!

Sproxel 0.4 OSX!

Less than 24 hours after I released the Windows version of Sproxel 0.4, Ryan Mast built it for 64-bit OSX 10.6.

It's now available on the downloads page and has all the features of the Windows build. 

Thanks again, Ryan!

Sproxel v0.4 Released!

Another month, another Sproxel release.  New features include:

• Command-line loading of voxel grids.
• OBJ export is much improved.  You can now export quads or triangles.  The resulting mesh is now airtight and contains no internal polygons.  This allows for operations requiring perfect connectivity to be performed.
• Image import - using File->Import, you can import a standard 2d image into the grid.  BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, and TIFF image file formats are all supported.
• Mirroring around any axis.
• Rotation clockwise and counter clockwise around any axis.
• Window positions are now saved on exit and restored on startup.
• A new Edit->Preferences dialog exists where you can change grid size and color, background color, and a few other minor UI features.
• Popup palette color editor starts with the right color now.
• Application clean state and undo is more stable.
• Built using the Microsoft compiler.
• A few small UI improvements.

Download Sproxel 0.4 in the usual place.
 

This image, courtesy of Metin at http://www.sevensheaven.nl/ illustrates some of the effects you can achieve using Sproxel's new seamless OBJ export and importing into a package like 3dStudio Max, Maya, or Blender.