Is there any Atari 7800 Graphics tool out there?

[R_Leo_1]

I'm a pixel artist and would love to get into making pixel art for the Atari 7800. I have found utilities available for making graphics on the 2600 and the Atari 8-bit computers, but I can't seem to find one out there for the 7800. I've read some on the Atari 7800 Programming site and forum posts here explaining how the 7800 and its MARIA chip handles graphics, and I do have some understanding to an extent, but a specified program would definitely make the process a ton easier. If there isn't some kind of program available, I can definitely try to just replicate the limitations myself in some kind of paint program or other software that wasn't specifically for the Atari 7800. If anyone knows of a pixel art tool that allows for non-square pixels, like those on the 7800, that would be very helpful as well. Thanks

[Eagle]

Graf2x

http://grafx2.chez.com/index.php?static3/downloads

Aseprite

https://www.aseprite.org/

Edited October 23, 2018 by Eagle

[R_Leo_1]

Awesome! Thanks for these tools! Do either of them have options for rectangular pixels?

 

Nevermind I was able to figure it out rather quickly!

Edited October 23, 2018 by R_Leo_1

[+SmittyB]

If all else fails you can just draw pairs of pixels and then resize the results.

I know Photoshop supports different pixel ratios but it's hardly worth the price tag just for drawing 7800 graphics.

[RevEng]

FWIW The Gimp supports different pixel aspect ratios too.

[R_Leo_1]

I actually have gimp so that sounds like a pretty good! I'm having a hard time with grafx2 so I may just try that idea.

[Lavalamp]

GIMP has a terrible interface, but I guess its the only real option, I didnt know about the pixel ratio option though thats great.

[R_Leo_1]

GIMP has a terrible interface, but I guess its the only real option, I didnt know about the pixel ratio option though thats great.

 

I agree with you about the interface for sure, I've just had to learn to adjust or swap the image between programs and only really using GIMP when I absolutely need to.

[Lavalamp]

 

I agree with you about the interface for sure, I've just had to learn to adjust or swap the image between programs and only really using GIMP when I absolutely need to.

 

It does work tho...

 

 

[R_Leo_1]

I realized I can do the same on Paint.net, which I'm more familiar with. I just wish there was a way to check that my final image wouldn't be too much for MARIA to display on screen.

[Lavalamp]

I think my ratio is the wrong way round...I prefer paint.net too. But it has no way to limit the palette that I could see, so you will still need to convert it in GIMP.

Edited October 23, 2018 by Lavalamp

[R_Leo_1]

Yeah the indexed color is a great tool in GIMP. Do you know if there's any way to display a pre-made image on screen using 7800 BASIC?

[Lavalamp]

Yeah the indexed color is a great tool in GIMP. Do you know if there's any way to display a pre-made image on screen using 7800 BASIC?

 

 

if you use a 128 x 96 image based on 4 index colours from the Atari 256 palette you can use incbanner filename.png [graphics mode] [#1] ...

 

Atarius Maximus excellent guide is pretty through here.

 

 

This is my summarised version for GIMP 2:

 

Below is my template (could be resized to 16x16 for sprites) with the correct ratio in place for 160B with doublewide on for sprites:

 

 

Toggling Dot for Dot under View shows you the stretched image. I created a new view in GIMP so I could see them side by side.

 

 

1. Use Mode to switch between RGB and Index

 

 

2. First to restrict the number of colours to 4. (160A Mode)

 

 

3. Use mode RGB/Indexed again to restrict to the Atari Palette. (You can import this into GIMP as a ACT file from here)

 

 

4. I switch to RGB to select which colours I want from the Atari palette then switch back to the indexed mode.

Edited October 25, 2018 by Lavalamp

[R_Leo_1]

Oh wow! This is super helpful, thanks for the info! I may just have to start using GIMP a bit more often now

[ColonialWarrior]

GIMP!!!