What is Framelet and how can it help my game development?

Framelet is a free tool designed to help game developers simulate and preview different pixel animation styles on their sprites. It allows you to upload your pixel art and experiment with various animation effects like color cycling and tweening, helping you visualize how different animation styles would look before implementing them in your game.

What sprite sizes does Framelet support?

Framelet supports sprites of size 16x16, 32x32, and 64x64 pixels. The tool is optimized for these common pixel art dimensions to help ensure more effective animation simulation.

Pixel Art Procedural Animation Simulator

Upload Sprite

Supported sizes: 16x16, 32x32, 64x64

Choose PNG File

Animation Style

2D Sprite Animation Simulator: framelet

framelet is a free, browser-based pixel animation simulator that transforms static sprites into dynamic animations. Unlike traditional pixel art suites that focus on drawing, framelet specializes in rapidly simulating how different animation techniques affect your existing sprites.

Simply upload a single sprite and instantly preview how it looks with various animation effects at different intensities. This approach lets you test animation styles without manually creating every frame, accelerating your workflow and enabling rapid experimentation.

Your sprites stay completely private, processed only in your browser. There's no account needed, no cloud storage, and no content sharing, simply a focused simulator that brings your pixel art to life through powerful, customizable animation techniques.

How to Use framelet

1. Upload Your Sprite

Click "Choose PNG File" to upload your sprite
Supported sizes: 16x16, 32x32, or 64x64 pixels
Your sprite will appear in the preview area
Make sure your sprite has a transparent background

2. Choose Animation Technique

Select between Tween or Color Cycle simulations
Tween creates smooth movement with easing
Color Cycle animates through selected colors

3. Adjust Simulation Settings

Set frame delay (100ms to 400ms)
Choose frame count (2 to 16 frames)
For Tween: Select direction and distance
For Color Cycle: Pick colors to animate
Test different intensities (25% to 100%)

4. Preview and Export

Compare your animation at multiple intensities simultaneously
Change background color to test visibility
Download sprite sheets for each intensity
Use the exported frames in your game engine

Animation Styles

Tween Animation

Create smooth, natural movement by interpolating between positions. Often used for idle animations, floating effects, or subtle character movements. Adjust the direction and distance to fine-tune the motion.

Four movement directions (up, down, left, right)
Adjustable distance (1-4 pixels)
Smooth easing for natural motion
Great for idle animations

Color Cycle

Animate your sprite by cycling through selected colors. Great for magical effects, power-ups, or creating dynamic visual feedback. Choose which colors to include in the cycle for precise control.

Select specific colors to animate
Control cycle speed and direction
Create magical or power-up effects
Perfect for UI feedback

Tips for Best Results

Sprite Preparation

Use transparent backgrounds (PNG format)
Keep your sprite centered in the frame
Consider how the animation will loop
Use consistent pixel sizes
Keep important details away from edges

Simulation Settings

Start with lower frame counts for testing
Compare different intensities side-by-side
Test your animation against different backgrounds
Consider your game's performance needs
Match animation speed to your game's tempo

Common Use Cases

Game Development

Rapid simulation of animation effects
Creating environmental elements that feel alive
Testing animation techniques without manual frame creation
Breathing life into static character sprites
Finding the perfect animation intensity for your game style

Pixel Art Projects

Experimenting with animation styles
Creating animated GIFs
Testing color palettes and effects
Prototyping game assets
Learning pixel art animation

Can I Use the Exports in My Game?

Yes.

Absolutely, you can use the exported sprite sheets in your game. The sprite sheets are in PNG format, so you can use them in any game engine that supports sprites. This code runs entirely in your browser and uses math against the various frames and colors to interpolate and ultimately create animation.