Blender just released version 2.90, and Sprytile has a new release alongside it!

For this version, I focused on cleaning up the UI/UX issues that I encountered working with Sprytile, which means this is a relatively feature light release.

The UX issue that needed addressing the most is the tile selection palette, which was getting obscured by Sprytile's own panel.

You can now move the tile selection palette by mousing over it, holding shift + middle mouse button to drag it around inside the viewport. This isn't the final form for the tile palette, it's just the easiest way to address the issues with it for now.

When installing the new version of Sprytile, you might want to check the preferences to set it up for your preferred workflow.  Setup grid will automatically change the grid to the pixel density of your file. Pixel viewport will change the settings to the friendliest settings for the flatshaded style, but you might not want this if you're going to be doing custom rendering.

Blender 2.9 Pixel Workflows

Blender 2.9 has some new features are helpful to the low poly pixel art style. The first is Correct Face Attributes for the transform tool, which corrects UVs as you move elements of your mesh. Combining it with Blender's increment snap and Sprytile's floor to grid utility makes editing the mesh to pixels in the viewport so much easier now.

To support this feature, Sprytile for Blender 2.9 adds a toggle to the UI, to make switching this feature on and off a lot easier. 

The other Blender 2.9 feature that is interesting for low poly pixel workflows is the extrude tool's Dissolve Orthogonal Edges option. This makes meshing out features from your pixel textures so much easier.  There isn't a Sprytile enhancement for this yet, but I did a workflow test combining it with UV correction, and I'm excited to see what tools I can build to enhance this workflow.

Version 0.5.15 Changelog

• Streamlined UI
• Tile palette can be moved around (mouse over tile palette, hold shift and middle mouse click)
• Changed default tile rotate shortcuts to Q/E. Flip X/Y is now Shift Q/E.
  These can be set in Blender Preferences by searching for 'Sprytile'
• Added toggle for sprytile tools to work with backfaces
• For Blender 2.9, added UV correction toggle
• Enhanced painting mode hinting, now works with selected edges of face
• Enhanced addon preferences
  • Automatic floor grid setup
  • Automatic viewport setup
• Bugfixes
  • Selection longer transforms in paint mode
  • Auto reload works after re-opening file
  • Restored cursor movement in fill mode (hold S to snap to vertices or grid)

Gratitude - content warning: pandemic, health discussion

I'm so thankful for the community members who donated to Sprytile in August. That money has helped out with my uncle's treatment costs for COVID-19.

Unfortunately, I'm sad to say that he passed away from the illness this week. 

Please take all the precautions you can to prevent the spread of the virus. If you are in a position to, please help each other get through these perilous times. And please hold the people in power accountable when they are not taking the steps to help your country through this pandemic. The pandemic has shown the fundamental ways so many systems in the world are broken. because those in power are serving themselves and not the people of their countries.

Until the next Sprytile update, please stay safe.