Pixelmash

TLDR: If you are unsure, try the trial, just please don’t skip this software due to those top-voted 3 year old downvotes when the software is being continued to be updated with major versions by the developers. Now for the review: Definitely need to use this software more (have used it for more hours off of steam, but even so, my hours are small). I would wholeheartedly recommend it as a useful tool. It continues to be updated with some really interesting unique features, while already having a pretty much unmatched toolset from the start. The dynamic pixel art feature is an interesting spin on the pixel editor formula; how it works is the document is stored at a higher resolution (IE if you want to work at 32x32 pixels, the documents actual behind the scenes painting can be stored at 320x320 and so have the potential for 10x as much detail). Meaning that if you work with dynamic mode on, you don’t have to worry if you at some point decide to increase/decrease the resolution of your assets (in most cases), it’s just a case of moving a slider and getting a different resolution, based on scaling the pixelation of the stored image. The dynamic FX (there are many!) features mean this program could just be sold on the aspect of using it as a High-Resolution art to pixel-art converter, you could bring in vector art, 3D rendered animations or hand drawn/painted art, and have a nice pixel art effect with one of the best in industry downscalers. With features like quantizing/restricting colors to a palette, it’s way easier to get a nice pixel art render from this than any compositor in any 3D software I have used (if you are going for a Dead Cells effect from 3D rendered art). But, before you buy, you may have a question: The top rated reviews are negative you might say… well true, but did you stop to read the date that those were reviewed at? Upvoting those reviews is doing a disservice to the developers, as it’s been 2-3 years since either of those reviews were put up, and many issues listed in those have been worked on by the developers (with multiple 2020, and now onto 2021 large versions since) that these old reviewers with all these upvotes haven’t even seen and taken into account. To put that into perspective, it’d be like upvoting a game reviewer scoring a fully released game based on their experience with it’s alpha. So please don’t upvote old news anymore, instead check out the newer reviews, including a positive one (the most recent before mine) with 375 hours in the software. Honestly I really despise the way it’s possible to get stuck in a endless loop of mixed reviews undeservedly, because less new people are willing to try and give the software a chance after the initial launch, and thus there will be less positive reviews coming in to outweigh the negative. In software categories on Steam it’s especially harsh, as you get way less overall reviews by default, as it is a comparatively niche section. This software is undeserved of that fate, as the developers continue to improve it significantly. Definitely check out the trial on the developers website if you are unsure whether to buy. And (importantly) don’t just judge this program as inferior to Aseprite because the built-in pixel editor might not be as obviously easy to use. You are discounting the other unique features if you do (which to me are the main selling point of this software), and for the record, I would like to see you dynamically scale vector animations/3D renders and limit them to a chosen pallete (IE, make them into nice pixel art) with Aseprite compared to Pixelmash and see the results as well as time spent. @ me on Twitter if you prove me wrong with your proof included, and I will be shocked.

This pixel editor is quite awesome. The best part about it is the object based editing, that always keeps the original objects and only applies the pixelizing operations on the fly so that you can always operate on the original objects. The possibilities to animate simple objects is good. This software allows pixel-art-beginners to get easy and good results. Though the interface lacks some minor usability tweaks and hopefully there will be a bit more editing features. But overall a nice pixel-editor.

I wonder why, and I say why, there are so many negative reviews on this product? All these reviews, please note, are for the early stage of the program. Now in 2022 it has grown up in features enormously, so it is wise to check the recent ones. This said, for the first time in my life (and I'm doing computer graphics from more than 20 years up today) using the main program tutorial on Youtube, the one in the help section of the program, in just half an hour I learned all the main features of a graphics software. And what graphics software. Pixelmash has a truly new approach to pixel art, introducing the dynamic resolution. This means you can paint in hires, add the effects you want from a wide selection, and then dynamically lower the resolution to obtain your pixel art. In practice, the program stores the data in hires, so you don't need to worry about detail loss when rotating an object and so on. Obviously the effects are cumulative and appliable at any resolution. Just about objects: the software is object oriented, moving and rotating small parts permit to do animations and construct more complex sprites in minutes (I am reviewing the software after 2 hours because in just 2 hours I did some nice animation effects, while other softwares need weeks of practice to learn, not to mean how many to master them). And please note the other pixel art software are very good too, someone is incredible and I will continue to use them all. But this is just more intuitive, and has some nice features like arrays and masks, so it is a very welcome addition. It lacks some other features (Bayer type dithering for example, and antialiasing at the present date august 2022) but the program is growing and I am confident new details will be added. EDIT: the newly added vector layers and curves creation, are simply REVOLUTIONARY in speeding up pixel art creation and animation processes. I am very excited about these features and I am very happy for the growing features of this software. Today, as 6th of august 2022, I finally have a Pixelart Tool that make me focus on what is important of animation and gives me immediate feeling, no more need the terrible process of manually cancel and hand redraw every single keyframe I was used with all other software. The object oriented nature of this software, along with its exceptional vector editor. I have created some nice animations in a couple of hours, like never before. Then I retouch all fine details of my frames in Aseprite (another wonderful must have pixelart software) and the job is done. It's a shame Stem reviews doesn't allow tho share images and animations to show what can be done in few minutes with this program. I really hope it will continue to have the support it deserves.

we need chinese please

Entschuldigt mich für diese kurze Review, aber: Für mich ist es essentiell mit, bzw. in Ebenen zu arbeiten. Wenn ich dann aber beim Durchklicken von nur 3 Ebenen nach kurzer Zeit komplett aus dem Programm fliege, dann ist das Ganze für mich a) nervig und b) schlichtweg unbrauchbar! Danke, aber nein danke! Definitiv nicht mein Programm und sicher auch nicht eures - es sei denn, ihr steht auf Stress und konditionierte Abstürze! Finger weg! Zumindest bis die bekannten Probleme dieser Software von Seiten der Entwickler nochmal angegangen werden! Sieht aber seit längerer Zeit nicht danach aus, dass sich einer von denen hier noch rumtreibt...

This is THE BEST pixelart software I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot. I've been looking for vectorial pixelart so much, it really takes away much frustration cause I'm very slow at drawing. I adore how easy and powerful it is, and will recommend it to everyone I know. If you are casual or an expert THIS IS A MUST GET! El mejor programa de Pixelart por lejos, y eso que he visto muchos. IMPERDIBLE si te gusta el pixelart de forma casual o profesional, te vas a ahorrar horas y horas, con resultados excelentes.

So far, so good! I like some of the nifty little things I can do with this pixel art program. I feel like if I got some practice with it, it could speed up some of the more laborious aspects of my workflow that I normally do with other programs. Some earlier reviews mention frequent crashes, I haven't experienced one yet so hopefully that means development has since patched a few things.

What kind of art program lacks a line tool or shortcut? If one is present, I sure couldn't find it. Tried in vain to make some simple pixel works and grew increasingly frustrated. There are plenty of free art programs and even pixel programs out there with significantly larger tools and accessibility. I rarely leave negative reviews, but this deserves it.

ver2022.2(newest), bought on steam; :( Unable to export animated GIFs (clicking save does not export, nothing happens) :( Unable to import SVG files from outside (nothing happens) :< The above does not improve even if I allow Pixelmash permissions in Windows 11 environment. I think it is a unique and interesting tool, but I can't recommend it to others if I can't output my work satisfactorily.

When installed, it cant open, just cant open, nothing show